March 24, 2017
Today is a very bittersweet day. For seven years now—since November 16, 2009—I have almost daily read His Word and written in my journals or recorded my hand-written journal entries into this blog while reading through the Bible again. The Journey: Part One was completed on July 1, 2014—seven years after "the storm" began. Now The Journey: Part Two is finished—seven years after I began keeping a journal while reading through the Bible. The last journal entry for Revelation is entered.
I don't want it to be over. I don't want this journey of Walking on His Footpath (Following the Master's Lead) to end. His footpath has had some unexpected twists and turns, but God has taught me so much, and I have thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it. It has been a part of my life for seven years now, and it feels like a trusted old friend. I just don't feel ready for this part of the journey to end.
I'm asking myself why that is. Why don't I feel ready? Why am I reluctant to have it end?
Who could have ever imagined that it would take me almost four years to complete my journey of keeping a daily journal while ready through the Bible. And then who could have ever imagined that was just the beginning, and it would take me another three years to transcribe those entries into this blog. And who could have ever imagined that THIS is how God wanted HIS STORY told? And who would have ever thought that the lawsuit which began in 2007 would still be ongoing? You have to wonder if there is any link between the journals being finished and the ending of the lawsuit?
For some time now, we have wondered if completing the entire journey through the Bible was linked with the ending of the lawsuit. God waited patiently for Noah to finish the boat before judgment was handed down to those who refused to change their hearts and lives. When the boat was finished, judgment happened and then there was a New Beginning. You have to wonder why has the lawsuit not been resolved yet? It has been almost ten years. Why are my sister and brother-in-law still pursuing us? Why haven't they understood the path they are going down is leading to destruction? Why have they refused to change?
I guess maybe that is part of why I am reluctant for this part of the journey to be over. Do I want the lawsuit to be over? Yes. Am I fearful of the outcome of the lawsuit? No. Then why the reluctance? The answer is: my sister and brother-in-law. I'm concerned for them. My heart breaks for them. There does not appear to be even a hint of any kind of change of heart or life. Not even one little hint. It feels as if time is fading. While there is breath there is hope, but hope is dwindling.
God waited patiently while Noah finished the boat, but there came a time when the door of the boat was shut and accountability for the people's refusal to surrender to God's authority happened. God has been so patient with my sister and brother-in-law, and for that I am eternally grateful. As much as it would be nice for the lawsuit to be over, the delay in judgment has provided my sister and brother-in-law with days, weeks, and now ten years of God's grace. I would gladly choose to have the lawsuit continue for many more years if all they needed was more time to change their hearts and lives. Sadly, I don't think it is something as simple as needing more time.
No matter what, there is one thing I absolutely KNOW—God has a plan and HE is in control.
Today is a very bittersweet day. For seven years now—since November 16, 2009—I have almost daily read His Word and written in my journals or recorded my hand-written journal entries into this blog while reading through the Bible again. The Journey: Part One was completed on July 1, 2014—seven years after "the storm" began. Now The Journey: Part Two is finished—seven years after I began keeping a journal while reading through the Bible. The last journal entry for Revelation is entered.
I don't want it to be over. I don't want this journey of Walking on His Footpath (Following the Master's Lead) to end. His footpath has had some unexpected twists and turns, but God has taught me so much, and I have thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it. It has been a part of my life for seven years now, and it feels like a trusted old friend. I just don't feel ready for this part of the journey to end.
I'm asking myself why that is. Why don't I feel ready? Why am I reluctant to have it end?
Who could have ever imagined that it would take me almost four years to complete my journey of keeping a daily journal while ready through the Bible. And then who could have ever imagined that was just the beginning, and it would take me another three years to transcribe those entries into this blog. And who could have ever imagined that THIS is how God wanted HIS STORY told? And who would have ever thought that the lawsuit which began in 2007 would still be ongoing? You have to wonder if there is any link between the journals being finished and the ending of the lawsuit?
For some time now, we have wondered if completing the entire journey through the Bible was linked with the ending of the lawsuit. God waited patiently for Noah to finish the boat before judgment was handed down to those who refused to change their hearts and lives. When the boat was finished, judgment happened and then there was a New Beginning. You have to wonder why has the lawsuit not been resolved yet? It has been almost ten years. Why are my sister and brother-in-law still pursuing us? Why haven't they understood the path they are going down is leading to destruction? Why have they refused to change?
I guess maybe that is part of why I am reluctant for this part of the journey to be over. Do I want the lawsuit to be over? Yes. Am I fearful of the outcome of the lawsuit? No. Then why the reluctance? The answer is: my sister and brother-in-law. I'm concerned for them. My heart breaks for them. There does not appear to be even a hint of any kind of change of heart or life. Not even one little hint. It feels as if time is fading. While there is breath there is hope, but hope is dwindling.
God waited patiently while Noah finished the boat, but there came a time when the door of the boat was shut and accountability for the people's refusal to surrender to God's authority happened. God has been so patient with my sister and brother-in-law, and for that I am eternally grateful. As much as it would be nice for the lawsuit to be over, the delay in judgment has provided my sister and brother-in-law with days, weeks, and now ten years of God's grace. I would gladly choose to have the lawsuit continue for many more years if all they needed was more time to change their hearts and lives. Sadly, I don't think it is something as simple as needing more time.
No matter what, there is one thing I absolutely KNOW—God has a plan and HE is in control.
God's plan and His timing has been meticulous throughout this whole
journey. Nothing has been left to chance. He is a just, fair, and on-time God, and we trust Him. So, LORD, where do I go from here? What is it you want me to do next? There's no map for the next part of our journey. But, even though we don't know where YOUR footpath is going to take us there is one thing that is certain: we are following YOUR path no matter where it leads. LORD, show us the next step you want us to take and we will obediently follow you on YOUR path.
Thank you, LORD, for giving me the nudge to begin keeping a daily journal while reading your Word. Oh, how I have changed. I began so timid and unsure of myself and what I was to do. Writing seemed so awkward. Who could have ever imagined that thirteen journals and four years later, I would discover YOU gave me a desire and love for something I would have thought was absolutely impossible—a love for writing.
LORD, thank you for Jane E. Wolfe. Thank you, for her faithfulness to you and her incredible encouragement to us. I hope Jane knows how you used her to change our lives and how you are going to continue to use her to change others. LORD, may her story and our story which is YOUR story reach many people for your kingdom.
LORD, whatever lies ahead, may YOU receive ALL the glory and ALL the honor. It's ALL about you LORD. It's ALL about you.
I surrender my reluctance. The Journey: Part Two is over. I'm ready to move on now. I'm ready.
Today was moving day. On this, the same day as the last entry for Revelation, we moved the eight large industrial size storage boxes of lawsuit "junk" from our detached storage garage to the attic area of our shop building. No longer will they be taking up space where we can daily see them and continually have to move things around them. They are gone. Totally out of sight. Another part of the journey completed.
Addendum: 3/26/17 ~ Sometimes I think I just need a good thump on the head! Silly me! What was I thinking? Why was I hanging on to the past? Last night we had the unexpected opportunity to share some of HIS story with some friends we hadn't seen in quite some time. Oh, what a pleasure it was to share with them what we have learned. They listened carefully and it was exciting to see them understand new truths for the first time. And then it hit me. Part Two of our journey may be over but the trail isn't finished. IT IS TIME FOR THE NEW BEGINNING!!
Why was I looking back and focused on what was ending instead of looking forward and focusing on what is ahead? What is important is the New Beginning, the next part of our journey. Thank you, LORD, for the reminder. Thank you, LORD, for the opportunity to share YOUR story. Thank you, LORD, for showing me that while Part Two of our journey is over, Walking On His footpath (Following the Master's Lead) is not ending—it is just beginning!!
I'm excited to see what lies ahead. I can't imagine what God has in store for my journals and this blog. All I know is this: It is time for the NEW BEGINNING; I am available; and I am following HIM wherever HE leads.
Addendum #2: 7/31/18 ~ Silly me—again. When I first wrote this on 3/24/17, I made this statement, "You have to wonder if there is any link between the journals being finished and the ending of the lawsuit?" I thought I was finished. But I thought wrong.
If you have ever hiked the Appalachian Trail (or any other mountain trail for that matter), you will immediately recognize this analogy on why I was mistaken about being finished. When hiking a mountain trail, reaching the peak of the mountain is your goal. You climb... and you climb... and you climb. The peak appears to be getting closer. Then just when you think you have reached the apex, the path makes a turn and you realize you have not reached the peak after all. The trail continues on and the peak is farther on ahead. Such has been the case with me thinking I was finished in March of 2017. I wasn't finished at all, there were additional edits to make. The path turned, and more of the trail lie ahead.
Addendum #3: 12/26/2019 ~ A lot is "finishing." For the last several months I have been going through my journal entries to make editing changes after learning how to use the "em" and "en" punctuation dashes. I am getting close to finishing the edits. "The storm" journey we have been on for over twelve years now has a court date—Spring of 2020—so we are getting close to finishing this trial time of our lives.
Finishing. Ending. Done. Over.
While we will be grateful to have the lawsuit in our past, what we are really looking forward to is: A New Path—A New Journey.
Next Entry: The Lost Chapters
Thank you, LORD, for giving me the nudge to begin keeping a daily journal while reading your Word. Oh, how I have changed. I began so timid and unsure of myself and what I was to do. Writing seemed so awkward. Who could have ever imagined that thirteen journals and four years later, I would discover YOU gave me a desire and love for something I would have thought was absolutely impossible—a love for writing.
LORD, thank you for Jane E. Wolfe. Thank you, for her faithfulness to you and her incredible encouragement to us. I hope Jane knows how you used her to change our lives and how you are going to continue to use her to change others. LORD, may her story and our story which is YOUR story reach many people for your kingdom.
LORD, whatever lies ahead, may YOU receive ALL the glory and ALL the honor. It's ALL about you LORD. It's ALL about you.
I surrender my reluctance. The Journey: Part Two is over. I'm ready to move on now. I'm ready.
*****
Today was moving day. On this, the same day as the last entry for Revelation, we moved the eight large industrial size storage boxes of lawsuit "junk" from our detached storage garage to the attic area of our shop building. No longer will they be taking up space where we can daily see them and continually have to move things around them. They are gone. Totally out of sight. Another part of the journey completed.
Addendum: 3/26/17 ~ Sometimes I think I just need a good thump on the head! Silly me! What was I thinking? Why was I hanging on to the past? Last night we had the unexpected opportunity to share some of HIS story with some friends we hadn't seen in quite some time. Oh, what a pleasure it was to share with them what we have learned. They listened carefully and it was exciting to see them understand new truths for the first time. And then it hit me. Part Two of our journey may be over but the trail isn't finished. IT IS TIME FOR THE NEW BEGINNING!!
Why was I looking back and focused on what was ending instead of looking forward and focusing on what is ahead? What is important is the New Beginning, the next part of our journey. Thank you, LORD, for the reminder. Thank you, LORD, for the opportunity to share YOUR story. Thank you, LORD, for showing me that while Part Two of our journey is over, Walking On His footpath (Following the Master's Lead) is not ending—it is just beginning!!
I'm excited to see what lies ahead. I can't imagine what God has in store for my journals and this blog. All I know is this: It is time for the NEW BEGINNING; I am available; and I am following HIM wherever HE leads.
Addendum #2: 7/31/18 ~ Silly me—again. When I first wrote this on 3/24/17, I made this statement, "You have to wonder if there is any link between the journals being finished and the ending of the lawsuit?" I thought I was finished. But I thought wrong.
If you have ever hiked the Appalachian Trail (or any other mountain trail for that matter), you will immediately recognize this analogy on why I was mistaken about being finished. When hiking a mountain trail, reaching the peak of the mountain is your goal. You climb... and you climb... and you climb. The peak appears to be getting closer. Then just when you think you have reached the apex, the path makes a turn and you realize you have not reached the peak after all. The trail continues on and the peak is farther on ahead. Such has been the case with me thinking I was finished in March of 2017. I wasn't finished at all, there were additional edits to make. The path turned, and more of the trail lie ahead.
Addendum #3: 12/26/2019 ~ A lot is "finishing." For the last several months I have been going through my journal entries to make editing changes after learning how to use the "em" and "en" punctuation dashes. I am getting close to finishing the edits. "The storm" journey we have been on for over twelve years now has a court date—Spring of 2020—so we are getting close to finishing this trial time of our lives.
Finishing. Ending. Done. Over.
While we will be grateful to have the lawsuit in our past, what we are really looking forward to is: A New Path—A New Journey.
Next Entry: The Lost Chapters
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