Om dapper te leef

Kyk as daar nou een ding is wat ek nie is, is dit dapper. Vandat ek klein was was ek bang. Ek skryf dit in 'n groot mate toe aan Mynhardt wat om elke donker hoek en draai gewag het om my skrik te maak. Maar soos wat ek ouer geword het het dit half deel van my geword. Nie net bang vir fisiese bedreiginge nie maar ook hoe ek my lewe leef. Altyd half bang - en hierdie stukkie vandag herinner my weer dat ek dit moet bely en meer moet vertrou op Hom. Nou is die tyd om oor te gaan tot aksie en werklik te leef - vreesloos!!! Dis nogal vir my 'n scary gedagte.......... :-)

'O man of little faith,' Jesus said, 'Why did you doubt me?'" Matthew 14:33b (TLB)

Let me ask you, how many times have you wanted to do something, plan something, or even dare to dream something, but were too afraid? You know deep within that your torment isn't right. You know you're missing out on life and opportunities, but you're too scared to do anything about it.Those of us who live with anxiety are living below the mark of what we were created to be. Worry and its accompanying emotions are not and never were part of God's plan for His children. Yet thousands live this way each day.I've often wondered about the eleven disciples who stayed in the boat instead of stepping out onto the water like Peter (Matthew 14:33). Did they live with regret? I don't know. They did, however, miss an amazing opportunity to walk on water with Christ! Sadly, most people stay in the safety of the boat their entire lives and then wonder why life seems so empty, miserable, and dull. They go through life missing opportunities because they're afraid to really live the way God intended. What's Christ response to all of this? He asks "Why do you doubt me?" (Matthew 14:33).Doubt was the disciples' trouble. When Peter threw one leg over the side of the boat, nobody believed he could walk on water. I can almost hear his friends calling out, "Peter? Have you lost your mind? You can't do that!" And yet, while that thought was still fresh on the minds of his friends, Peter was already doing it. He was walking on water!Is there someone in your life planting doubt in your heart and mind over something you're already doing? If so, don't listen. Don't look back. Keep your eyes on Jesus and your faith will enable you to walk on water. Exercising your faith is key to courageous living. Like Peter, we are then able to step out of the boat into a world of possibilities.

Dear Lord, I'm ready to get out of the boat by trusting You with my fears. Be visible before me so that my faith will be strong and doubt will flee. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Braambessies

Laasnag het dit so bietjie gesneeu en toe ons vanoggend opstaan skyn die son. Als skitter en is te pragtig en ek en Twiggy het toe gaan stap op die Indian Creek Trail hier agter ons huis. Ek wens ek kon met die kamera weergee hoe pragtig dit als lyk met die sneeu wat net so bietjie bietjies begin smelt.

Op 'n stadium stap ek toe by so 'n plaat braambessiebosse verby en verkyk my aan die sneeu wat kompleet lyk soos glitter op die takkies. Die gedagte kom toe by my op - deurdring my Here - partymaal voel ek asof ons lewens soos daardie takkies lyk. Pragtig glinsterend bo-op maar wanneer daardie lagie smelt is daar maar baie dooie takkies en vrot kolle daaronder. Maar ek weet ons stap 'n paadjie na heiligmaking en toe ek by die huis kom en my stilteyd hou lees ek hierdie:

Col 2:10-12

For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority.

In Him you were also circumcised, in putting off the sinful nature, not with a circumcision done by the hands of men but with the circumcision done by Christ, having been buried with him through your faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead.

Ek hoop dit gaan goed by jou - ek voel ek moet hierdie vir jou gee vandag. Gaan lees 1 Peter 1:6 - 9 asb. Ek wil dit vir jou bid vandag en vra vir inexpressable joy ten spyte van die omstandighede.

Al my liefde

Die spelling bee

Hierdie was nou sommer my klein brag namens ou Marelietjie. Eintlik brag ek nie regtig oor haar prestasie nie maar wil ek sê dat Die Here so goed is vir ons. Ons "brag" eintlik oor Sy voorsiening vir wat ons nodig het.

Ek het dit al so baie gesê maar ek dink nie iemand wat nie in ons skoene was sal ooit kon verstaan hoe enorm die aanpassing hier was nie.

Daar was in elke klas 'n spel kompetisie van graad 1 to by graad 8. Die top twee kinders dring dan deur na die District spelling bee wat in Portland gehou word. Wel Marelie wen toe in haar klas en ons moet toe afsak Portland toe. Hoe die spelling bee werk is dat die kinders lyste kry van die woorde wat hulle moontlik gevra mag word. Eish maar dis VREK moeilike woorde - omtrent 75% ken ek of glad nie die woord nie of is ek ook nie seker van hoe dit gespel word nie! En ek is nogal 'n goeie speller........ Maar anyway so ons kry toe die lys - seker so 600 woorde en omtrent 'n week om dit te leer. Nou sussie is toe skoon moedeloos want hierdie is nou nog ekstra op al die ander huiswerk en hordes ander aktiwiteite wat sy ook nog het. So ons leer toe die woorde (ek kan nou almal mooi spel) maar sussie se moed loop laag. Ek hou maar net aan sê "dis 'n geleentheid en 'n opwindende ding om voor dankbaar te wees. En al wat ons verwag is dat sy haar bes moet doen soos vir die Here.

Die dag vd bee is toe 'n goeie grap want Ben is toe die senuagtigste van ons al drie. Dit was 'n goeie grap! Die hele experience is maar baie intimiderend. Die wenners van omtrent 12 ander privaatskole was ook daar en die standaard baie hoog. Daar is 'n paneel van 5 judges en vreeslik baie reels en regulasies. Jy moet hardop spel en mag nie die woord neerskryf nie - dis als uit jou kop uit. Meeste vd tyd raak ek so deurmekaar met waar ek trek dat ek skoon verkeerd gaan.

Wel sy het ons verstom. Sy was deur tot op die laaste 4 kinders - sy het die eerste woord in die finale ronde gekry en het toe "palindrome" verkeerd gespel met 2 ll'e. Sy het toe 'n 4de plek gekry. Sy was absoluut in ekstase - weer 'n les vir my (as dit ek was sou ek myself genadeloos gekasty het vir weke omdat ek 'n fout gemaak het). Maar sy was so in haar skik en tevrede. Maar hierdie is nie eintlik die grootste prestasie nie - toe ons later die middag weer by die huis is kom staan sy so stilletjies by my in die kombuis en sê "Weet jy Mamma ek dink ek gaan dit maak hier. " Ek vra toe hoekom sê sy dit want sy weet mos sy gaan dit maak! "Omdat die Here getrou is en Hy sal my altyd help omdat ek sy kind is" kom die antwoord toe. Sy was so uit haar comfort zone en haar toevlug was in haar hart na die Here en sy het defnitief Sy nabyheid in haar gevoel.

So dis vandag my brag - ons Here is getrou en Hy is vir ons lief want ons is Sy kinders. Al kom ons nie altyd eerste nie, is die wete dat Hy altyd daar is oneindig kosbaar. Die beste eerste plek ooit is reg by Sy voete.

Die ander seuntjie by haar is een vd graad 6'e wat ook 'n derde plek gekry het in sy kategorie. Van die 16 kinders wat Horizon gestuur het het net hulle 2 geplace.

Different Vessels for Different Uses

As ons so wroeg met al die goete wat ons dink ons nodig het of wie ons nie is nie, en wat ander het en is, dan beland hierdie in mens se "in-box" en jy besef maar net weer dat dit nie oor my gaan nie, maar oor God. Hy het ons VIR HOM gemaak, nie vir onself nie! Die HERE werk deesdae op vreemde maniere met ons, en HY eis van ons om heilig voor HOM te leef. Ek en Ben het Dinsdag begin met die Daniel-vas. Dis nie eintlik 'n vas nie, want jy sluit basies net enige iets van dierlike oorsprong en alkohol uit. Ons beplan om dit vir ten minste 10 dae te doen, 'n tyd om nader aan die HERE te kom sodat ons SY stem beter kan hoor! Bid 'seblief saam met ons!

Yet, O Lord, you are our Father, We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand.Isaiah 64:8, NIV

This week I walked through a huge store, absolutely filled with different specimens of pottery. Every single design was unique. And every item had a specific use. As I looked at this overwhelming display of man's creative ability, I began to think of how it illustrates the creativity of God in the vast breadth of design and function on display.Many will have sung Christian worship songs which express this theme, with words such as “You are the potter, we are the clay” - recognising that God is the Master Potter and we are His creation. But many of the people who have sung these songs may still be wishing they are like someone else. Some walk through our doors looking for help on Healing Retreats. They see someone else's looks or gifting and then see themselves negatively as a result. They then feel inferior and before very long depression and even despair can follow.It is easy to forget that God did not make us to be like anyone else, he made us to be the person we are. Each one a very much loved special creation. The world idolises certain people and the rest of humanity seems to want to copy the “stars”. But God doesn't want us to be like anyone else - He rejoices when we are content with who we are and seek to fulfill the destiny that the Master Potter had for each one of us.It is as we follow in the footsteps of Jesus that an extraordinary miracle takes place - in our character we become more like Him - and in our humanity we become more like the person God intended us to be in the first place.Prayer: Thank you that as the Master Potter, the works of your hand are always perfect. Help me Lord to so walk in your ways that I both reflect your true character to the people around me and grow into the person Father God intended me to be. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Gonubie se See

Na al die storms wat ons kus verlede jaar beleef het, is Gonubie se see stadig maar seker besig om weer na iets te begin lyk. Ons het gister (en vanmiddag) bietjie daar gaan stap. Dit was absolute stunning weer, nou nie vir die surfers nie, geen wind nie en die temperatuur is so 25. Die son was bietjie sleg en ek't nie 'n idee gehad wat ek afneem nie, want dit was direk in die son in (met my selfoon, nogal!); ek dink die foto het baie goed uitgekom!

Better together

Gisteraand sit ek en Top Chef kyk op tv en vir die eerste keer sien ek toe 'n nuwe Lays Chips advertensie. Dit was net te oulik en het my onmiddelik aan jou laat dink. Dit is sulke groen balletjies (met gesiggies en armpies) wat so in hulle dorpie rondrol. Dan is daar een ou geel balletjie en hy is obviously baie ongelukkig dat hy geel is en almal rondom hom groen. Hy rol in die paint shop in en baie in sy skik kom hy ook groen uit. Maar o wee toe reen dit en daar smelt al sy groen af. So baie bek-af rol hy verder en skielik sien hy so 'n ou treurige blou balletjie sit op 'n trappie. Duidelik ook baie ongelukkig dat hy nie groen is nie. Toe hy by hom verbyrol kyk hy so terug en wraggies maak hulle 2 toe saam GROEN. Hulle slaan toe hulle armpies ommekaar en in die middel is hulle toe groen met so 'n strepie blou en geel aan die kante.

Die catch phrase is toe "it just goes better together".

Dit laat my so baie aan ons vriendskap dink. Ons het altwee ons sterk en swak punte, altwee ons eie oppe en affe en altwee ons eie kruise wat ons dra. Maar somehow " it just goes better together".

Hierdie is speiaal vir jou uit my gunsteling boek ;-) - die Bybel

Ecclesiastes 4:9 Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work:

If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up! Also if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.

Dankie dat ek met jou jou lewe mag deel. Jou vriendskap is kosbaar en ek bêre dit diep in my hart. Leun op my as jy dit nodig het, ek belowe ek sal nie oordeel nie, ek sal nie sleg van jou dink nie.

Disclaimer: Ek gee nie goeie raad nie -maar ek kan goed luister. Gebruik ten alle koste jou eie oordeel oor enige raad van my kant af!!!!

Woestyn-Wiskunde

Net as mens dink dat jy nou alles verstaan en besluit het om party goete nie te probeer verstaan nie, dan beland die storie in jou in-box:

Wiskunde in die Woestyn
Een van die grootste wiskundige wonderwerke sentreer rondom Moses en die Isrealiete. In die woestyn moes die Isrealiete kos kry en hoe voed jy 3.5 miljoen mense? Volgens die Kwartiermeester-Generaal van die weermag het Moses omtrent 1500 ton kos daagliks nodig gehad. 'n 6km lange goederetrein sou nodig wees om die kos te vervoer.
Die kos moes gaargemaak word met houtvure en jy moet onthou, hulle was in die woestyn. 4000 Ton hout sou nodig wees per dag en weer 'n paar goedere treine, elk amper 2 km lank, om die hout te vervoer. Om te dink, hulle het 40 jaar in die woestyn getrek.
Wat van water? Net genoeg vir drink en 'n bietjie opwas, sou hulle 50 miljoen liter elke dag nodig gehad het, en 'n goederetrein met tenkwaens, omtrent 19km lank, sou nodig wees om water te bring. Daar was net 'n paar putte in die woestyn. Hoe het hulle genoeg water gekry?
Nog 'n ding! Hulle moes oor die rooi see in een nag! As hulle met 'n nou paadjie, twee-twee, sou loop, sou die lyn 1280km lank wees en sou diet 35 dae en nagte neem om deur te gaan.
So daar moes 'n pad deur die rooi see gewees het van amper 5 km breed sodat 5000 mense langs mekaar kon loop om in een nag deur te loop.
Nog 'n probleem, elke nag moes gekamp word. 'n Kampterrein van 1200 vk km was nodig, dit is 40 kilometer breed en 48 kilometer lank.
Dink jy Moses het dit alles haarfyn uitgewerk voor die trek? Nee, hy was net 'n gewone man met 'n onwrikbare geloof in God. God sou sorg vir alles.
Kom, skep moed, ons het dieselfde God! Ons dink ons probleme is so groot. Onthou wat God kan doen! Sluit aan by God se span en plaas jou probleme in sy Hande. Laat Hy jou lewe beheer en Hy sal vir jou sorg. Vertou God en sy Seun Jesus Christus. Die uiteinde van sonde is die dood, maar die geskenk van God is die ewige lewe. Jesus is 'n geskenk en Hy moet ingenooi word in jou lewe as Here, as jy die seëninge van ons Groot God in jou lewe wil ervaar.

Nou ja, wie is ek, Anna-Marie Smit nou, om die Here se beloftes te bevraagteken? As Hy gese het hy sal ons help, dan SAL Hy! Ek wens net ek weet wanneer???

Die SON-neblom

So gepraat van seeninge tel, is hierdie nie pragtig nie? Popeye se saadjies waaroor ek so kla en kerm omdat dit orals mors, het hierdie mooie blom opgelewer!Die plant staan al hoer as ek!

Ek was vandag kwaad vir die Here. Ons kry net nie antwoorde nie, al wat ons hoor is beloftes dat die Here sal voorsien. Maar weet jy, dis nie lekker om so te wag nie! Ekvra vandag vir die Here of ons dan te veel vra? Is dit te veel gevra dat ons net uit die skuld wil kom om weer makliker te kan asemhaal? Ek kan mos nie glo dat dit in die Here se wil kan wees dat ons moet sukkel en mismoedig wees nie? Dit kan mos nie die beeld wees wat ons as Sy kinders moet uitdra nie? Op hierdie stadium is dit baie moeilik om opgewek en altyd vrolik te wees. En dan se Fil 4:4 ons moet altyd bly wees! Ek kan nie!!! Ek weet ons moet ons seeninge tel en al die wonderlike goete waaroor ek so maklik kan preek vir ander, maar die Here alleen weet, dis nie maklik nie! Daar is 'n opstandigheid in my, wat ek weet, net die Here kan weg vat!

'Skuus vir al die kla en kerm en uitroeptekens, maar ek weet jy sal verstaan... en die SON sal weer skyn :O)

What have you done for me lately, God?

"Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus." Philippians 2:5 (NIV)

Is the glass half full or half empty? Is it partly sunny or partly cloudy? Perspective makes all the difference.Even for strong Christians who are grounded in their faith, discouragement can easily sneak its way into hearts and minds as life deals us chaos. As we struggle with the challenges and difficulties of everyday life, or things that happened to us that were unfair or unwarranted, it is easy to get pulled into a habitual mindset of negativity. Just like that old song from the ˜80s says, we may find ourselves asking God, "What have you done for me lately?"Our answer to that question will depend entirely upon our perspective. God does more for us each and every day than we deserve, but it 's so easy to lose sight of the good, because we are caught up in the reality of the bad. How do we combat this perfectly human attitude?

Prayer.

Resolve to have an attitude like Christ.

Take inventory of our every blessing.

Life. Your every breath. Your every heart beat. A spouse or loved one. Children. Clothes that need to be washed because God gave you clothes to wear, and a way to wash those clothes. Good health to help those whose health is failing. Trusted and educated doctors to treat you when you are facing health challenges. A house that needs cleaning. A car to drive. The ability to purchase gas for the car. A job to go to. The ability to be a stay at home mom or wife. Healthy kids who can play music or sports. Friends. Family. Freedom. Jesus. Eternal life.What is on your inventory list today? If you were honest with yourself, would you say you have been looking for the positive aspects of the situations in your life? Are you considering how God could be using those things to draw you closer to Him? Or have you been primarily focused on the negative?During times of negativity, we actually become our own enemy. We wage a battle in our mind because we look at our situation from our own perspective, instead of what God may be doing through our situation. So in order to change our minds, we have to choose to change the way we think – our perspective. Attitude is a choice.Winston Churchill once said, "A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty." What do you usually see?To quote an old cliche, today is the first day of the rest of your life, and it is never too late to become an optimist! I have heard it takes 21 days of doing something for it to become a new habit. The more you practice challenging your thought patterns, the more automatic it will become. Changes may not take place immediately, but over time, the challenge gets easier, and optimism becomes the norm instead of the exception.Are you willing to take the challenge to become an optimist today? The rewards of looking for God's goodness in every situation will be a healthier and happier heart.

Dear Lord, help me with my human tendency to be critical or look for the negative in situations. Forgive me for a lack of gratitude for all You have given me. Thank You for Your patience with me as I strive to be a Godly example. Guide my heart to recognize You at work, instead of seeing things from an earthly perspective. Lead me into a closer relationship with You by helping me remember to count my blessings every day. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Make a list of the difficult situations or daily frustrations in your life. On the right side, write down something positive about that situation or frustration, and how God can grow your faith by depending on Him about that situation . If you have a hard time finding something positive, pray and ask God to show you.

Die brullende leeu

Vanoggend het ek nie 'n slimstorie of 'n mooi iets vd internet nie so vergewe my maar as ek sommer net 'n deurmekaarspul gorrel.

Ek besef net gister weer dat Satan so listig is - hy weet net hoe om ons op te trip. Hy gebruik situasies waar ons swak punte in ons karakter het om ons in uit te buit. Ek dink ook hoe meer ons na God soek hoe harder word sy aanslae en pogings. Ek vertel jou sommer 'n storie van wat gister met my gebeur het. Gister was nie 'n goeie dag vir my nie.Nie net oor die storie wat ek jou nou vertel nie maar dit was een vd dinge vd dag. Om een of ander rede in my diepste wese ly ek aan 'n verwerpings vrees. Ek weet nie waar dit vandaan kom nie, ek soek nog na die wortel daarvan maar dis 'n ander journey waarmee ek oppad is saam met God.

Hier in my straat woon 'n hele paar vrouens wat saam in ons kerk is. Ek ken hulle maar net so van sien en waai op 'n afstand. Ek sien toe in die kerk koerantjie dat hulle 'n klein vroue groepie gestig het vir 'n bybelstudie en besluit toe om te vra of ek ook mag kom. Nou vir my om te vra of ek mag deel wees van iets is al klaar moeilik (ek sukkel maar met die pride ding jong). Maar ek bel toe die vrou Sondag en kry haar nie in die hande nie maar los 'n boodskap op haar sel en vra dat sy terugbel. Niemand bel toe nie, en gisteroggend kyk ek deur my kombuisvenster en sien al die karre en vrouens. Onmiddelik kom al daai gedagtes en vrese van "wil hulle my nie daar gehad het nie" , "dalk hou hulle nie van my nie", "dalk het ek iets verkeerds gesê" en so voorts. En ek sak af in 'n mismoedigheid. As ek moet eerlik wees met jou - ek kry nogal swaar hier in terme van vriendinne. Ek het nie iemand wat werklik 'n vriendin in die ware sin vd woord is nie en is baie eensaam. So hierdie was so 'n goeie geleentheid om ander vrouens te ontmoet. Ek huil toe sommer en gaan sit met my Bybel so op 'n hopie. Toe kom die gedagte by my op dat ek besig is om Satan 'n vasstrapplek te gee - hier sit ek myself en bejammer, ek is 'n mess, ek is nie tot voordeel van Ben of Marelie nie of enige iemand anders nie. Plaas kom sit ek en skryf vir jou 'n inspirerende boodskappie of enige iets maar nee ek sit en pink 'n traantjie en voel hopeloos.

Om 'n lang storie kort te maak hierdie was die versie wat my toe weer moed gee wat my Vader toe vir my gee:

Ps 30:8 To You o Lord, I called; to the Lord I cried for mercy: What gain is there in my destruction, in my going down into the pit? Will the dust praise You? Will it proclaim your faithfullness? Hear O Lord and be merciful to me; O Lord be my help. You turned my wailing into dancing you removed my sack cloth and clothed me with joy, that my heart may sing to You and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give you thanks forever.

Die vrou het my toe gisteraand gebel en sy was so nice en het my baie hartlik uitgenooi om te kom. Sy was siek en kon my nie terugbel Sondag nie.

Unless the Lord builds the house

Ek kom vandag op die stukkie waarheid af en besef hoeveel tyd ons al in ons lewens gemors het omdat ons besluite geneem het wat buite God se Wil was. Die onderste lyntjie is dat aan die einde van die dag ons self die oorsaak van ons eie ontevredenheid en ongeluk is. Die "trick" is nou om 'n 180 grade draai te maak...
Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labour in vain. Psalm 127:1, NIV
When the truth of this Scripture dawned on me, I got a shock. It was clear to me that my life could be compared with the house and I could be compared with the labourer. Whatever I did in my life that was not in accordance with God's will for it would be useless. The Oxford dictionary describes ‘in vain' as meaning ‘to no purpose, with no result, uselessly'.Understanding this Scripture was a turning point in my life because I do not want to spend my life doing things that are to no purpose in God's eyes. I began examining the motives we have for some of the things that we do. Sometimes it is to please the selfish person within. It may be to please others and gain their favour or acceptance. It could be to build self-esteem by exhibiting our capabilities. We may exhaust our energy serving others, or, perhaps, as a payment to God for some sin or possibly because we see ourselves as indispensable to some people or situations. These are just a few of the motives that spur us on. None of these come from God.Having spent many years of my life as a doer, I am learning to go slowly before I act, to examine my motives and prayerfully to ask God whether what I am about to do is of him.Clearly we are not called to submit every tiny action to God, like, for example, whether we have an apple or an orange for breakfast. God means us to make most routine decisions on our own. There are also times when we submit a decision we have to make to God and he tells us to choose.What about the times when we have prayed and prayed and still do not know what God is saying? It seems that when we prayerfully and carefully move in the direction that seems right, God redirects us if we are on the wrong track. He honours our having sought his will.What about the times when we, like the labourer, have acted without God? We have a merciful Father who, when we confess our sins, forgives us and offers us another chance.
Prayer: Father I want to live a life that has a purpose and is fruitful. I can do this only to the extent that I submit to your will. Help me please Lord to seek your will and way and to be obedient in following it. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Road works

Toe ek hierdie in iemand se blog lees laat dit my aan julle dink en ek dog ek deel dit met jou vir bietjie moedhou.

“I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths… I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth. These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them.” Isaiah 42:16 (NIV)

Last spring I monotonously approached my neighborhood exit where a newly posted sign announced that I could not make my normal left turn. Lined up on the road as far as I could see around the bend was a neatly laid row of orange and white barrels. Road construction had interrupted my usual routine. My daily plans would now be detoured due to the construction. Faced with this disruption that would surely put a kink in my life, I felt agitated and even hit the steering wheel with my fist. I would have to design new ways to reach my destinations and I wasn’t happy about it.One day when construction was completed enough to allow some through traffic, I turned left and surveyed the sights. I couldn’t believe what I saw. No more lovely forest. Gone were the inviting trails into the woods. Decades-old wooden fences and bridges had disappeared. Honestly, the place resembled the combined affects of earthquake and fire. That whole summer I rolled up to the intersection with its orange and white barrels, and it triggered in me negative thoughts and feelings. Soon after, my life was more seriously interrupted. A disturbing phone call forced me to drop everything. The bad news exploded like a bomb - my heart and mind quaked with emotion. Spiritual frustration filled my soul in the following months. I can’t remember how many times my fist hit hard places. I screamed at God when life carried me away from the direction I wanted to take.“How long will You take me out of my way?” I questioned God. I longed for my life before the interruption. Managing my days on autopilot was no longer an option as I faced my new circumstances. Slowly I began to see that this spiritual reconstruction paralleled the roadwork outside my neighborhood.Once all the orange and white barrels were gone and I was free to turn left at that intersection, I appreciated the results. Smooth asphalt spread out before me. Two lanes of traffic moved steadily. The “earthquake zone” had been transformed into a park-like setting. A tree-lined sidewalk encouraged pedestrians to walk toward the ballpark and the neighborhood church. Admiring the new landscape, I realized I’d been inconvenienced, but now I could see that the long delays were worthwhile.Today, although my life continues to zigzag through various “construction sites,” I realize God allowed me to experience the orange and white-barreled roads to illustrate a truth. He is at work up ahead rearranging the landscape of my life. Psalm 37:34 says, “Put your hope in the Lord. Travel steadily along his path. He will honor you by giving you the land.” (NLT)I may not be able to see what that land looks like, but I believe His Word. So, with His help, I put my hope in Him, traveling the paths He lays out for me, even though they are not the familiar roads I would normally take.

Father God, You know how difficult life is right now. My interrupted life and the difficult roads You have me traveling feel like they’ll break me. Give me the capacity to graciously travel the paths You lay out before me. Help me trust You, In Jesus’ name, Amen