While in the car, listening and talking and praying, I was reminded of the story of Joshua crossing the Jordan River. When the Israelite’s get to the river, it is not a “normal” time when the river is low and easy to cross.
It is just when the flood season began and the water is rushing past several feet deep. It’s easy to step into a shallow slow-moving river, but instead, God calls the people to take their step of faith into the Jordan at the peak of the flood season!
SAY what?
This is those moments I’m like SERIOUSLY? Is this FOR REAL?
Anyway, they obey and immediately the river stops. It required action! God did not stop the water and then they walked, they had to take action, trust God, and walk forward as he led. Taking a step of faith is so much easier said than done, right?
Kind of how I’m feeling right now, could this not be a more “peak” of a flood season! Nonetheless, I was encouraged further to put my feet in the water and let God do the rest.
So what now what?
So I’m registered to be working with Andrea Joy Wenburg (www.andreajoywenburg.com) and her Impact by Design Core Message course. Because honestly, I have no idea what I’m doing and it’s a very strange place to be because I don’t operate from this place very well. I usually have to have done lots of research and planned things out, do a full risk mitigation assessment etc. But amazingly, God has blessed Andrea with the gift of helping others get their voice and message together! One thing that I had already been thinking and praying about was…what would this message delivery look like and how do I get it out?
For the longest time, I never forgot, but I also didn’t share as much as I think I should have. I figured I’m over it, I’m through it, now moving on. Often times we’re told not to “live in our past.” Move forward, look forward, but the past has a place too. It has a purpose to tell of the work that God did. I forgot that. Lately, God has put people in my life and that nudging “tell them” keeps coming up. And with every story I share or relatable thing I can share with them, I’m reminded of my prayers from so long ago, “Lord use me.” And now I walk from those moments smiling, looking up, and saying THANK YOU! Thank you for giving me a moment like that. A moment to experience you and share you.
Then I had a “Dory” moment. Not when I forgot something, but instead the moment where Dory has a dozen flashes of bits and pieces that pull it all together.
If you’ve been anywhere around my home, I have stones in several places, I’ve always liked rocks, stones, river stones, they are on in my yard, on my deck, they are in my shower, they are in bathroom, bedroom, living room, pretty much everywhere!
Then while reading through the two chapters of Joshua 3 & 4, the whole message basically talks about leaps of faith and telling our stories…of God’s power. These words just made my heart flutter.
Twelve. Stones. Dry Ground.
12 – My “number” has always been 12. I had the number 12 when I played softball all through my teenage and adolescent years. (Maybe I’ll post a picture of me from back then in a blog with my number 12) but for now I’ll spare myself the embarrassment. But really biblically, the number 12 is in the bible 187 times. 12 stones, 12 disciples, 12 tribes of Israelite’s, Jesus was 12 when his first words were recorded, Jacob (Israel) had 12 sons, Ishmael had 12 princes, and the references go on.
Dry – I love this added adjective. It’s such a small word with such BIG meaning in this story. Dry ground is mentioned through the passage. Not only did God’s miracle of stopping the water upstream so they could cross, but he did it so much so that it would be dry. Sucking the water and separating what was so that they could cross with ease. What power that is! Let’s not forget that God is in the details, and he wants us to cross with ease!
Stones – God commanded that the stones be placed let these stones be a reminder in the very place that God acted. I pray that the sharing of the stories God has done in my life and your lives, is a memorial, a place for people to be reminded as they are when they see the stones placed on the dry land.
“When God does a might work, the Israelite’s leave a memorial in the very place where God acted on their behalf. Often they set up a pile of stones as a reminder. The Israelite’s cross the Jordan on dry land, a great miracle of God. They enter the land without as much as a wet sandal. And then God says “Don’t ever forget this moment.”
Pile up 12 stones as a perpetual reminder of this day. Every time a family passes that spot, they tell the story again! “Grandpa tell us again what God did when we entered the land.” “Mom, tell the story one more time.” What a powerful example for us today! (Women of Faith Bible)”
So with all that, this week I changed the Facebook Page to 12 Dry Stones (@12DryStones). I wanted it to be something other than my name. Honestly, this is not about me. This is about the power of God in our lives and through our stories. Another weird thing about me is I honestly scour at the spotlight. It makes me feel very uncomfortable. By nature I am an introvert, that’s why blogging is so easy. If I ever get the courage (inside voice be strong and courageous) to do a video blog….I’ll probably be shaking the whole time!
So that’s that! And I hope you all find encouragement in walking across the Jordon!