In the past months I have been able to spend many rich hours catching up with dear family and friends in Belgium, Ohio, Texas, Pennsylvania, and Minnesota.
Since my last post I have flown on 12 flights and traveled on multiple trains, buses, and other modes of transportation and seen more I ever imagined possible within that period of time. I hope to be able to catch up and tell several "untold" stories from those travels, but for now I just want to share a picture that reflects where I am at now.
It was in the middle of those three weeks of whirlwind, European, tourism that I found myself walking with Katherine along the western shores of Ireland. It was a perfect night. The almost full moon was reflected on the water and the waves came up softly on the beach. It was one of many surreal moments. As we walked Katherine looked across the bay at the twinkling lights and said, "I always love looking at lights across the water like that because I can imagine them to be whatever I want". In an arrogant realist thought I wondered what the point was of imagining such things. Well recently God brought that precious thought of Katherine's back and spoke to my heart through it.
Because you see I too like to imagine and dream, to dream about the future and imagine about all of the
endless possibilities of things I could do and pursue. And like those far off twinkling lights my far off dreams can be in my imagination whatever I want them to be. What in reality might be an old warehouse can be in my imagination a charming cottage, or what may be a gas station can be a lively cafe.
As I float closer to those twinkling lights I begin to make out some of the outlines but I am still unable to discern what each light is attached to. I begin to wonder if my imaginations will lead me to disappointment. I wonder if it's safer to stay put and remain in the boat where I can continue to imagine the lights to be whatever I wish, where I don't have to risk the chance of being disappointed. I become paralyzed with the uncertainty and risk.
But it is then that Jesus comes walking on the water towards me,
"Take courage! It is I (I am with you). DO NOT BE AFRAID"
He then offers me His hand and I am able to step out of the boat and walk with Him towards the twinkling lights. I still don't know which light belongs to the quaint cottage or the old garage, I still don't know if my dreams will disappear or be more than I could even imagined. But I do know that Jesus is with me, that He is good, and that I am not only safe with Him but safe to give my dreams to Him.
So here were go! To discover what those twinkling lights have in store and what dreams turn into when you give them to Jesus. As Ron Grey said at the recent ACM conference, "no regret, no reserve, no retreat!"
Some photos from Ireland
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| Clonmacnoise Abbey |
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| Kylemore Abbey |
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| With Katherine at the Cliffs of Moher |
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| A view from the Ring of Kerry |
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| Sheep, hills, lochs, and me! Connemara, Ireland |
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