I watched the sunset out the train window while headed to Russia, traveling with an organization called “Cry for Life.”

I had never experienced the sun setting so late and rising so early. The train we traveled on had sleeper cars, so I went to bed shortly after.

Suddenly, I was awakened by a loud pounding on our door. As a leader opened it, two guards with machine guns strapped to their shoulders, demanding we open our bags so they could search them. I didn’t realize it at the time, but we were close to the Russian border, and a bag search of all the passengers was customary.

As I opened my bag, I saw my Bible sitting on the very top of my clothes. I suddenly remembered our leader’s reminder a few days earlier not to pack our bibles. It was considered not a good idea to do so when traveling in Russia at that time. My heart began beating wildly, and I held my breath as the soldier looked through my belongings. Strangely enough, the men left our room and went on to the next one after searching through our things. Soon after the men left our space, our leader, Bert, came to check on us. I think the 5 a.m. bag search was as much of a shock to him as it was to us.

Upon entering our room, seeing our open bags and my Bible sitting on top of my clothes, Bert looked at me and said in his strong Dutch accent, “Brandie, you brought your Bible? Did the guards see it?”

I immediately apologized for bringing it and commented that it sat in plain view while the soldiers searched my bag, but they did not seem phased by it in the least.

“It’s a miracle!!” Bert exclaimed, “God hid your Bible!”

I felt incredibly embarrassed for not following what Bert had told us to do. At the same time, I was in awe because at that moment, I realized we certainly had experienced a miracle of God’s protection. There was no other plausible explanation.

Friend, how do you feel about making a mistake? Are you comfortable or fearful of making them? The truth is, God is bigger than any of the mistakes we make, and He has the power to help us when we mess up.

Share ways you can show God you’re thankful He redeems mistakes.

Father God, thank You for being the Redeemer of my mistakes. When I make a mistake, please help me remember that I can trust You to work and bring good out of the situation.

In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Genre: Non-fiction

Copyright 2021: Mistake at the Russian Border: Brandie Muncaster: All Rights Reserved