The Bible tells us that Jesus went to the mountains many times to speak with His Father. We hear of so many running to the mountains to commune with God. For many of us, we turn to our prayer closets or those quiet places where we can commune with God…we can’t all run to the mountains. I must say, when one does get a chance to run to the mountains, communing with God is inevitable.
My husband and I just had a very trying three months. My in-laws were victims to the horrible Florida hurricane, Ian, and they suffered a lot of damage. Since the beginning of October 2022, they evacuated to our home in Slidell, LA. The amazing thing is that they lived in North Port, FL. for over 20 years and were never affected by any hurricanes…it’s almost unbelievable. They are now in their mid-70’s and having to start over. Why do things like that happen? I don’t know what surviving a hurricane like that feels like. When Katrina hit, I was living in north Louisiana, so all I know of is what the news told everyone. However, I know that many of my friends in Slidell have experienced the horrible after effects of Hurricane Katrina. They all know what it is like to have to start over. Nonetheless, it is difficult to even fathom what it is like for someone in their 70’s to have to start all over. I can only pray that God brings them peace through all of this. No matter what, God can use something as devastating as a hurricane for His good. It is an amazing thing to see His plan unfolding right before our eyes even amidst devastation.
Since my husband and I were married in December 2018, we started visiting my in-laws about once every year. My husband would tell me over and over that we need to visit more because they are getting “up in age” and their health is deteriorating (Owning a business does not make it very easy to just pick up and leave for vacation). There is also the huge issue of “unbelief” that they have both fallen victim to. That is something that we both have been praying about fervently.
Being a Christian among unbelievers can be very difficult. Many times the unbeliever does not want anything to do with God…to the point that it is difficult to even be yourself. This was something that we encountered. The first time we visited, they urged us to get a Bed & Breakfast so we could do our “praying thing” before going to visit them. All you can do is love them where they are, right? We respected their wishes and did just that. Somehow over the next few visits, we were able to share our testimony of how we met and how God worked in my life changing it completely, and I was also able to pray over my mother-in-law. I am so thankful for the baby steps. Now let’s fast forward to October 2022–they are now living in our home. The four of us are living in a 957 sq. ft. home consisiting of 2 bedrooms and 1 bathroom. They couldn’t exactly request us to do our “praying thing” when they weren’t around. Our weekly schedule consists of prayer on Tuesday nights, church on Wednesday nights, worship practice on Thursday nights, our home life group on Friday nights, and church again on Sunday. We definitely could not hide our “prayer thing”.
To make a long story short, they attended two of our Life Group meetings we held at the house, they had dinner with several souled out Christians at our house, and we were able to have some conversations about God and what giving our lives to Jesus has done for us. Sometimes it was recieved, and at other times it was quickly shut down when they began to feel uncomfortable. Regardless, God has shown them miracles…their insurance adjuster would tell you that no one has had their claims move as quickly as my in-laws. My father-in-law said one day, “I don’t know how this is all happening so quickly.” All I could do was point up to the Heavens and say, “There is only One that can cause miracles to happen.” So in the end, they decided to move to Slidell so they could be closer to us, and they moved in to an assissted living facility. They moved in to their assissted living apartment approximately the week before Christmas, and they came to spend Christmas Eve with us. It was glorious. They are still not saved, but the fact that they are here is a sign that God is definitely at work. God is good, and we want them saved…we know that it will happen.
One of the greatest things happened during all of this. I suppose it was something neither my husband nor I expected because our eyes were fixed on another mission. While we were on this mission to do what we thought was God’s will, to save my in-laws (I still believe that it is His will…just in His time.), after being away from the Lord for 8 years, my step-son came back to Jesus. I know my husband has been praying for this day for a while now, and since we met in October 2018, I’ve been praying also. God is so good! It is so difficult to write this without my eyes filling with tears of joy. It is so amazing to see what God has done for our family in such a short time. I KNOW my in-laws are coming to Jesus very soon, and I know my step-son will have a lot to do with that conversion. I am looking forward to the day that we can all have a conversation about Jesus freely…it will be a magnificent day.
So, that brings us to where we are now. After a very busy few months, we decided to take a much needed vacation. Typically, because I used to be such a crazy Disney finatic, we always took a “vacation” to Disney (I don’t know how I EVER thought that it was a vacation…it was always so tiring and the opposite of relaxing.). If you have read any of my previous blogs, you would know that I broke up with Disney a while back because I did not like the direction they were going concerning the whole “woke” American ideals. Let me say, I understand that you are entitled to your own opinions on that, but I don’t have to agree with you because I am also entitled to my own opinions. It’s not about WHO is right, it is about what the Bible says is right. In the end, no matter what you believe or I believe, it all comes down to how much we love each and every person God created.
So, here we are in Sevierville TN. in the mountains. It is magnificent! I can understand why Jesus went to the mountaintops to talk to His Father. One cannot come to the mountains and not talk to the Father. I am surrounded by His beauty everywhere, and it is being thrown in my face constantly. Of course, I mean that in a wonderful way. From sitting out on the porch swing to walking through the mountains watching my husband play disc golf…His beautiful creation is everywhere. I will not go into details about everything God has revealed to me while here…that will be for a later date, but He has shown me so much since we left Louisiana. Everything from what He has called me to do to where He plans to take me. It is almost overwhelming, but I am trusting His plan and His purpose.
We leave for home in two days, and I woke this Thursday morning the 19th of January 2023 being clouded with doubt that all these things He has shown me won’t happen. I mean, afterall, it’s all pretty huge and unbelievable–IMPOSSIBLE really–“I” don’t see a way. He encouraged me to get out of bed and walk to the window, and there it was! A sign of His promise. His promises are great and we are to trust Him always…even when WE don’t see a way. He will always make a way for His plans to be carried out. Trust Him in EVERYTHING. Seek Him ALWAYS and ask Him to guide you EVERY STEP OF THE WAY. Don’t move until He says to move. His plans are far better than our plans could ever be.
I suppose I never realized how much I needed the mountains at this point in my life. It is so simple to become complacent in the every day hustle and bustle of things and not even realize that you have become complacent. It is so easy to get wrapped up in our daily schedules. Afterall, our daily schedules are what we do the majority of our lives and there is no escaping that. We can’t always take a vacation to remind us that we have become complacent…we have to continue to seek Him fervently each and every day like it is the first time we have come to Jesus. He wants that constant intimacy with us, and we have to make it a habit to continue to develop our relationship with Him. It’s not about literally “running to the mountains” to commune with our Father. Goodness knows I will not find these mountains in the hot, humid, swamps of South Louisiana. It is all about finding our special mountain in which to commune with Him each and every day. No matter where your mountain is, make it majestic and commune with your Father. Run to the mountains EVERY SINGLE DAY!
A Little Bit of This and A Little Bit of That 