Ezekiel 45 & 46; Luke 1

There were so many things on the trip that blessed me. The time in shared solitude with Dan riding, the time with BIL and SIL on our breaks or in motel rooms, meeting and talking with various bikers from all over the US, meeting Jeff in Fort Wayne, getting to see the girls campus at IWU, riding riding riding.
Every nite being so glad to get off the bike and yet in the AM eager to get back on again.
The sunsets, either sitting on the lake in the chill of an evening or over a river from the back of the bike.
The weather chilly enough to make for invigorating rides. Seeing country albeit similar , with rolling cornfields and beans and barns, yet different. Imagining a lot of the country in the next few weeks as the colors explode in all the different trees. Seeing the lakes and rivers and riding incredible bridges over the expanses. There was just so much.
On the back of the bike is time to think, there is nothing I can do but think and pray. Imagining a field green and lush, dotted with daisies and leaning against Him. I kid you not, there was no face or image, but a presence who invited me to just sit with Him and promised PROMISED IF I listen He will guide me. The tears flowed then let me tell you and for no reason other than to feel such HOPE. It’s not something I should talk about as most may see me as delusional and yet it was real enough to illicit tears and feelings of joy and hope.
I am blessed I know this and try to not look at the blessings as unending, as any kind of deserved because I KNOW they’re not and yet they come. There is more to this life than I usually allow. I being way too busy making sure I get what’s coming to me, miss where He may be wanting me to go. I try to not become too impatient and miss where I am at in the moment and yet worry that I am too content in the moment and may miss the what’s next .

The time with Jeff and his wife was amazing. To see a couple living as witnesses. Doing something that is impacting their community. The Rialto is quite the space and listening to Kristy tell of what they are dreaming to do with that space, really inspiring.

To build a place with so much redemptive potential. A café where they can teach women or men about preparation of food with implements totally foreign to them, while serving the community. To have spaces here and there for childcare and teaching and community building. To see a couple actually following where He is leading, teaching both themselves and their children and all they come in contact with the value of social responsibility, becoming the hands and feet of Chirst, being the Church.

It was cool and felt like God had us with them that day to learn more of what we needed to learn. There is much in this following Christ that I need to learn and that in the learning I wrestle with and maybe, I even wrestle it to the point of missing or delaying or maybe it’s ok and that my seeking of Him consumes my life is where I am supposed to be right now….because I do have the promise of His guidance and that I rest (wrestle) in and on this journey .
That I seek Him is because of the heart He gave me. My church led me to the journey and to spending time with God in His word. How many of us in and on the journey came to the journey via the church or perhaps through the witness of someone different from us. But dang don’t we hate to live different? I know to even say that I experienced ‘something’ on the back of the bike makes me feel different and subject to the judgements of others because OH BOY have I judged others.
So I am going to remember this field and my experience there and the promise I know I heard. What kinds of things are you ‘hearing’ these days?

Pray for wisdom and perseverance for Jeff’s agent in pursuing increased publication of his book So I Go Now: Following After the Jesus of Our Day and IF you haven’t read it pick up a copy all the profits go The Reclamation Project. ..........Luke 1: 35The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called[c] the Son of God. 36Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. 37 For nothing is impossible with God."