The title of the book The Seat Beside Me can lead to some interesting thoughts. When you travel by public transportation, do you think about who might be in the seat next to you? Do you pray about it ahead of time? It could be a great opportunity to have a conversation with someone new . . . someone God has chosen.

In this book, the author Nancy Moser has created a story about some people traveling by plane. She tells about the conversations that some of the key characters have with the person seated next to them. For some, the conversation is a life changing experience.

Shortly after takeoff the plane crashed in freezing water. The words spoken on the plane made a real impact on most of the survivors. The characters included one hero and one self-centered coward.

As I read this story I felt that I was experiencing everything— the fear, the freezing water, the sadness for those that don't make it and God's love. I also thought about a reassessment of my own life. Could I become a hero under certain circumstances? Or would I be a self-centered coward? God was in the whole episode just as He is in all of our encounters. We aren't always aware of this and that is where prayers come in. This is our connection to God before we even start the trip.

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