At the beginning of my last week in the states, I said my “See you laters” to my friends and family of f@ith in T3xas and began my journey driving to SC@rolina, where I would spend my last week with family and begin the packing process. I had been doing a B!ble study with the women of my ch.rch (Children of the Day by Beth Moore). I went to Bible study that last day in T3xas, then got on the road to travel as far as I could go that day. It was quite the journey with lots of traffic since it was both Mardi Gras and Valentine’s Day weekend. I was also traveling through L0uis!ana…home of
Mardi Gras. There were many accidents and lots of slow traffic. Of
course I had not even considered those things in my plans, but G0d was
f@ithful to my desire to be with the women of my family of f@ith one
last time, to study and pr@y together. I was able to get far enough
along the way to not make the second day too long…again I forgot that I
would be losing an hour traveling eastward. As all of these things came
to light I just turned it all over to G0d, smiled in my heart knowing
He had it all, and kept up my singing and pr@ising!!!
I was able to make it to Gulfport, MS in spite of all the delays. I was very excited about this because I would be able to sit a few minutes on the beach the next morning and drive along the beach to begin the day. It was Valentine’s Day, so sitting on the beach with the Lover of My Soul and expressing my love for Him was a great way to begin bringing an end to my time in the states. Listening to His expressions of love to me was a great way to begin turning my thoughts to what He has called me to do.
As I walked on the beach and sat down with Him to journal my love and commitment to Him, I could see Him all around me in the great beauty of His creation. I watched the seagulls, looked at the shells on the sand (one with a heart inside it to literally say “Lori, I love you and I am here with you!”), and I pondered how the tide was in its low position. I was reminded of Ezekiel’s vision in chapter 47 of the Life Giving River. The man walking with Ezekiel in his vision was showing him the Life Giving River. He took him into the river first up to his ankles, then up to his knees, then up to his waist, and finally into the river where it was “deep enough to swim, but too deep to walk through.” (vs5) I remembered a time in my life that G0d spoke to me through these words. It was a gentle calling to come into the deep water with Him. I recounted His f@ithfulness to me as I walked this life with Him. First just taking me ankle deep to teach me that life with Him was safe and fun like splashing around as a child in the shallow waves of the ocean, holding the hands my mom and dad. Then, taking me a little deeper in my understanding that He was the stable ground beneath my feet as I stood alone in the knee deep waves, jumping and playing with my parents close by. Next, He had taken me out deeper into a f@ith that trusted Him to speak, guide, and protect me in uncertain circumstances. He was the anchor that kept me steady when I was waist deep in the ocean laughing and playing with my family and the waves would come and lift me off the ground. Finally, He had proven Himself to be f@ithful and ALL I NEED to follow Him into the deep water…to go wherever it would take me, trusting that He was with me. He was my Source for everything I would need to accomplish the plans He had for my life. I thought of all the moments I have had in the ocean where the waves were crashing over me, my feet could not touch the ocean floor, yet I loved floating and riding the waves wherever they would take me. My parents on the shore or even more importantly, my parents out in the deep water riding their own waves of service and surrender to G0d. As I looked out over the ocean in front of me that Valentine’s Day, I heard His call…”Come back over to the other side. I’m waiting here for you.” Then I saw a road in the way the water was pooled on the sand that beckoned to me, “Come walk in me.” It was a road of water that led to the deep ocean, where again I can swim in the deep water with G0d as my anchor, my guide, my everything!! G0d had given me the sweet time of rest and fellowship and renewal and vision to see what He was preparing for this year and beyond and He was calling me to come back to the unfamiliar, uncertain, and deep water with Him to make a difference in this world for Him and for His gl0ry!
