Up Ahead
Yesterday, I had the precious privilege of picking my eight year old nephew up from school. As we drove through his neighborhood on the way to his house, we came to a four way stop. Looking to the right, the trees lining the street were aglow with afternoon sun.
“Look, B! Look how beautiful it looks that direction. Maybe we ought to turn right instead of left.”
Without missing a beat, he quickly answered.
“Yeah, that way looks beautiful all right, but don’t worry, Stacy. There are plenty more beautiful trees the way we are going, too.”
And, of course, he was absolutely right. The trees up ahead were just as beautiful as the ones we had left behind. And I heard God gently speak to my heart, “Keep going, sweet girl. There is still beautiful up ahead.”
Then, today – (the very next day after yesterday!) the following post from this day ten years ago was waiting for me to rediscover it and its message when I looked in my facebook memories this morning.
When God speaks, He certainly has a way of getting our attention.
October 21, 2013
I’ve come to realize this: the California coast is breathtakingly beautiful. For the past four days, my sister and I have been leisurely cruising up the Pacific Coast Highway, trying desperately to take in all the beauty while still making our way to San Francisco. A landlocked, desert native, I am completely captivated by the ocean – the colors, the sounds, the feeling of sand between your toes and water meeting skin. I could stay at the beach all day long, and probably would, if it wasn’t for my sister prodding me along. Reluctantly, I walk away from “the perfect spot” and hop back in our rental car, only to discover something just as beautiful, if not more so, down the road, around the bend, over the next hilltop.
And, I’ve been thinking. So often in life, I am content to stay where I am. God leads me to green pastures and still waters and I long to stay put, to settle in, to set up camp and take up residence. But then . . . then He nudges me along, to a new place, a new spot down the road of life. Reluctantly, (and sometimes – dare I say – bitterly), I walk away from where I’ve been to where He is leading only to find something just as beautiful, if not more so, down the road, around the bend, just over the next hilltop.
My sister is trying to get us to San Francisco in time to catch our flight on Wednesday. My God is trying to get me home to Him.
Each push, each prod, each nudge, each “C’mon Stacy, it’s time to go” is filled to overflowing with love, goodness and grace. May I be wise enough to listen, willing to heed the call, and brave enough to keep moving on.
May you, too.
~Stacy
