January 09, 2020
A few months ago, as I was adding links to
A New Path—A New Journey, the dates and timeline of different events caught my attention. It was a brand new realization. While I had understood bits and pieces before, I began to realize there was much I had missed. God-ordained events and
A Divine Mandate. It reminded me of how our lives are like a tapestry, woven together for a greater plan that we sometimes are totally unaware of until time has passed and a wider view of our lives comes into focus.
This quote by John Piper summarizes it well:
"We look at life from the back side of the tapestry. And most of the time, what we see is loose threads, tangled knots and the like. But occasionally, God's light shines through the tapestry, and we get a glimpse of the larger design with God weaving together the darks and lights of existence."
God is a master weaver. In looking back over our faith journey, I can now clearly see how God's hand was weaving HIS Story along the timeline of our lives without us even realizing it. My hearts swells with gratitude as I begin to see the bigger picture of HIS tapestry.
The tapestry of HIS Story is woven throughout my journals. For simplicity and ease of understanding I'm including the summarized highlights of the dates and timeline of events here.
2002 – The discussions for a joint project with my sister and brother-in-law began; my dream of hiking the Appalachian Trail began; and my husband and I began going to a specific nursing home every Christmas morning. All the pieces of the puzzle were in place and waiting for God's sovereign plan.
January – July 2007 – "
The storm" began. Our business (and personal) relationships with my sister and brother-in-law became irretrievably broken. God provided a buyer for our joint project in an incredible way and we felt encouraged that the difficulty of the last several months would soon be over and put behind us. Physically exhausted and emotionally drained, my husband and I headed out to section hike a portion of the Appalachian Trail in southern PA for some much needed rest and relaxation. I can still clearly picture where we were, the sights we were seeing, and the raw emotions we felt as we hiked and poured out our hearts to the LORD seeking His will and guidance for our lives. But instead of the difficult days of the last months being put behind us, we were faced with a whole new and bigger-than-ever challenge. Our lawyer called to tell us the news; my sister and brother-in-law refused the sale and he strongly felt they were planning to file a lawsuit. Our hopes for a peaceful resolution fell by the wayside. We cut our hiking trip short and headed back home. A few short weeks later my sister and brother-in-law "brought out the big guns" (their words) and filed their vindictive and vicious lawsuit against us.
November 2009 – Two years and many interrogatories, depositions, and court filings later, the judge still had not made any rulings. Our lawyer called the long delay a "pocket veto" meaning the judge decided to just put it away and ignore it. During the lull in the lawsuit I began to keep a personal journal of my thoughts while reading through the Bible. The idea to start keeping a journal seemed totally random and very out of character for me, but it was something
I knew I was supposed to do. I soon looked forward to writing every day. I didn't realize it at the time, but now I believe the idea to keep a daily journal while reading through the Bible was a God-given
Divine Mandate for a higher purpose.
Divine—orchestrated and ordained by God.
Mandate—an official order or command to do something.
October 2010 – The judge granted my sister and brother-in-law's request to temporarily open back up the discovery time of the lawsuit. Because the court-ordered list of discoverable items included writings and journals, my private journals from Genesis – II Chronicles 11:17, had to be sent to the very people who were seeking our ruin. It felt like my worst nightmare and a violation of my privacy. Shaken by the turn of events, I continued reading in my Bible but quit writing while my journals were being copied and prepared to be sent. Several weeks passed before I summoned the courage to begin writing again.
July 2012 – Still no rulings by the judge. My husband and I unexpectedly had the opportunity to take some time off and drive out to PA to hike another section of the Appalachian Trail. It was our first trip back to the trail since "the storm" began in 2007. During the eight hour drive to PA my husband and I reminisced and recounted God's amazing faithfulness in what was then our five year journey of faith. Mid-way through our stay the idea to pray about
New Beginnings was pressed upon my spirit.
The New Beginning: Where and How it Began.
July 2012 – August 2013 – I had just finished reading and writing about Matthew when we left for the trail in July of 2012. When we returned I started back up where I left off and a little over a year later (in August of 2013) I finished reading through the Bible. During this time (over a
seven month period), I wrote several journal entries of my personal thoughts which were totally unrelated to the specific chapters I was reading at the time. Because the entries weren't about specific chapters these random writings were not titled. My untitled and random journal entries all turned out to be part of the
New Beginning, but I didn't realize it until I titled the entries as I transcribed them into Blogger several years later.
The New Beginning: The Path Unfolds
August 2013 – June 2014 – After I finished reading and writing about Revelations in August 2013, I began to transcribe my journals into Blogger as a way to categorize and organize what I had written. I started at the beginning (Genesis) and on June 30, 2014, I transcribed my entry for II Chronicles 10:1 – 11:17 (Continued). When I turned the page to begin transcribing the next entry I discovered there were no journal entries for the rest of the II Chronicles—and then I remembered. Because my journals with my private thoughts from Genesis – II Chronicles 11:17 had to (shockingly) be sent to my sister and brother-in-law, I lost confidence in my private writings remaining private and I questioned whether it was even wise to continue to keep a journal. I kept on reading but I quit writing for a period of time. When I decided to start writing again I was reading in Ezra so that was where my journal entries picked back up.
II Chronicles 11:18 – II Chronicles 36:23—The Lost Chapters.
July 01, 2014 – I wrote an entry titled
The Journey: Part One. In it I summarized why my writings for part one of our journey ended at II Chronicles 11:17; why we felt the lawsuit discovery time was briefly opened back up; and why what felt like my worst nightmare (having to send my private journals from Genesis – II Chronicles 11:17 to my sister and brother-in-law) was actually a gift from God.
July 02, 2014 – I wrote
The Lost Chapters: Preview where I said, "
It will be interesting to read and see what God has to say in these chapters and/or what He wants to remind us of at the exact time we are approaching the seven year anniversary of "the storm."
July 04, 2014 – My husband and I decided to celebrate my 60th birthday and mark the upcoming seventh anniversary of the lawsuit by returning to our favorite area of PA to hike another section of the Appalachian Trail. It had been two years since we had last step foot on the narrow path of the A.T. We enjoyed several wonderful days hiking. Then one morning, as we sat out on the patio of our B&B enjoying another delicious breakfast, I came to the upsetting and sudden realization that my goal of section hiking the A.T. was not going to happen. My long held dream was over. It was a surprising thought that seemed to unexpectedly come out of nowhere. Why was hiking the trail God put us on suddenly over? We didn't understand it at the time, but it was all part of the
New Beginning. At the
seven year anniversary of the lawsuit, God was showing us that our focus was to shift from the Appalachian Trail—to HIS trail.
July 12–24, 2014 – We returned home from the trail still feeling a little shell-shocked from the turn of events. Remarkably, I had just finished transcribing the exact section of my journals which were sent to my sister and brother-in-law before we left for the trail. After we returned from our hiking trip I began to read and write about
The Lost Chapters from II Chronicles 11:18 – II Chronicles 36:23. As I read I was stunned. I began to realize these chapters weren't just inadvertently missed when I wrote my original entries. The missing and forgotten chapters were divinely saved and set aside by our Sovereign God
for such a time as this. God positioned me to be reading and writing about
The Lost Chapters at the
seven year anniversary of the filing of my sister and brother-in-law's ruinous and vicious lawsuit. The chapters page-by-page and line-by-line amazingly chronicled our faith journey of
Walking On His Footpath (Following the Master's Lead).
If that wasn't amazing enough, how
The Lost Chapters ended was shocking and awe-inspiring. The very
last verse of the very
last chapter fulfilled the very
last promise God gave us through His servant Jane. The very
last verse of my long journey of reading through the entire Bible while keeping a journal literally says, "You are free to go." God positioned me so that
seven years to the day of Jane's first God-given words of Protection (Psalm 140)
I read II Chronicles 36:23 which amazingly fulfilled Jane's last God-given words of Promise (Jeremiah 33).
"You are free to go." Incredible and unfathomable. I stand in awe of the great I AM.
August 08–22, 2014 – It took me two full weeks to process what I had read and to write
The Lost Chapters: Review.
The Lost Chapters were amazing and could not have been more relevant or pertinent. They were a step-by-step description of what we have been through; what we have learned along our journey; the assurance of God's protection; the fulfillment of His promises; and the hope for restoration. Every single chapter Jane
(Her Name was Jane) told us to read is represented in
The Lost Chapters. We absolutely believe God set these chapters aside so the last words I read (in His
Divine Mandate for me to journal while reading through the Bible) would be HIS words of promise,
for such a time as this—the
seven year anniversary of "the storm."
August – October 2014 – After reading and writing about
The Lost Chapters I continued to transcribe my other entries. I added several new labels to the blog so I hit the pause button while I went back and added the new labels where appropriate in my earlier journal entries and posts. As I was reading and adding the new labels, a new realization slowly began to stir within me. I wasn't sure what to think and I didn't know what to do.
LORD – What Am I to Do?
November 2014 – As I began to understand why God had changed our focus
from the Appalachian Trail
to following HIS trail and where HIS trail was leading, it literally took me to my knees.
The LORD Answers!; and
I Didn't Know—BUT GOD DID!
November 2009 – March 2017 – It took me
seven years to read, write, and then complete the transcribing of my journal entries into this format.
The Journey: Part Two
March 2017 – December 2019 – It took me two more years to read, review, and edit my journal/blog entries. As the very special April 28th anniversary date of Jane's last words of Promise approached we felt drawn to once again return to the Appalachian Trail.
The Appalachian Trail has played an inexplicable role in our faith journey of
Walking On His Footpath (Following the Master's Lead). The Appalachian Trail is what
linked Jane's life and my life together in our very first meeting in January of '07. Just what are the chances of meeting an elderly person in a nursing home in northern Indiana who knew anything about the Appalachian Trail let alone someone who literally grew up a stone's throw from the trail in PA, loved to hike the trail, organized group hikes on the trail, and in her adult life taught school in underprivileged areas of the Appalachia Mountains and took students on field trips to the trail? Only God could have arranged the divine appointment to bring Jane's and my life together.
July 2007 – We were on the trail crying out to the Lord for Wisdom and direction when we received word my sister and brother-in-law would not approve the sale of our joint project to a third party. Our lawyer felt they weren't interested in a resolution and were most likely planning to litigate.
July 2012 – We were on the trail with hearts full of praise and thanksgiving for God's faithfulness and protection when we answered God's call to begin praying about a New Beginning.
July 2014 – We were on the trail with hearts of gratitude when the trail took a totally unexpected turn and my dream of section hiking the trail abruptly ended. Confused about the turn in direction and the change of focus, we walked away and left the trail behind. We weren't sure what lie ahead, we only knew we were going to obey God's leading. (Seven years after "the storm" began and our July 2007 trip.)
April 2019 - We are drawn to return to the trail once again. We returned to the same area where Jane lived and hiked, and to the same overlook where we turned and walked away from the trail. This time there was no sadness or confusion. God showed us it's not about what we are walking away from. It's ALL about what we are walking towards. We are walking towards A New Path—A New Journey! (Two months before the seven year anniversary of the New Beginning and our July 2012 trip.)
As I was compiling this list and simultaneously making punctuation edits in Isaiah, I began to notice all the
seven year God-incidences. I was amazed. I knew the number seven was highly significant in the Bible. How had I not fully understood the significance of all the
seven year correlations we've experienced in HIS Story? In an Addendum to Revelation 4:1 - 6:17 (Continued) I wrote about the significance of the number seven in the Bible.
"What is the biblical significance of the number seven "7"?
"The first use of the number 7 in the Bible relates to the creation week in Genesis 1. God spends six days creating the heavens and the earth, and then rests on the seventh day. This is our template for the seven-day week, observed around the world to this day. The seventh day was to be “set apart” for Israel; the Sabbath was a holy day of rest (Deuteronomy 5:12).
Thus, right at the start of the Bible, the number 7 is identified with something being “finished” or “complete.” From then on, that association continues, as 7 is often found in contexts involving completeness or divine perfection. So we see the command for animals to be at least seven days old before being used for sacrifice (Exodus 22:30), the command for leprous Naaman to bathe in the Jordan River seven times to effect complete cleansing (2 Kings 5:10), and the command for Joshua to march around Jericho for seven days (and on the seventh day to make seven circuits) and for seven priests blow seven trumpets outside the city walls (Joshua 6:3–4). In these instances, 7 signifies a completion of some kind: a divine mandate is fulfilled." ~ From Gotquestions.org
The number seven, significantly linked throughout the Bible with something being "finished" or "complete," played a significant and important role throughout our faith journey without us even realizing it.
Seven years after "the storm" began [July 2007], I finished entering into Blogger [July 2014] the exact section of my journals which were caught up in "the storm" and had to be sent to my sister and brother-in-law.
The Journey: Part One.
Seven years after "the storm" began [July 2007], I read and wrote about the forgotten and missing chapters [July 2014] between II Chronicles 11:18 – II Chronicles 36:23.
The Lost Chapters set aside for such a time as this.
Seven years after "the storm" began
and Jane's
first God-given words of Protection [July 2007], the very last verse in
The Lost Chapters [July 2014], was the fulfillment of Jane's
last God-given words—Jeremiah 33; the Promise of Restoration. Exactly
seven years to the day!
Seven years after "the storm" began [July 2007] our dream of hiking the Appalachian Trail abruptly ended [July 2014]. It was hard to let go of the dream, but God was showing us it was time to move on. Remember where you came from. Embrace the future. Follow HIS footpath.
The Land In-Between
Seven years after "the storm" began [July 2007], God began to reveal His plan for telling HIS Story [October 2014]. His plan was not what I expected.
LORD – What Am I to Do?
Seven years after "the storm" began [July 2007], on the exact
seven year anniversary of the lawsuit [July 2014], a speaker at our church delivered the following message: "There is a when. Be ready for it. God will bless your faithfulness." We had just returned from hiking the Appalachian Trail; we were still pondering why hiking the trail was no longer part of God's plan; and I was just finishing writing my review of
The Lost Chapters. The speaker quoted several verses which were not part of the text of his sermon. Jeremiah 33:3 (Jane's last God-given words of Promise) and Isaiah 30:18, 21 (Jane's God-given message of Provision). Exactly
seven years to the day!
Seven years after Jane's
last God-given words of Promise of protection and restoration [4/28/08] I entered into Blogger my journal entry for
Isaiah 6:1 – 7:25 [4/28/15]. Isaiah 6 talks about the painful details of the
process of judgment. God promises protection for those who follow Him, but He also promises accountability for those who refuse to change their hearts and lives. Exactly
seven years to the day!
Seven years from the day Jane died [5/6/08] I entered into Blogger [5/6/15] my journal entry for
Isaiah 30—Jane's God-given message of Provision for those who follow HIM and accountability for those who don't. The LORD
longs to be gracious to you; He
rises to show you compassion; He is
fair and
just; blessed are those who
wait on Him. He can be
trusted to keep
all His promises. But there will come a day of accountability for those who refuse to turn from their selfish ways. Exactly
seven years to the day!
Seven years after God put all the pieces of His scripted plan together to
begin our faith journey [2002], God pressed it upon my spirit to begin keeping a journal to
chronicle our faith journey [2009].
Seven years after I began keeping a journal [2009], I entered into Blogger [2016] thirteen untitled journal entries I had written over a
seven month period of time. These untitled journal entries were not related to scriptures I was reading, and were written after God had pressed upon my heart to begin praying about a
New Beginning. I didn't know it at the time, but the thirteen untitled entries (something I had never done before) was God slowly revealing to me His plans for the
New Beginning.
The New Beginning: The Path Unfolds
Seven years after I began to keep a journal to chronicle our faith journey [2009], we finished building our Praise Shelter [2016] and celebrated the
Feast of Shelters to memorialize what HE
has already done and to praise HIM for what HE
has promised to do. His "I will" promises are written in stone—literally.
Seven years after I began the journey [November 2009] of reading through the Bible while keeping a journal, I transcribed my last handwritten journal entry [April 2017].
The Journey: Part Two
Seven years after we summoned the courage and followed HIS direction to remove all the "toxic" lawsuit files and materials from our home [2012], the lawsuit is scheduled to end. A trial is just months away.
The New Beginning: Out With the Old
Seven years after God directed us to begin praying about a
New Beginning [2012]
, the final edits of the blog are done and
HIS Story is ready and waiting [December 2019].
HIS Story is finished. My life's calling—the God-given Divine (orchestrated and ordained by God) Mandate (an official order or command to do something) for such a time as this—is ready and waiting for the lawsuit to end so the final entry can be written. A trial is scheduled for early 2020. Incredibly, the lawsuit is now expected to end seven years after the New Beginning. The title and one sentence has already been drafted. The title: "Praise God From Whom All Blessings Flow." The sentence: "The lawsuit has ended—there was NO trial." May it be so, LORD. May it be so.
Thank you, LORD, for giving me a
Divine Mandate. May the story of YOUR faithfulness soon go out and bless many people who are facing their own trials and valley experiences. May YOUR story bless them and encourage them along their faith journey. May many people
change their hearts and lives and understand that their
trial times and valley experiences are actually blessed opportunities to follow YOU on YOUR
amazing trail as YOU direct their path. May they learn to accept and embrace this life-changing truth:
"Valley" experiences are beautiful when viewed from a higher perspective.
Walking on His Footpath (Following the Master's Lead)
and
*****
As I was writing this post and began to see all the seven year correlations and God's amazing and meticulous timing, it got me to thinking. Hmm. I Peter 3:20 talks about how God waited patiently while Noah finished the boat and THEN—the New Beginning began for Noah and his family and God's promised judgment began for those who didn't change their hearts and lives. For some time now my husband and I have wondered if God was waiting on something specific to happen before the lawsuit would end; a missing piece of the puzzle. Hmm. Is the "missing piece" of the puzzle the completion of this blog—the telling of HIS Story? Has God been waiting patiently until HIS Story was ready?
Addendum: This post was written over a several month period of time. Just seven days after this entry posted the lawsuit ended—HIS Story can now be told.
