All Gods Promises

        Back in May, my family and I traveled to a small town in Ohio that borders on the shores of Lake Erie.  The purpose of the trip was to, not only take time with my own family and best friends family but, to rest, relax, and regroup.  Much time was spent in nature while we were there and I would have had it no other way.  If you know me at all, you know that I am an avid shell collector.  I have collected shells from the ocean and from other Great Lakes, but this would be a first to look for them on Lake Erie.  I had asked my best friend, who is from that area, if he thought I would find a shell.  He assured me he thought I might.  The 4 days that we were there, we spent much time searching, but all we saw were rocks.  Don't think for one second I didnt give him a hard time about it - ha ha.   At first I was disappointed, but then I became intrigued by the rocks.  There were rocks of all types and sizes, but the cool thing was that they all seemed to be smooth and flat.  One beach we were at they were EVERYWHERE.  It may seem silly, but one of my favorite moments on that beach was of my husband.  He is NOT a beach goer.  He does not love being at the beach, but that day he humored all of us and went without complaint.  I was truly blessed by it when I watched him patiently helping our 12 year old daughter pick up "cool" rocks to add to her bag.  He happily and patiently helped her pick up more rocks than she had business collecting in her, ready to burst bag.
The day before this we had been blessed to spend the day with my best friend and his family.  We laughed hard, we ate, we hiked, took pictures, laughed and ate more.  As the day was spent in various conversations and stories of reflection, both funny and sentimental,  I remember the thankfulness that arose, and overwhelming sense of gratitude for "family" that overcame me. Thankful for where I've been and where God was taking us.   I've always been thankful for my family, both blood and not of blood, that I have been blessed with. However, on this day as I looked in the eyes of everyone that surrounded me and listened to their words, I really felt it in my heart the importance of family bonds and what matters.  It reminded me of the importance of love and loyalty, respect and memories etc.... 
Personally my family has had some challenges over the last couple years. This particular weekend it had been exactly one year earlier that I was offered a new job, which was a new beginning of many things of tangible evidence of God moving in our lives. It was after that I watched God work out many challenges we had been faced with in our favor throughout the year.   In our impatient human ways, we become frustrated when God doesn't move as fast as we want Him to. I'm not going to lie...it was a LONG ROAD...  However, his timing is always perfect and He has never failed me, not once.
      As my family and I spent time and walked along the beach collecting rocks the day after we'd been with my best friends family, I thought about the story of Joshua who was leading the 12 tribes of Israel into the Promise Land (Joshua 4:19-24).  After the exit from Egypt, wandering through the wilderness and then crossing the Jordan River, Joshua told each tribe to pull a stone from the Jordan River to start to build an altar on the west side of the river.  This stack of stones was to be a reminder to the people that God had led them safely on their journey.  
As we walked along the beach, and I saw all the large smooth stackable stones, I decided that I wanted to make a miniature of the same reminder Joshua had asked the tribes to do.
(The photo of the one I made you see above.)  To me, and to my family, it is a reminder of where we have walked.  Its a reminder of when we couldn't walk, God carried us, but we got there.  It was a reminder that even though there were bumps in the road, tears shed, and we weren't sure how we would be delivered from the things we faced...that God had us.  It is still a reminder that when challenges arise, and they still do, to remember His promises to us.  It may look different than what we imagined it would, but God restores what the enemy has stolen and will continue to do so. I am trusting in that.
In the morning I have a specific chair I sit at in the dining room to pray, and meditate on the Word of God. This stack of stones sits near there as a constant reminder.  Today I needed that reminder and I was glad I had it.  I may not have found one stinkin' shell on the beach of Lake Erie, but I sure did find a treasure that will continue to serve as a reminder of the beautiful memories made that weekend, and the beautiful promises of my God that will last forever.