When the Boat Reaches the Shore

"Immediately (after witnessing the amazing miracle of Jesus feeding 500 men plus women and children with merely five loaves of bread and two fish) Jesus made the 

disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of Him to the 

other side, while He dismissed the crowd. 

After He had dismissed them, He went up on a mountainside to pray. When evening came, He was there alone, but the boat was already a considerable distance 

from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it. 

During the fourth watch of the night Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw Him walking on the lake, they were terrified, 

"It's a ghost," they said, and cried out in fear. 

But Jesus immediately said to them, "Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid."

...Then Jesus got in the boat with them."*

Have you ever felt like those disciples?

Have you found yourself fresh from watching Jesus do a string of amazing things with and around you?
You know, the stuff that makes you giddy with excitement.
The stuff that begs you to pledge your life to follow Him anywhere He goes so you can see more.....

only to find yourself out in a boat in the middle of a storm, battered by waves and wind in the dark unable to find the shore, wondering what happened and where Jesus went?

Maybe you were adrift at sea in total darkness and you could no longer see land, your sure footing a mere memory.
Maybe the waves and the wind beat you up and whipped your senses into a frenzy, leaving you insecure and fearful.
Maybe you wondered if this is the new normal, your old fruitful life dead and not coming back.

You can't figure it out. You trusted Him. You did what He said. You got in the boat. You expected more fun and excitement. But instead...

You got the storm. The darkness. The confusion. The fear. The despair. The silence. For a really long time.

Well intentioned friends and family encouraged you. They could still see Jesus with you in the boat. They said to keep trusting Him even though you can't see or hear Him. They dared you to believe that even in this God was up to something good.

And you did.

Then one day, when God said the time was right, when the work He was doing in you was complete, light started spilling into the boat. You could see the shore. As you approached the shore, there was indeed something good waiting for you. Turns out it was better than you hoped for. It was Ephesians 3:20, more than you could ask or imagine.

And you marvelled. And you squealed with delight. Then you knew it was worth it because the light is so much brighter when you have overcome darkness.

Scott and I have been in the boat for over three years. Sometimes it feels like a storm. Other times a desert. Often like a prison or a pit. Always winter, but never Christmas.

We've invited, even begged God to do something new with us. To feel free to rewrite our stories for the second half of our lives if He wants to. If it will serve His purposes for us.

If you are a regular reader of this blog, you know that about seven weeks ago, the same day our youngest bird flew out of the nest, when Scott's most recent ministry position expired, we packed our summer clothes and took temporary jobs at Camp of the Woods in Speculator, NY.

Within two weeks we knew we had stumbled upon something special. That God had deliberately brought us here in a way we didn't see coming less than a month before.

We were told several full-time year round positions were available.
We inquired.
They were interested.

The next Sunday, I read a 'random' Psalm to God in preparation for worship.

Come and see what God has done,

how awesome His works in man's behalf!

He turned the sea into dry land,

they passed through the waters on foot - 

come, let us rejoice in Him.

He rules forever by His power.

Praise our God, O peoples,

let the sound of His praise be heard;

He has preserved our lives

and kept our feet from slipping.

For you, O God, tested us;

you refined us like silver.

You brought us into prison

and laid burdens on our backs.

You let men ride over our heads;

we went through fire and water

but you brought us to a place of abundance.**

Hmmm...."kept our feet from slipping, tested us, refined us, prison, burdens, men riding over our heads, fire and water...that sounds like us. God, are you bringing us to a place of abundance? Are we near the end ? Whatever you decide to do, we want to see Your fingerprints all over it. We want everyone who has waited with us, prayed for us, taken care of us, and encouraged us to marvel at how You bring us out. Our eyes are wide open and ready. Amen."

Within a week formal offers of employment were slid across the desk toward us. Full time. Year round. A job for Scott. A job for me. Starting right around the time when Ally leaves for her first year of college. (Coincidence? I think not!)

The beginning of the next season of our marriage in a new town with a new church, new co-workers to love and with hundreds of guests to serve. At a place called Lake Pleasant. In the Adirondacks no less, my long ago proclaimed happy place. New, new, new. Prayed for that too. Marvelous!

We walked out of the room, papers in hand. I looked at Scott. He looked at me. I whispered, "Is this abundance?" He croaked, "Yes, this is abundance." 

This week, the day I have been waiting months and months and months for finally came! The end of the silence, the wondering. We officially accepted our new mission and now begin making plans to relocate. Scott will take over as the Group Coordinator/Guest Services Manager and I will replace the Camp Registrar.

When it became clear God was opening up this opportunity, Jill looked me in the eyes and said, "I have been praying for someone like you to take this position that I love, to give maturity to the office (a.k.a. you're old) and to mother the college kids in the summer." 

Whew. Didn't see that coming. It's one thing to pray and pray and pray for God's will as you approach a crossroads, but it's quite another to know God is using you to answer someone else's prayers.

God's fingerprints. More than we could ask or imagine. Abundance. We marvel.

Marvel with us. He deserves the glory. You deserve to know that He is up to something good for you too - especially if you are in your own boat.

Here's the last part of that random Psalm I just happened to read a few days before our lives would change drastically.

Come and listen, all you who fear God;

let me tell you what He has done for me.

I cried out to Him with my mouth;

His praise was on my tongue.

If I had cherished sin in my heart,

the Lord would not have listened;

but God has surely listened

 and heard my voice in prayer.

Praise be to God, 

who has not rejected my prayer

or withheld His love for me!**

Jesus loves me this I know. Jesus knows me this I love. I could write ten more blog posts to record all the other intimate details He has lavished on us as He brings us out of the darkness and into the light. Maybe I will yet.

In the meantime, hear this....He is faithful always. Sometimes He does put His beloved children in a boat with instructions to go to the other side. He doesn't always tell how long it will take to get there. He knows from the start that a storm is waiting for us. Not one disciple signed on because life would be fast and easy. They encountered all kinds of hard things. We will too but don't sin while you are in it. We should expect this life to be difficult at times because the Bible is constantly preparing us for it.

"Sometimes God causes severe winds of trial to blow upon His children to develop their gifts....the richest qualities of a Christian often arise under the strong winds of suffering and adversity. Bruised hearts often emit the fragrance God loves to smell."  Streams in the Desert

But we must remember the best part. He promises to be with us in it.

Even when it's dark and lonely and painful, He loves you no matter what.

Even if you can't see, hear or feel Him and it seems like He is ignoring all your prayers, I dare you to believe He is up to something good on your behalf.

Oh, one more thing, now that we are going to be mountain people, I asked Scott if we should buy flannel shirts and snow shoes. He gave me a look I've seen before. 

Something about the Adirondacks screams tall pines and white lights. This poor chap has no idea what's in store for him.

The empty nest adventure continues....


*Matthew 14:22-27
**Psalm 66:5-7a, 8-12, 16-20