This week I've started reading the book of Joshua (or Josue in Spanish) and When I got to chapter 3 and 4 I had a hmmm I kinda know how that feels moment. Chapter 3 talks about how the nation of Israel had to cross the Jordan, to enter the promised land. The amazing thing was God telling them to prepare for this journey by consecrating themselves. Then when it was time to cross the river, He sent the priests and the ark of the covenant in first. When the feet of the priests touched the water the river stopped flowing. and the nation of Israel crossed the Jordan river on dry land. Now you may wonder Jen what does this have to do with your journey. Well we crossed a few rivers and no the water didn't stop flowing when we crossed, but we had been preparing for the journey in prayer and God did see us safely to the other side. And we did make it to our final destination a little wet, and muddy and worn out, but we made it. And God showed more of Him along the way!
There was a point in the journey when I was tired and just ready to stop driving I was tired of dodging pot holes the size of Pennsylvania, I was tired of going only 5 miles an hour and I really didn't want to cross any more rivers and the only thing that I could do so I wouldn't start crying was to sing. I started singing to my self I Love you Lord. IT was a little tense in my van the students behind me weren't sleeping, they were intent on watching the road and the gas tank. Finally I said hows it going back there guys and they said ok how are you doing and I said well I'm tired and I really just want to get to our destination, they said ok how can we help, and I told them well I'm just up here singing so why don't we all sing, to get our minds off the stress of the situation. So We started singing, it was crazy I think they thought I was crazy, but we started singing, and the mood changed. We were not fearing anymore, we were praising our Father the only one who could bring us through this! And I knew at that point I had nothing to fear, God was with us and he would not leave us. we might not make it to our final destination when I wanted to, but we would get there and He would protect us and be with us.
It wasn't until this week when I realized all God had done for us on that journey. And how i needed to be reminded of what he had done. Which brings me to Joshua 4, when Joshua called the people of Israel to collect rocks from the middle of the Jordan river to set up a memorial on the banks of the Jordan, so when their children asked they could share what God had done for them in this place. Mount Vernon did something very similar for me. They found a rock, a big heavy rock and carried it all the way from Palora to Quito, signed it and gave it to me as a reminder of this trip and all the rocks we drove over on the swiss cheese roads and in the rivers we crossed. Also on Wednesday Hermano Stan gave a Devotional that touched me and reminded me of this trip as well. The verse that touched me was Mark 5:36. "Don't be Afraid, Just Believe." That is what we did we started singing and praying and believing instead of being afraid. And the memorial Rock that MVNU gave me will be a reminder to do just that "Believe and not be afraid.
Me and my Memorial Rock!
(Oh P.I.P. means plan in process, that was our theme, because the plan was constantly changing!)
