Today’s photo comes from my favorite spot on yesterday’s drive through Brookings, OR on the Samuel H. Boardman State Scenic Corridor. Arch Rock picnic area offered character, beautiful scenery, a place to eat my lunch and enjoy a nice walk along the perimeter.
Of course I shot several photos along the fence line before seeing the warning signs to not touch and steer clear of poison oak! I am pretty sure I did not touch it but sent up a little prayer anyway, because God only knows how allergic I am to that stuff and my past history with it and it’s cousin sumac.
Anyway, it was lovely drive and day. One of the most surprising things to me was seeing blackberry vines and apple trees on the trail down to the beach.
My talk went really well last night. I had a decent turnout and was pleasantly surprised once again how much love I could feel in the room for my sister, Amorah, and how it was extended to me as well. God continues to bless and amaze me in beautiful ways on this mission of hope. Thank you for all your prayers.
Hello from Smith River, CA! (somewhere between Crescent City, CA and Brookings, OR) Before I talk about the photo of the day I first want to catch you up on my flight experience yesterday.
As you know I flew into DC – I already had a 3+ hour layover in the airport waiting for my connection to Denver. Once we boarded the plane and started to what we thought was the runway ended up being a parking lot for planes. With several lined up in a neat row we sat there…and sat there…until they finally told us that the route had been changed to avoid inclement weather. Okay, I am fine with waiting on the ground for that. Then the pilot told us they had been crunching numbers and with the longer route we wouldn’t have enough fuel. So we headed back to the terminal to top off the tank.
While we were fueling up the storm moved closer and by the time we got back to the runway…all routes had been closed. Then the storm came. We sat there a good 3 hours before taking off for Denver. Of course that meant I missed my connection to Medford.
When we landed in Denver I received a text from the airline that they had re-booked my flight – Great! It was now 7:28 and my flight was scheduled for take off at 7:40. I was about 20 gates away from where I needed to be in about 10 mins. I actually got off the the plane about 7:38. Mental note: Sandals are good for initial security check. Bad for running in the airport to your gate as you hear your name being called over the speaker. But, by the grace of God- I made it! Apparently they were waiting on me. I was the last person to board and got to walk the isle to the complete rear seat of the plane with everyone looking at me with that ‘we’ve been waiting’ grimace on their faces.
I know most of you have your own flight stories to tell and have probably had much worse days than mine, but in full disclosure this just made me question my sanity a little and wonder why I go to the trouble to get to another destination at all.
Then I see God’s magnificent design in nature like the photo above and it all comes back into perspective. I did ask God a couple of times if I heard Him right…because when I finally got to my hotel, in my exhausted emotional travel weary state, they didn’t have record of my reservation. They did end up finding the info and thankfully had a room for me, but by the time I got settled down and into bed it was about 2 a.m. Ky time and my body felt every minute of it.
As I was watching the news and eating my free continental breakfast this morning the weather man announced the coast would be having rain today and possibly tomorrow. Something they hadn’t experienced in a while. So my coastal drive was a bit cloudy and yes it did rain most of the afternoon, but I still saw some amazing trees and beautiful coast lines. I am grateful for being here and to have a cabin and a bed to lay my head down.
This was not the photo I would have shared but you guessed it, my laptop isn’t reading my SD card so I can’t download the photos from my Canon. Good thing I took a few with my phone. Just in case.
Tomorrow…Brookings and then Mt. Shasta for book signing and talk. Good night friends!
It
could be described as when we don’t try to control the outcome and let God
lead. A lot of people don’t understand or know how to do that. For a long time,
I was one of them.
At
one time in my life I allowed the man I was in a relationship with to control
me. He controlled my actions, my words, the way I dressed, and even tried to
control my thoughts, or at least had to know them as soon as they entered my
head. He did not have my best interest at heart.
On
the other hand, God always has our best interest at heart. He loves us so much
and wants us to be the person He created us to be. He wants us to allow Him to
lead us to that path. But He is not a task master. He allows us to have our own
free will to decide for ourselves. I saw the dark path that leads me to, and I
don’t ever want to go back there. God’s way is light and full of love. If we
let go of the things of this world that lead us to the arms of the enemy, He
promises us a new life full of joy and peace that eventually leads us to the
Kingdom.
Last
Fall I was approached by a homeless man asking for change. In my experience
with non-profits and shadowing a homeless woman for a day on the streets, I’ve
learned what they usually do with the money they are given. I have heard many
times that we shouldn’t give it to them because they will purchase alcohol with
it. Keeping to that theory, I turned him away. I usually make a zip lock bag
full of other items for the winter such as socks, hand warmers, and gloves. But
this time I wasn’t prepared.
I
believe God showed me something about this experience. In a sense I was trying
to control the outcome by not giving him the money he asked for. I am not
supposed to draw conclusions about other people’s intentions, I am just
supposed to give generously, help those in need and love like Jesus loved. I
don’t really know for sure that he was going to purchase a drink with the money
if I had given it to him. I am to be kind no matter what and let God control
the outcome. Even if he did purchase something other than food with the money,
that is not for me to judge or decide for him. That is between him and God.
After
that I purchased the socks, gloves and hand warmers and made my package, to be
ready for the next time- by the way, I also included a little money in each
one. I hope I can keep learning and growing more like Jesus in everything I do.
I don’t tell you this for praise but to share how we are to love everyone and
be generous, so we can be more like Jesus and let God’s will lead us.
“For I was hungry,
and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you have me a drink. I was a stranger, and
you invited me into your home. And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth,
when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were
doing it to me!’”
Matthew 5:35,40
Then Jesus left
them a second time and prayed, “My Father! If this cup cannot be taken away
unless I drink it, your will be done.” Matthew 26:52
Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us today the food we need, and forgive us our sins, as we have forgotten those who sin against us. And don’t let us yield to temptation but rescue us from the evil one. Matthew 6:9-13
Faith Walk Ministries, Inc. 