Praise God From Whom All Blessings Flow

Praise God, from Whom all blessings flow; Praise Him, all creatures here below; Praise Him above, ye heavenly hosts; Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen

"The storm" is over! The lawsuit has ended—there was NO trial! God waited until anything man could do was done. Everything was ready and prepared for the scheduled trial. The legal paperwork was filed; all exhibits were turned in; witnesses were contacted and ready; hours were spent in preparation; the trial was just weeks away; and THEN!—the LORD stepped in. HE secured justice and established our freedom. Permanently!

By HIS Great Power we are free. Seven years after "the storm" began, the very last words I read while on my journey of reading through the Bible—"You are free to go" (God's fulfillment of HIS promise to the Israelites in Jeremiah 33)—is now God's fulfillment of HIS last promise to us. "You are free to go." What we believed by faith has become sight.

THEN They Will Know! It was by HIS Power, HIS might, and HIS hand that we were saved us from the mouth of the lion. Our prayer has always been that ALL would know it was the LORD who saved us. Our prayer has been answered. Only HE gets the Glory for our freedom.

The Proof Came—AFTER! The only way to prove we weren't crazy when for twelve years we stood firm and shared our belief that the lawsuit would never go to trial, is AFTER it doesn't go to trial. HIS promises once again proved true—there was no trial.

Purpose: To Bring Honor and Glory to HIS Name. It's ALL about HIM! The LORD—HE is the One! This is HIS Story. All Honor and Glory belongs to HIM.

 

HIS Story can now be released. 

A New Path—A New Journey! The time has come to take our first steps on HIS new path.   

A Divine Mandate finished. AFTER—HIS Story was completed, THEN—the LORD stepped in, secured justice, granted us our freedom and fulfilled all of HIS promises. 

 

II Chronicles 20:17 - "You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the LORD will give you..."

Isaiah 52:2–3 - "...you once were a prisoner. Now shake off the dust and stand up... This is what the LORD says: 'You were not sold for a price, so you will be saved without cost.' " 

ALL praise, honor, glory and power belongs to our LORD and Savior, Jesus Christ. Thank you, LORD, for your unfathomable Grace. Thank you, LORD, for the gift of Salvation, both now and forevermore. Thank you, LORD, for your Holy Spirit who guided our every step while Walking on His Footpath (Following the Master's Lead). Thank you, LORD, for fulfilling every single one of your promises. Every. Single. One. Only YOU are worthy of our Praise. No words will ever be enough, LORD. No words will ever be enough.

Praise God, from Whom all blessings flow; Praise Him, all creatures here below; Praise Him above, ye heavenly hosts; Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.

A Divine Mandate

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 

Walking By Faith: A True Story of God's Faithfulness  

*****

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.

Next Entry: Praise God From Whom All Blessings Flow 

A New Path—A New Journey

March 23, 2019

There's been some new developments in our faith journey.

1. My Mom passed away on August 31, 2018 after an unexpected medical event. My brother and I took care of her for seventeen days. See: A Mother's Love. I will miss Mom (and her faithful prayers) terribly. I wish she could have walked with us to where this part of our faith journey ends and a New Path and a New Journey begins, but that wasn't part of God's sovereign plan. I'm grateful for all the time we had together, her faithful prayers, and Mom's support and encouragement during these "trial" years. I'm also grateful that my Mom (and my Dad) were able to live out their last days in their own home.   
2. In early 2019, my sister and brother-in-law petitioned the courts to set a date for a trial. The judge still had not set a date so they took matters into their own hands. After several phone conferences between the lawyers and a judge, the date for a trial has been set for 2020. A different judge has been appointed to handle and hear the case.  
3. Sometimes we just don't know what we don't know. It took me seven years to read, write, and then transcribe those writings into this blog. I thought I was done and I thought I was just waiting—waiting for when HIS Story could be told. But I thought wrong. HIS Story wasn't ready. The problem was "I" thought. Every time I thought I was done and I had reached the peak of the mountain, the path turned and the trail continued. I am currently going back through my entries to make punctuation edits (I discovered I placed the period wrong when putting quotes around a single word... who knew??) and adding some pictures.  

Just a few weeks before my sister and brother-in-law petitioned the courts, I said to my husband that maybe the reason the lawsuit was still sitting stagnant in the court system is because my sister and brother-in-law were going to change their hearts and minds. The arrow on the "hope" meter was a little right of center. Then we received notice they petitioned the courts for a trial date and we had to come face to face with the truth once again—there has been no change. They are still actively pursuing their deceit and our destruction through this lawsuit. The arrow on the "hope" meter went back to the left and bottomed out.

Even though a date for a trial has been set, it doesn't change anything. We still do not believe this lawsuit will ever proceed to trial. There is no legal rationale or logical explanation for our beliefs, it is just a strong conviction of faith. The only option left in the "world's" court system is a trial, but we do not believe this lawsuit will be decided by the "world's" court system. No earthly thing or person can put a stop to my sister's obsession. Only God...only God. Isaac was on the altar and Abraham's hand was raised and THEN God provided the lamb. We will continue to believe God's promise of protection and provision and pray for His will to be done. See: By HIS Great Power.

April 30, 2019 ~ Another new development.

 As the anniversary date of Jane's last spoken words of promise approached I said to my husband, "April 28 falls on a Sunday this year. It feels like we should do something special to commemorate the amazing events of this day." It was just a few days before the 28th and we were already in bed for the evening. We tossed around a few ideas and then it hit me—maybe we could go out to Jane's area of the Appalachian Trail in PA and return to the beautiful overlook where we knew our A.T. journey was over.

I got up and checked availability at the B&B's we stayed at in the past. Amazingly, the Red Cardinal Bed and Breakfast (where we stayed five years ago [2014] and we realized our dream of hiking the Appalachian Trail was ending - See The Land In-Between) was available for Saturday the 27th, and Pheasant Field Bed and Breakfast (where we stayed seven years ago [2012] and we randomly felt we were to begin praying about "New Beginnings" - See The New Beginning: Where and How it Began) was available for Sunday the 28th. Wow! The exact rooms where we stayed in 2012 and 2014 were both available!! Let's do this! Let's take a fast weekend trip and go back to Carlisle, PA. Let's spend time at the very places where God so clearly spoke to us in the past, and let's spend April 28 hiking in the exact areas where Jane lived and hiked. Oh my goodness, this is a very spur of the moment decision, but let's do it—and we did.

I can't adequately express how much it meant to return to the area where so much of our faith journey has taken place. It was calming, relaxing, and soul cleansing. We stood on the old 1890 Iron Bridge where the Appalachian Trail crosses Swartara Creek just outside Lickdale, PA. This old bridge is within easy walking distance of where Jane grew up. We watched as the river's water flowed swiftly beneath us. We talked about how God's faithfulness is never-ending like the flowing water of a river. We reminisced about our journey, talked about the impact Jane had on our lives, and thanked God for His faithfulness.

We left Swatara Creek and drove through the scenic countryside to where PA 501 crosses the Appalachian Trial near Pine Grove. We parked the truck and hiked the short distance to the same overlook where we sat dazed and confused in July of '14. This time there was no confusion and no distress. We sat down on the huge boulders that spill down the mountainside and gazed out over the 180 degree panoramic view of the valley below. It had rained the night before and the skies were still slightly overcast, but the valley (The Land In-Between) before us was peaceful and serene. A rooster was once again crowing in the distance and the ravens were once again soaring on the air streams beneath us. We thanked God for teaching us that "valley" life experiences are beautiful when viewed from a higher perspective. We quoted the scriptures Jane told us to read: Psalm 150, Psalm 140, Psalm 8, Psalm 1, and portions of Isaiah 30 and Jeremiah 33. We prayed. We thanked God for the opportunity to spend this very special day, April 28th, in the exact area where Jane grew up and hiked. We praised God for His faithfulness and mercy which He has shown us over and over, and we once again surrendered ourselves to His total control.

We left the overlook and hiked a little farther down the trail. We talked about the blazes of the A.T. and how they direct your path. I took a picture of a white blaze painted on a rock in an open clearing so hikers would know which way the path led. We thanked God for how He has so faithfully guided us on HIS footpath. It started to rain so we turned around and hiked back to the overlook again. As we stood there we once again marveled at the beauty of the expansive valley below. So peaceful. So very, very peaceful.

With our hearts full of gratitude, we turned to leave. This time there was no sadness, just a quiet and peaceful understanding that we were soon going to be embarking on a new path and a new journey.  When we turned to leave the overlook in 2014 it felt as if we were walking away and leaving something we loved behind, but this time as we turned to leave our spirits were uplifted and encouraged because we understood a new truth: it's not about what you are leaving, it's about where you are going. We aren't walking away and leaving something we love behind—we are walking towards a New Path and a New Journey. We felt as if God was preparing us for the next step in our faith journey and that it is almost time—it is almost time for the telling of HIS Story.

Walking on His Footpath (Following the Master's Lead) 

and 

Walking By Faith: A True Story of God's Faithfulness  

May it be so, LORD. May it be so. May YOUR will be done.

********

When I began to add the new development of our quick trip to PA to this entry I noticed the title I wrote in March for the other new developments—and I just had to smile. The original entry of new developments was titled A New Path—A New Journey a month before there was even a thought of returning to the very spot where our section hiking of the Appalachian Trail ended and a month before that very message was pressed upon our hearts when we returned to the trail on April 28, 2019.

We are walking towards A New Path—A New Journey.


Next Entry: A Divine Mandate

HIS Story

April 28, 2018

I know I am supposed to tell HIS Story; I want to tell HIS Story; HIS Story is almost ready; the lawsuit my sister and brother-in-law filed is still pending in the legal court system so HIS Story cannot yet be told; and I feel like a runner crouched in position at the starting line waiting for the pistol to signal—GO!

I thought I was done with HIS Story and we were in a frustrating holding pattern, but I thought wrong. When am I ever going to learn? After taking a several month break from working on HIS Story, a friend of mine began to read the blog. In going back to read some of the entries, I realized the initials I used to protect people's identity were very distracting. So, I've once again started over from the beginning, this time to edit out all initials and insert descriptive names instead. I've also decided to remove the private details of my sister and brother-in-law's lives, their behaviors, actions and the lawsuit they filed. The ugly details are not what is important. HIS Story is not about them—HIS Story is about our journey while following HIS footpath and how the amazing Hand of God protected us from them.

While it took me seven years to read, write, and then transcribe my journal entries into this blog, I still have editing to do. God is in control and His timing is perfect. He has a plan and when the time is right—HIS Story will be told. There will come a day when we hear the words, "You are free to go." Until that day comes we will wait patiently for the—GO!

This is HIS Story. It is ALL about HIM. Blessed be HIS name.


Next Entry: A New Path—A New Journey

The Purpose: To Bring Honor and Glory to the LORD!

November 09, 2017

Remember this day! 

Moses said to the people, "Remember this day, the day you left Egypt. You were slaves in that land, but the LORD with his great power brought you out of it." Exodus 13:3

"On that day you should tell your son: 'We are having this feast because of what the LORD did for me when I came out of Egypt.' This feast will help you remember, like a mark on your hand or a reminder on your forehead. This feast will remind you to speak the LORD's teaching, because the LORD used his great power to bring you out of Egypt." Exodus 13:8–9

"From now on when your son asks you, 'What does this mean?' you will answer, 'With his great power, the LORD brought us out...' This feast is like a mark on your hand and a reminder on your forehead to help you remember that the LORD brought us out of Egypt with his great power." Exodus 13:14–16 (emphasis mine)

When the Israelites left Egypt God did not lead them on the shortest route to the Promised Land. The shortest route would have taken them through the land of the Philistines and it would have involved a battle. While reading this passage this morning, something jumped off the page at me, something I never noticed before. The Israelites expected to have to go through the land of the Philistines to get to the Promised Land. How do I know this? Because they knew where the Promised land was; they knew the logical route took them through the land of the Philistines; they knew what type of people the Philistines were; and they knew passing through that land would involve a battle. So when they left Egypt, "The Israelites were dressed for fighting when they left the land of Egypt."  (Exodus 13:18)

How did I totally miss this important statement all the other times I've read the book of Exodus? The Israelites were prepared for battle!! They were expecting to have to face a battle on the way to their freedom. But, instead of going through the land of the Philistines (a much shorter route but a route which would have involved the Israelites participating in a battle), God led them through the desert toward the Red Sea (much longer and highly improbable route with an impossible obstacle)—a huge body of water between them and the path to the Promised Land. 

When the lawsuit was first filed by my sister and brother-in-law we fully expected it to go to trial. We knew our freedom lie on the other side of "the storm"; we knew a trial was the logical end of a lawsuit; we knew what type of people we were up against; and we knew the lawsuit was going to involve a battle. So, we prepared for the inevitable (or so we thought) battle of a trial. We expected a trial. But less than a year into the preparation, we began to believe there wasn't going to be a trial. We had no concrete evidence, we only had a strong feeling that the journey we were on did not involve a trial. One year passed. Two years passed. And instead of going through the process of a trial (which typically should have happened in a short amount of time and would have involved us entering into a battle), God has instead chosen to lead us on a much longer and highly improbable route with an impossible obstacle—this lawsuit— between us and our freedom. Mediation—failed. Settlement—failed. All offers—rejected. The ONLY thing left in the legal system is a trial. How on earth can we possibly be freed from a lawsuit without a trial?

God led the Israelites the whole way.

"The LORD showed them the way; during the day he went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud, and during the night he was in a pillar of fire to give them light." Exodus 13:21

They didn't travel on the fastest route. God even had them backtrack at times—all for HIS purpose.

"The king will think, 'The Israelites ares lost, trapped by the desert.' I will make the king stubborn again so he will chase after them, but I will defeat the king and his army. This will bring honor to me, and the Egyptians will know that I am the LORD.""

The Purpose: To bring honor and glory to the LORD and prove to everyone that HE is the LORD.

The Israelites "who were leaving victoriously" were chased again by the Egyptians. The Egyptians just absolutely refused to let the Israelites go. The Israelites are trapped with the Red Sea on one side and the entire Egyptian army advancing towards them. The Israelites are discouraged and wish they would have never left Egypt. Then Moses makes an audacious statement:

"Don't be afraid! Stand still and you will see the LORD save you today. You will never see these Egyptians again after today. You only need to remain calm; the LORD will fight for you.... I (the Lord) will be honored when I defeat the king.... the Egyptians will know that I am the LORD." Exodus 14:13–18

By HIS great power!! The angel of God who led Israel's army moved behind them, and the pillar of cloud moved from in front of Israel's army to behind them. The pillar or cloud (Brick By Brick!) stood between them, protected them, and kept them apart all night. And then the impossible happens. God parts the Red Sea and the Israelites walk across to their freedom on dry land and the Egyptians who tried to follow them were swallowed up by the water.

"When the Israelites saw the great power the LORD had used against the Egyptians, they feared the LORD, and they trusted him..." Exodus 14:31

The Purpose: To bring honor and glory to the LORD and prove to everyone that HE is the LORD.

A trial in the world's court system is not the answer for our freedom. Even if we were leaving the courtroom victorious, I believe our accusers (just like the Egyptians) would change their minds and like the Settlement judge warned, all they would have to do is file an appeal and continue their pursuit of us. No, a trial is not the answer. I absolutely believe that God has led our paths during this ten year journey. My journals and this blog are a testament to it. I believe the pillar has moved behind us, and brick by brick, a wall is being built to stand between us, protect us, and keep us apart. Some day the impossible will happen, and God will somehow lead us to our freedom on dry land. I'm sure the Israelites could never have imagined in a million years that God would separate the waters of the Red Sea and make a path for them to cross on dry land. I cannot imagine how God is going to free us without a trial. Our backs are against the wall. A trial date is to be set for next year. Our pursuers are coming after us. Only God! Only God by HIS great power can do the impossible.

The Purpose: To bring honor and glory to the LORD and prove to everyone that HE is the LORD.

"I will sing to the LORD,
   because he is worthy of great honor. He has thrown the horse and its rider
   into the sea.
The LORD gives me strength and makes me sing;
   he has saved me.
He is my God,
   and I will praise him. He is the God of my fathers,
   and I will honor him. The LORD is a warrior;
   the LORD is his name.
The chariots and soldiers of the king of Egypt
   he has thrown into the sea.
The king's best officers
   are drowned in the Red Sea.
The deep waters covered them,
   and they sank to the bottom like a rock.
Your right hand, LORD,
   is amazingly strong.
LORD, your right hand
   broke the enemy to pieces.
In your great victory
   you destroyed those who were against you.
Your anger destroyed them,
   like fire burning straw.
Just a blast of your breath,
   and the waters piled up.
The moving water stood like a wall;
   the deep waters became solid in the middle
      of the sea.
The enemy bragged,
   'I'll chase them and catch them.
I'll take all their riches;
   I'll take all I want.
I'll pull out my sword,
   and my hand will destroy them.'
But you blew on them with your breath
   and covered them with the sea.
They sank like lead
   in the raging water.
Are there any gods like you, LORD?
   There are no gods like you.
   You are wonderfully holy,
   amazingly powerful,
   a worker of miracles.
You reached out with your right hand.
   and the earth swallowed our enemies.
You keep your loving promise
   and lead the people you have saved.
With your strength you will guide them
   to your holy place"

"Sing to the LORD,
   because he is worthy of great honor;
he has thrown the horse and its rider
   into the sea."

From Exodus 15:1–13; 21

THEN they will know! Then ALL will know HE is the LORD and HE saved us by HIS great power!  May it be so, LORD.  May it be so.

Brick by Brick!
By HIS Great Power
THEN They Will Know!
The Proof Came—AFTER
The Purpose: To bring honor and glory to the LORD and prove to everyone that HE is the LORD.  

Remember this day!!  


Next Entry: HIS Story

The Proof Came—AFTER

November 07, 2017

I have read Exodus many, many times before, but because of our current situation, I am reading it with new eyes. Moses felt very inadequate for the job God was giving him. God was asking him to go see the king and to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. The problem was (in Moses' mind), he wasn't an important person! How was he—just an ordinary man tending sheep for the past 40 years—going to get an audience with the king? And how in the world was he supposed to lead a group of people who weren't even looking for a leader?

You have to love God's response to Moses' questions. Even though God is a God of details, He didn't give Moses some play-by-play description and written-in-stone proof of how this was all going to work out. Instead, He tells Moses that the proof will come after he is successful and when they are all worshiping God on the mountain.

God said, "I will be with you. This will be the proof that I am sending you: After you lead the people out of Egypt, all of you will worship me on this mountain." Exodus 3:12

The proof came—AFTER! 

AFTER—Moses completed everything God asked him to do; AFTER—the people were set free; THEN—they would worship the Lord on the mountain; and that would be the proof. The proof of God's faithfulness came AFTER Moses chose to believe God's promises and AFTER he chose to follow God's path of obtaining the Israelite's freedom.

The proof came—AFTER.  

There is another "after" referenced in Exodus 3.

But I know that the king of Egypt will not let you go. Only a great power will force him to let you go, so I will use my great power against Egypt with all the miracles that will happen in that land. After I do that, he will let you go."  Exodus 3:19–20

Their freedom came—AFTER!  AFTER—God used His great power, AFTER—God did everything He said He was going to do; THEN—His people were freed; and all would know that He is the LORD.

The proof came—AFTER.

We all like to live our lives in the land of "before." We like having concrete evidence of something and knowing exactly how everything is going to come together BEFORE we begin. We like to know everything that is expected of us BEFORE we start. But here God is saying the freedom comes AFTER He uses His great power; and the proof Moses isn't crazy will come AFTER God frees them and they worship HIM on HIS mountain.

AFTER. We have a lot of "after" situations in our lives. The only way to prove we aren't crazy when we say we believe this lawsuit is not going to go to trial—is AFTER it doesn't go to trial. The only way the story of Jane E. Wolfe can be proven authentic—is AFTER everything she said comes true. The only way we will ever be truly free from our accusers—is AFTER God uses His great power to free us. The only way for HIS story to be told and Walking on His Footpath (Following the Master's Lead) or Walking By Faith: A True Story of God's Faithfulness to be made public—is AFTER we are somehow released in a permanent way without any risk of appeal of the current lawsuit or any future lawsuit, which my brother-in-law has already threatened to file.

Why "after"? The answer is found in the first few verses of Exodus 10. God used the Egyptians stubbornness to give them proof of HIS great power. "I have made him and his officers stubborn so I could show them my powerful miracles." I love the next verse. "I also did this so you could tell your children and your grandchildren how I was hard on the Egyptians. Tell them about the miracles I did among them so that all of you will know that I am the LORD."

AFTER—His promises have proven true, THEN—all will know that HE is the LORD. It all goes back to the very first chapter Jane asked me to read and the very first step in understanding why we have been taken on this long journey. Purpose. It is all about HIM. This is HIS story. All honor and glory belong to the LORD.

So, we are going to remain standing on the edge of the precipice even if it means we don't have a safety net or rope to save us should we fall. God has a purpose for this journey we have been on these last ten and one half years. He is either going to fulfill His promises and free us in a miraculous way by HIS great power—or—we are going to look like fools. Either way, we choose to stand firm in our beliefs and we will remain faithful to HIS purpose.

We will wait for—the AFTER.


Next Entry: The Purpose: To Bring Honor and Glory to the LORD!

THEN They Will Know!

November 6, 2017

I am continuing to read in Exodus and I feel as if God is taking me on a journey down memory lane.

See this? Do you remember when I showed you this before?
See over here? Have you forgotten the things I did in the past?
Do you remember I Kings 18:36? Do you remember why you prayed those exact words?
Do you need to be reminded of what MY purpose is? Have you forgotten the very first thing I showed you as you began this journey?
Have you lost sight of who I AM? I AM faithful.
Are you going to trust MY plan? I AM in control.
Do you see? Keep your eyes on me.
Do you remember? Trust me. Keep your faith in who I AM.  
Are you beginning to understand? I AM the LORD. There is none beside me. 

I see, LORD.
I remember.
Thank you, for the reminder of WHO you are. My trust is in YOU and YOU alone.

God gave Moses (and then Aaron) very clear, detailed, and specific directions on where to go, what they would find, what to say, what to do, and what was going to happen. God clearly knew the complexities of the entire situation and He left nothing to chance or happenstance. He didn't leave Moses and Aaron stranded out on a cliff to fend for themselves. He was step-by-step directing their paths and the Israelites' path to freedom.  

1. "I will lead" my people on their journey to freedom.
2. "I will punish" those who are holding my people captive.
3. "I will bring" my people out of their captivity so they can worship me."
4. "THEN THEY WILL KNOW I AM THE LORD."

The phrase—"Then they will know I am the LORD"— just keeps repeating over and over in my mind.

THEN they will know I am the LORD.
Then THEY will know I am the LORD.
Then they WILL KNOW I am the LORD.
Then they will know I AM the LORD.
Then they will know I am THE LORD.

It's the purpose!! It's the reason for everything. It's ALL about Him. HE is the LORD. It is HIS story. And HE, in HIS great power is the ONE who will save us from the captivity of this lawsuit which will then allow HIS story to be told. Then ALL will know HE is the LORD. That has been our prayer and continues to be our prayer. May it be so, LORD. May it be so.

Do you remember? Are you beginning to understand?

Thank you, LORD, for the journey down memory lane. I remember. I understand. It's ALL about you, LORD. It's All about YOU.    


Next Entry: The Proof Came—AFTER

By HIS Great Power

November 02, 2017

This morning, as I began to read Exodus 3 in my Bible (the next chronological chapter in my devotions), I was struck by several things.

1. God knows. Nothing was/is a surprise to Him. "I have seen... I have heard... I am concerned... I have come down to save them... I will bring them out... (I will) lead them... I have heard the cries... "
2. God is ever present. Moses was going about his daily business when he saw the bush on fire but not burning up. Moses didn't call out to God and then God finally arrived from some far away distant place. He was already there! BUT, Moses (and we) have to first look, and then draw closer in order to see Him.  
3. God promised HIS help. He is the great I AM. He was. He is. He will always be. He promised to go with them as He sent them out, and He promised to help them. "I care about you... I have seen what has happened to you... I promised I would take you out of your troubles... I will lead you..."
4. God has power. "Only a great power will force him to let you go, so I will use my great power... After I do that, he will let you go." God has "surpassing greatness" (Psalm 150). Nothing is beyond His capability. "Praise him for his acts of power..." (Psalm 150).  
5. God is in control. God used the ordinary to prove His authority. God took Moses' rod, something he used in his day to day life, to show Moses (and later the Egyptians) HE was in control and had the power and authority to save His people. Psalm 140:12 - "The Lord secures justice."
6. God will lead. He doesn't need our ability, He only wants our availability. Who has the power and authority? "It is I, the LORD. Now go! I will help you speak, and I will teach you what to say."

Thank you, LORD, for the reminders this morning. You are the great I AM. You are omnipresent and you are omniscient. Your promises are true. You have surpassing greatness. And no matter what, YOU are in control and you will continue to lead us while we are on this journey. We will continue to trust you and follow you on your footpath.

I still do not believe this path we are on includes sitting across from my sister in a court of law as "he said–she said" plays out in front of a judge. I do not believe a judge in the world's court system is going to determine our fate. (It took a considerable amount of courage to just put my belief down in writing—again!) It's not a comfortable position to be standing at the precipice of a cliff when you know you don't have any kind of safety line to protect you should you fall. I know I will look like a fool and much of what I have devoted seven years of my life to (reading through the Bible and keeping a journal of my thoughts now transcribed into this blog) will be totally discounted should I be proven wrong. BUT, with tears in my eyes I am going to step out on the edge of the cliff and say it again: I do not believe the path we are on includes a trial.

So, if I don't believe there is to be a trial, then what do I believe will happen? What I believe is found in the chapter I read this morning.  

"Only a great power will force him to let you go, so I will use my great power... After I do that, he will let you go." ~ From Exodus 3:19–20

I believe the only way we will be released from the traps my sister and brother-in-law set and from this lawsuit they've filed is by HIS great power. Not a judge. Not the skill of an attorney. Not by luck, happenstance, or a fluke. No. Only by HIS great power!

We have already seen that "time" is not the answer. The lawsuit has dragged on in the court system for over ten years. "Time" has changed nothing. When someone is fueled by revenge and evil intentions, no amount of "time" in and of itself, will ever change their mind.

We have already seen that "reasoning" is not the answer. A mediation attorney spent hours (literally) in their room trying to "reason" with them—and failed. A skilled settlement judge gave it his best effort. He tried to "reason" with them—and failed. All of our "reasonable" offers to sell, buy, or sell to a third party were flatly rejected without any consideration. "Reasoning" is not the answer or the lawsuit would be over.

Shockingly, even though my sister and brother-in-law's lives appear to be fueled by greed, "money" is not the answer either. They have already spent far more than they could ever hope to win even if the judge ruled in their favor on every one of their (false) charges. If you add what they will now have to spend to take the lawsuit on to trial to what they have already spent, it makes no logical or business sense. The judge at the Settlement Conference made a pointed effort to explain to them that even if they were successful in getting a judge to rule in their favor, all we would have to do is go down the hall to another office and file bankruptcy and they would be left with nothing. Yet, the risk of gambling and losing even more money is not enough to make them stop. Not only are they willing to risk spending more money they also rejected the possibility of receiving guaranteed money. We offered to walk away from any share of the money in escrow (over $140,000) if they dropped the lawsuit, and our offer was rejected. So, no amount of guaranteed "money" or no amount of risked "money" is the answer.

Even a ruling by a judge is not an answer. As the judge explained at the Settlement Conference, if you don't like the court's ruling you can always appeal, the lawyers would be glad to take your money.

Time. Reasoning. Money. A court's ruling. None of these are the answer. No earthly thing is the answer.

The way I see it that leaves only two options:

1. A heart and life change; or  
2. By HIS great power.

Oh, how I pray it will be #1. That has always been our prayer and it continues to be our prayer today. If there is a true heart change then their desire to pursue us would soon change and the lawsuit would end. That is still our hope, desire and prayer. However, even after ten years of Grace, there has been no heart change.

If there continues to be no heart change, then by default that leaves #2. "Only a great power will force him to let you go, so I will use my great power... After I do that, he will let you go." Brick by brick a wall being built to force a change in behavior. What a sobering thought. I can't imagine what it would take to force them to stop. I can't imagine, and I can't even allow my mind to go there.

Oh. My. Goodness. I just had a brand new thought!! Soon the judge will set a date for a trial. When we received the news, it felt like an end point was quickly coming and we were running out of time for some sort of intervention to block the impending trial. It felt like we were the ones running out of time. But. Oh. My. Goodness! What if they are the ones who are running out of time? Are the "days of Grace" God has so graciously extended to them these last ten years coming to an end? Are they running out of time to change their hearts and lives? Is there a day of accountability and reckoning coming?

I don't know. All I know is this: we are putting our faith and trust in Christ alone. I wish we could make the same decision for my sister and brother-in-law, but we can't. Only they can choose to surrender their hearts and lives to the King of kings and Lord of lords  I KNOW God wants my sister and brother-in-law's surrendered hearts even more than I want it for them. I KNOW God is a fair and just judge who can be trusted. I KNOW that no matter what, I can have peace and joy in all circumstances because HE is in control and my trust is in HIM.

For the last couple of days the song In Christ Alone has been running through my mind.  Here are the lyrics:

In Christ alone my hope is found
He is my light, my strength, my song
This Cornerstone, this solid ground
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm
What heights of love, what depths of peace
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease
My Comforter, my All in All
Here in the love of Christ I stand

In Christ alone, who took on flesh
Fullness of God in helpless babe
This gift of love and righteousness
Scorned by the ones He came to save
'Til on that cross as Jesus died
The wrath of God was satisfied
For every sin on Him was laid
Here in the death of Christ I live, I live

There in the ground His body lay
Light of the world by darkness slain
Then bursting forth in glorious Day
Up from the grave He rose again
And as He stands in victory
Sin's curse has lost its grip on me
For I am His and He is mine
Bought with the precious blood of Christ

No guilt in life, no fear in death

This is the power of Christ in me

From life's first cry to final breath

Jesus commands my destiny

No power of hell, no scheme of man

Can ever pluck me from His hand

Til He returns or calls me home

Here in the power of Christ I'll stand

I will stand

I will stand, all other ground is sinking sand

All other ground, is sinking sand

Songwriters: Keith Getty/ Stuart Townend

Listen to In Christ Alone here.


Next Entry: THEN They Will Know!

Brick by Brick!

November 01, 2017

The first initial years of "the storm" were overwhelming and time consuming, but once all the legal filings were submitted to the courts, things became quiet. The wait for the judge to issue his rulings began. Months passed. And then years passed. We became accustomed to the lull in the nastiness. And then a few weeks ago, the judge sent out a notice to both parties soliciting available dates for a trial to be scheduled for the Spring or Summer of 2018.

What?? A trial?!? Is there going to be a trial?!? For YEARS, I have been absolutely sure that this lawsuit would never go to trial. SURE! There are many, many reasons why I have felt so strongly about there not being a trial. You can read about some of them here and here. To get a letter from the judge requesting available dates for a trial was a complete surprise and rather disconcerting. It temporarily threw me off balance. I had a lot of questions and no answers. Feeling discouraged, on October 20th, I sat down and wrote my feelings out in a prayer to the LORD.

LORD,

What is it YOU want? What is YOUR will for our lives? Is it YOUR will for this ugly battle perpetrated upon us to go to trial? Is that YOUR will? Is it YOUR will for my journals and the story of Jane to be made public? Is that the way you want YOUR story to be told?

I have so many questions. So many. I'm not doubting you, LORD. I am doubting me. I have been sure for years that this battle was not going to trial. I still believe that. But am I crazy? Was it just wishful thinking? Is it something I have conjured up in my own mind? I really don't believe so. I really don't. But LORD, I want to be sure. I want to be sure that I am surrendered to YOUR will and following YOUR path.

LORD, I have absolutely NO doubt that you are going to protect us from my sister and brother-in-law's vicious and false accusations. NO doubt whatsoever. I guess what confuses me is the path. Do you want this battle to go to trial? Do you want the blogs to be made public? How does that work? Things have changed. The wait for the resolution of the lawsuit has been open ended with nothing in sight, so waiting wasn't that hard because there was an open ended time frame (in my mind) for you to complete your will. But now things have changed. Lawyers from both sides have agreed to set June of 2018 aside for a trial. There is now a point in time set aside for a decision and it is nine months away. Am I starting to doubt? I'm not losing faith in the end result, but I am really confused about the process. Did I misunderstand? Am I wrong? Last night I was reminded of what our Pastor always says. "Don't doubt in the dark what God has shown you in the light."

The blogs are for the most part done and ready. As far as I know I have completed the journey I felt YOU directed me to take. Is YOUR story really going to just sit idle for over nine months? Is there something else I am supposed to do? Am I losing my faith?

In the end it doesn't matter. You are God and I am not. So what is the problem?

I am ashamed. Why am I struggling? Nothing has changed. Am I worried about being wrong in what I have so passionately written about? Is it my pride that is suffering? Am I fearful of looking like a fool and trying to explain why everything I said I felt God was showing me was wrong and (evidently) a figment of my imagination?

LORD, I confess to you my fears. I confess to you my doubt. I confess to you my need to know what is going on and how you plan on doing things. I am weary. I surrender all to you. I surrender it all to you. My hands are open. You are God. I will continue to trust you. I do trust you. If I'm made to look like a fool—then so be it. The only thing that matters is YOU. I bow my need to know how you are going to protect us to your authority and sovereignty. I'm sorry, LORD. A planned date doesn't mean anything. I will still follow your footpath no matter where it leads. Help me to only look ahead at each next step and not start looking into the future. One step at a time, LORD. One step at a time. May YOUR will be done in whatever way YOU choose. 

Writing my thoughts down always has a therapeutic effect for me. It calms my mind and soothes my soul. It brings me back to Truth and to what I KNOW.

• I KNOW God has a plan for our lives.
• I KNOW God has promised us His protection.
• I KNOW I am to tell HIS story.
• I KNOW this lawsuit will not accidentally go to trial.
• I KNOW that while God may allow the "world's" court system to set us free, it cannot be His revealed moral will because the filing of this lawsuit violates His written words.
• I KNOW God has given my sister and brother-in-law ten plus years of Grace.
• I KNOW there will come a day when accountability for our life choices WILL happen.
• I KNOW that HE is in control—and that is enough.

We will STAND on the promises of God. We will continue to believe and hold on to HIS Truth.

There have been some other new developments pertaining to the lawsuit as well. Three of the four attorneys (including the lead attorney) representing my sister and brother-in-law are now no longer with their law firm. To us this is huge news. We felt their lead attorney was just plain vicious in his actions, words and tone. He didn't appear to be interested in facilitating any kind of negotiation or reconciliation and gave my sister and brother-in-law free rein in trying to cause strife and discord among our immediate and extended family members. Nothing appeared to be sacred or off-limits to either him or my sister and brother-in-law. We are SO grateful he is gone.

The timing of his departure seems rather remarkable. He literally left the firm just days or weeks before the judge sent the notice out asking for available dates from each side for a trial. He took a position as an in-house lawyer for a large company so he will NOT be able to assist my sister and brother-in-law again on their case. This is a huge blessing! We never need to see him again and we are very grateful. The scheduled dates for the trial are still up in the air. Some time in June 2018 is what the attorneys for both sides agreed upon but my sister and brother-in-law would not agree to those dates, so we are waiting to hear what the judge decides to do.

Shortly after the news about these new developments broke, the phrase "Brick by Brick" came to my mind early one morning and it got me to thinking.

In the beginning of this conflict, my sister and brother-in-law put up a brick wall of their own doing. Every effort we made to bring our conflict to a peaceful end (by using biblical principles) was blocked by a brick wall of resistance. They thought they were in complete control of their destiny and ours. While my sister and brother-in-law were building a brick wall of resistance, God was building a brick wall for our protection. "Brick by Brick" obstacles to block their plans and intents have been put in their way from the very beginning and the obstacles continue to build as they try to take us down financially by using the "world's" court system. Losing their lead attorney, ten years into the legal process and immediately before the judge requested spring and/or summer trial dates from both sides, is certainly another brick placed in their way. It will now cost them a considerable amount of more money to continue to pursue us. It will take a new lawyer many billable hours to be brought up to speed on the sheer amount of volume and details of the case.

Brick by brick.

Even the scheduling of a date appears to be a brick in their path. In their letter to the judge they stated the only times they would be available for a trial would be in very early spring because a trial later than that would cause their seasonable businesses hardship. I'm not sure if the judge will grant their request or not. Our lawyer is scheduled to be out of town and then has two other trials scheduled and the judge is typically in Florida in the time frame my sister and brother-in-law proposed as the only time they would be available. To read their claims of hardship and their basic refusal to consider other times was rather astonishing. They are pursuing us, we are not pursuing them! You would have thought their response would have been something along the lines of, "you name the date and time and we will be there." Instead, they had the audacity to tell a judge that his time frame for dates was not acceptable to them. Incredible. Their own words have caused more bricks to be added to the wall being built for our protection.

Brick by brick.

LORD, our prayer for my sister and brother-in-law remains the same. May they understand that without you they are nothing, and may they desire nothing but you. LORD, thank you for patiently giving them time to change their hearts and lives. Thank you, for granting them ten more years of Grace. LORD, we have always said they cannot pursue you and pursue us at the same time. So, Lord, I come boldly before you and ask in the Almighty name of Jesus for you to build the brick wall of protection around us so high they can't climb over it and so wide they can't go around it. LORD, I pray you would knock down their brick wall of resistance. LORD, I pray you would block the path of disobedience they are on to the point where the brick wall of protection you have built around us is insurmountable and they cannot successfully go forward in their desire to pursue us. LORD, we pray the words of Psalm 140:8 - "Do not grant the wicked their desires, O LORD; do not let their plans succeed or they will become proud." LORD, their planned intentions were clearly demonstrated when they chose to go against your written words and instead filed this lawsuit in an attempt to use the "world's" court system as the means to further their false accusations and their evil intentions. LORD, I pray that brick by brick you would block their ability to pursue this case to trial. LORD, may YOU release us through YOUR power and YOUR might. May all know that is was the LORD God Almighty who stopped the avenger and saved us from the lion's mouth. We pray this in Jesus' holy name. Amen.

Brick by brick.

Addendum: 2/19/19 ~ A light bulb of further understanding went on as I was reading this today. Jesus is three types of stone: 

• Cornerstone—someone to build your life's foundation upon
• Stumbling stone—someone who puts or allows obstacles in your path for the purpose of getting your attention and letting you know you need to change your heart and life 
• Crushing stone—someone who will eventually hold those who refuse to follow Him accountable for their life choices.

I Peter 2:6–8 - " 'See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame.' (Quoting Isaiah 28:16) Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe, 'The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone,' (Quoting Psalm 118:22) and, 'A stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall.' "(Quoting Isaiah 8:14) 

Matthew 21:42–44 - "Have you never read in the Scriptures: 'The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes'?  (Jesus quoting Psalm 118:22,23) 'Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit.  He who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces, but he on whom it falls will be crushed.' "

Many of the decisions my sister and brother-in-law made throughout "the storm" just didn't make sense. My husband and I (and others) would often just look at each other and shake our heads. How many times did we (and others) say, "Why on earth did they do that?? How does that make any sense?!"

I thought my sister and brother-in-law were (all on their own) building strong walls of resistance and they thought they were in complete control of their destiny and ours, but now I am starting to see things a little differently. I am beginning to understand God's hand has been in even the smallest of details. I now believe God-planned and God-allowed stumbling stones were put in their path; obstacles which were meant to get their attention and change their course of actions. 

So many situations are running through my mind. So many things that just didn't seem to make good business or logical sense. The disturbing thing is this: my sister and brother-in-law think they are building a wall of resistance against us when in reality, their wall of resistance is a fight against the authority of God. Because my sister and brother-in-law refused to change their hearts and lives, God allowed them to continue to build a wall that ultimately prevented them from owning our joint project which in turn prevented them from realizing any eventual profits from their deceitful practices. They also didn't make any money from the large sum of money they removed from the project; they lost the entire amount they removed and much more. 

My sister and brother-in-law's covert strategy to take over the project—failed. Their scheme to keep all profits for themselves—failed. Their plan to make a large profit off of the money they removed from the project—failed. All their best laid plans and strategies—failed. Not only did all their strategies for ill-gotten gain fail, but now their insistence on moving forward with a lawsuit has cost them hundreds of thousands of dollars in legal fees. We absolutely believe their attempt to have the courts enforce the "agreement" they deceitfully obtained as a way to financially ruin us for their own gain will fail as well.  

We always wondered, but now we see more clearly. Their decisions weren't just bad business practices or illogical thinking—it was God's hand at work. Stumbling stones were put in place and brick by brick a wall was built to thwart their plans. God has given my sister and brother-in-law opportunity after opportunity to change their hearts and minds, to surrender, to turn from their self-centered ways, and to build their lives upon the Cornerstone. For that I am very thankful. However, there comes a time when "time" runs out and accountability happens.

The stumbling stone becomes a crushing stone.

None of us like to think about judgment. We would all much prefer to talk about the wonderful Grace of God and sit around a campfire singing, Kum Ba Ya. But TRUTH is the truth. Some day we will all stand before our Maker. At that time He will either be the Cornerstone on which we have built our lives—OR—He will be revealed as the stumbling and crushing stone. He is either Lord of our lives—or He isn't. 

Oh LORD, we are still learning so much. While we have understood much of what YOU have done, we at the same time have understood very little. I am just amazed at even the glimpse we have been given. LORD, we trust you and ask that you continue to put obstacles in their path that will prevent their plans from succeeding. Thank you, for building walls of protection around us. LORD, there are not enough words to adequately thank you for all you have done these past twelve years. Thank you, Father.

Brick by brick. Stumbling stone by stumbling stone. Obstacles ignored. Walls of resistance built.


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