Put Up Your Dukes

Ever have one of those days?

Wake up grumpy, maybe a touch of a headache from staying up too late to watch that dumb movie on TNT?

Late to church because it’s a bad hair day and you burnt yourself on the curling iron?

Don’t feel like fellowship but plaster a smile anyway so that no one asks you what’s wrong because some days, like today, caring people are just plain annoying and explaining would be like pulling your own wisdom teeth out with pliers?

Feel a little guilty, so try to focus on praise and worship only to drift and bobble and struggle?

Know you’ve got it pretty good in this world, I mean you don’t even have anything to go down front to pray for today, so really what’s there to complain about… except you can’t quite shake that heavy, dare I say, depressed feeling?

Run home as fast as possible glad to have the rest of the day to be lazy… I mean, rest… so that you’re ready for the work week, even feeling like you’re getting a handle on the doldrums, determined to have joy no matter what… only to stub your toe or ruin the macaroni and cheese or spill a Diet Coke on the brand new apartment carpet?

Ever have one of those days when everything seems like a battle?

Like you’re being attacked by invisible imps hell bent on making your day miserable?

When I have these days, I do one of two things – I spend all my time worrying and fretting and trying to snap out of it, or I go to sleep on the couch and ignore it. Neither one helps… at all. In fact, I can see those little devils cackling giddily at my defeat.

The last time… uh, recently… that I experienced one of those days, the Lord helped me out by giving me a little heads up… right after I DID stub my toe and was about to unleash out loud the… feelings… pent up inside.

This is what He said… You’re going to have battles in this life. If you follow My instructions, you will win those battles.

I don’t think He was walking about the stubbed toe.

I love the Book of Joshua, as you might notice since my entire theme here on Dry Ground came from the Israelites’ experience crossing into the Promised Land miraculously on the Jordan’s dry riverbed. But the story doesn’t end there, and it doesn’t continue in the cliché way that “Promised Land” is often referred to, especially in popular culture. Yes, it indeed proved to be the land of milk and honey. As soon as the Nation crossed over, they ate their first meal harvested of the land and from that day the manna, God’s wilderness provision, ceased and never appeared again. (Josh. 5:12) However, God had a purpose for bringing His people into the Promised Land, and it was not to lay around popping grapes into each others’ mouths.

It was to do battle.

In order to claim their inheritance, the people had some work to do. Hard work. They had to fight for it. Not in their own might, because the Lord proclaimed He’d already given them the land, but they had a purpose and a duty to fulfill too, manifesting in the form of battles.

And there were a lot of them.

The first is the famous one, the Battle of Jericho. They marched around the city once a day for six days without saying a word (Josh. 6:10), and on the seventh day they marched seven times around. Then they all gave a shout and the “walls came a’tumbling down.”

Many lessons have been garnered from this historic event, but as I nursed my toe, I discovered another one.

Ever feel like you’re going in circles? Even though the Lord says we are more than conquerors, your battle seems to be on-going, never-ending. You wake up another day only to be told, “Walk around the walls… again… and don’t forget to keep your mouth shut.” Day after day, hoping the walls are falling soon, needing the walls to fall now, you take your walk. On the seventh day, when you’re frustrated and weary and spent, maybe even a little angry, He asks you to walk around the walls seven times.

I mean, come on!

I know, God, You just performed a miracle back there, letting me walk through a flooded river on dry ground, but this walking, walking, walking crap is really getting old!

Been there? Oh, I have… uh, recently.

But what happens if you give up on any of those days and don't follow through on God's instructions? What happens if you disobey, give in to laziness, or ignore the battle?

The walls don’t come down.

What happens if you persevere, fight the way God asks you to fight, keep walking?

You get to shout.

Part of claiming the inheritance of the Promised Land is doing battle. No matter what size your battles, (from impish annoyances like toe-stubbing all the way to devastating onslaughts like cancer, addictions or betrayal), take encouragement from Joshua – Be strong and courageous (a.k.a don’t give up), faithfully do what He tells you to do (a.k.a. don’t give up!), and give God the glory for the victory (a.k.a. He never gives up on you). (Josh. 1:5)

You Are What You Eat

After my jog the other day, I did something I usually don’t – sought out the fitness center’s scale. When I stepped on it, the digital read-out said Lo.

Ha! Crack me up.

The battery in the scale needed changed, so the answer came out Lo.

Instead of a number, maybe scales should use words like low or high or fabulous or wo! It’d be more motivating, I think. As a writer, I respond much better to words than numbers anyway.

I came to a point a couple of years ago when my scale read wo! Keep in mind, I’m a 6’1, big-boned, middle-aged, former basketball player. I’ve measured on a higher scale all my life (5’10 by the time I was 12 yrs. old), so my brain didn’t want to contemplate let alone believe that I could be anything but a big girl. Besides, I did exercise, sometimes, and diet, well, that word is spelled with four letters, if you get my drift.

But thanks to my brother-in-law and the come-to-Jesus meeting he had with my husband, we started on a plan that ultimately allowed my Daniel to loose 80 pounds and me to loose 70 pounds. After about a year, we both look like different people and we feel great.

The change is dramatic enough that people who have known us in the past notice. The first thing they say is, “Wow, you’ve lost weight.” I have to admit, I never get tired of hearing it! It’s only step one, though, in a pattern because the second reaction, following close on the heels of the first, is surprisingly universal – guilt. Most people express some sort of self-conscious regret for not having lost weight. Then the third and eventual product, which has come from a majority of our friends as well, is the question how? Telling them is easy and even a little exciting for us because we want our friends and family to feel great like we do.

As for the people who didn’t know us before, I find it’s pretty easy telling them too because we are proud. And we feel so great we can’t stop ourselves.

This got me thinking.

Wouldn’t it be nice if I could represent Jesus like that?

Then I thought…

Who’s to say I can’t? Or shouldn’t?

What would it be like if my spiritual appearance was as evident as my physical changes? Enough so that people would be taken aback and declare in shocked delight, “Wow. You love unconditionally” or “Those mercy muscles are so big!”

When the evidence is there, the other two steps in the pattern should follow.

My spiritual appearance could cause someone to feel desirous of a similar result.

If the evidence is compelling enough, maybe they’d ask me how?

What if I felt so proud of the Cause of my transformation and I wanted so much for them to feel great too, that I easily and gladly shared The Plan? Maybe even volunteer the information when I meet someone who didn’t know me before?

So what’s stopping me? If I can spout off about my weight loss at any given opportunity, why don’t I do the same thing with my faith?

I’ve struggled with this. Whether from selfishness, apathy, fear, pride, conceit (well… I could go on, and you get the picture!), I miss opportunities all the time. Then I feel guilty and the hole just gets deeper.

But as I think about this diet comparison, I think I’ve discovered a couple of answers.

First, I get in the way. I lean on my own understanding. I don’t let God’s glory shine through me because I’m trying too hard to light my own glory. I may do some exercise here and there, but I’m not eating correctly. I’m running on my own power, and golly, how useless is that? I can’t rely on my own goodness or motivations or love or deeds. All of that is rubbish. (Isaiah 64:6)

I need God’s glory, and to find that I must eat right.

I must tie myself to the Vine. (John 15:1-8) No Vine, no nourishment. No nourishment, no fruit. No fruit, nothing to see. (Galatians 5:22-23) But if fruit is there, we’ve got evidence of what a healthy diet can do. With evidence, making a case is easy. It all starts with letting God’s glory flow through me.

Then I can implement some weight lifting, prayer and obedience, coupled with a little cardio, discipline and service.

Before I know it, my spiritual appearance has changed, maybe even enough for people to notice. And ask about it too. And then I can tell with excitement and freedom because it’s not about what I’ve done right or wrong, it’s all about His Glory.

Second, I am way too concerned about other people’s reactions and decisions… I mean, the part where I can’t control them! I want to take on the role of Grower, when I should concentrate on the role of sower. When people ask about how we lost weight, we can tell them, but then it’s up to them to implement the plan. I can’t go to their home and regulate their calorie intake or force them out of bed early enough before work to run the treadmill. That’s up to them just like it was up to me when my brother-in-law told us. We can help each other, be accountable, like my Daniel and I were to each other. But in the end, the decision is personal.

This applies to the spiritual realm as well. I shouldn’t count chickens. Plant the seed, water it even, but I don’t need to have my nose in the dirt day and night whispering, “Grow, grow, grow,” because no matter what I do, God miraculously produces the fruit. That’s why it’s all about His Glory.

Diet and exercise, a simple formula that, if implemented, will change how you look and make an impact of everyone you meet.

Oh, and guess what? You’ll feel great.

Check out Lincoln Brewster's story about his song – Let Your Glory Shine - It Rocks!

OH, and speaking of eating well, TODAY is Chili's Restaurant's day to donate 100% of their profits to St. Jude's Hospital. So, eat at Chili's and support a great cause. Read more about it at Chili's site.

Global Engineering

The movie Slumdog Millionaire moved me. Have you seen it? I admit, I avoided it at first. As some of you know and the rest of you will learn, I’m a certified movie-aholic. I love stories in every form, but film seems to be the art genre I gravitate toward, almost equal to the written word, which I love, live, breathe. That said, I did not rush out to the theatres to watch this one on the big screen. In my defense, the trailer (an art form in and of itself) didn’t come close to doing it justice.

In February, Slumdog won eight Oscars including Best Picture. This doesn’t always warm me to a film. Many times, the effect is opposite. My stalling continued.

Point is, I didn’t watch the movie until it arrived on DVD.

Wow. I was blown away on so many levels. As a film, it is masterful. It tells the heartbreaking story of poverty, evil, innocence lost, and love triumphing through muck and mire in a visually explosive presentation of stark contrasts and startling exposure. Genuine and fresh performances, intricate and clever writing, stunning titanic locations and sets – it was like a slap in the face and a bouquet of roses all at the same time.

If I were a missionary to India, I’d show this film at churches in the United States. No other presentation (and I grew up in church, so I’ve seen a lot of presentations) has moved me so thoroughly. Okay, so it’s Rated R for “some violence, disturbing images and language” but I believe those elements are used in an effective, not gratuitous, way. I recommend this film the same way I would recommend Saving Private Ryan, The Passion of the Christ, Glory, Hotel Rwanda, and even Blood Diamond. Slumdog highlighted an epic tragedy of our modern day that I confess I did not know about… to that extent at least. I even felt a little ashamed watching it, and yet I had no idea where to start making a dent in such a global problem. How can I possibly be a bridge for those poor orphans living on a literal swamp of rotting trash and human waste in danger of being kidnapped, maimed and forced to beg for money or sold into the sex trade?

Well, recently when I browsed a Christian book store, scoping the wire racks for new tunes, it stands to reason I’d be drawn to the CompassionArt CD cover.

Although this project launched over a year ago, it still funnels all proceeds to charities already making inroads in the war against poverty. (Check them out here at http://www.compassionart.tv/) That’s why I bought it. I felt like I lent a hand, in an infinitesimal way.

And then I got to enjoy the benefits of some great new (to me) music.

The good part is that we can all lend a hand to those engineers who have already built bridges in places we could never get to. We don’t have to reinvent the wheel, start from scratch or struggle to build a one-man bridge. My donation may have been infinitesimal, but together with other infinitesimal donations, miracles can happen.

We can help others be the bridge.

Your local church is a good place to start. As a writer, I like the idea of CompassionArt, artists using their talents to produce tangible results for the poor. Some of you may support a child through Compassion International or volunteer for weekend Habitat for Humanity outreaches. Qualified and passionate bridge-builders are out there and could use our support.

So in addition to smiling at the grocery store clerk and sacrificing a little cash for that church member going through a rough time (being the bridge in your personal sphere of influence), look into helping others who’ve already built bridges build more bridges.

Impact the world.

What global engineers do you know about that need a little exposure? Tell us about them here on Dry Ground!

Building the Bridge - Love is a Verb

I learned, as a writer, that verbs reign supreme. Master your verbs and you produce quality writing. Stories ignite when verbs are utilized to full potential. Therefore, I pay attention to verbs.

One day for my quiet time with the Lord, I read the first Psalm. Verse two stood out: But they delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night. The they are those with the joys from verse one. So it’s saying, oh the joy of those who delight in the law of the Lord. Out of my newly formed habit, I noticed the verb in this verse is delight. So it’s saying, if I want to be the one with the joys, I should delight in the law of the Lord. Seems simple enough.

But…

Do I do it?

That got me thinking… what other verbs in Psalms do I do or not do?

So, being the systematic person I am, each day now I read a Psalm and write in my journal all of the verbs. Here’s an example of an entry:

8-13-09 Ps.2:10-12 act wisely, serve, rejoice, take refuge in Him.

It’s quite revealing. These are actions I should apply in life to experience joy.

What’s cool, though, the verbs I’m finding also highlight the actions God takes to demonstrate His love for me. (See Ps. 18 & 19, for examples)

Saying we love God is nice, but… why should we expect that to be enough to define our relationship with Him? Especially when God’s love for us is backed by the ultimate action, giving His life? What if God just said stuff, but didn’t back it up by action?

These actions, God’s toward me and mine toward Him, form a love relationship.

The same concept proves true in relationships between us humans.

DC Talk said it best…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yD0EIfRTVXo

Hearing “I love you” is nice. Experiencing “I love you” is even better.

Saying “I love you” is easy. Showing “I love you”… ha, well, that takes (gasp) effort.

We’re such apathetic, lazy, selfish creatures, aren’t we? When was the last time we opened our eyes to the hurting people in our world? Okay, the world is a little overwhelming. How about… our neighborhoods? Co-workers? Best friend? Anyone other than ourselves? Anyone? Bueller?

During my time in the wilderness, even on the banks of the raging flood, I struggled to hope. I felt alone, depressed, dysfunctional, desperate, hopeless. I certainly didn’t have the energy to care about anyone else’s pain. Despite my total self-absorption, God provided people willing to look outside themselves to lend me a helping hand. These bridge-builders actively showed God’s love, making not just a significant difference, but the difference in my life. They didn’t just say stuff. Their actions facilitated my survival.

We all have the tools to help build a bridge for someone else. I’ve been to the low place where I didn’t think I could help a dog take a walk let alone someone with real sorrows. But if I’d been paying more attention to my verbs, I would have realized I always have something to give.

It could be as easy as a smile, or as great a sacrifice as time or money.

Thank God for the bridge builders in my life.

Love your neighbor like you want to be loved.

Become an engineer. Build a bridge.

P.S. I just got to the 23rd Psalm with the verb thing and oh, my, what a great new way to see it. Try it and let me know what YOU find! Thanks for all who visit Dry Ground!

I Smile

Three-mile sweat collides with damp air, prickling my skin.

Heavy clouds throw down sheets of water – more than I’ve seen in a year.

The droplets pelt my over-sized, black umbrella with rapid urgency.

Walker Crossing’s parking lot morphs into liquid motion.

My running shoes squish in unavoidable puddles.

Half way between fitness center and apartment, my socks meld into my soles.

I hate wet socks. Kind of like wet jeans. Ew.

From iNano buds still in my ears, Robert Pattinson croons a bluesy love song.

Come to think of it, I feel a little like Bella Swan on the first day of school in Forks. (Yes, I’m a Twilight fan, but that’s not the point. Don’t hate me.)

I do miss the heat of Phoenix. It hasn’t stopped raining in Knoxville since I got here. I hate anything cold and wet too. It is hard adjusting to a new and different place. *sigh*

But then…

I smile.

If it weren’t for places like Knoxville, then places like PHX wouldn’t be so great. I know that sounds like a cut, but really it’s the train I ride to make it to the station of appreciation. I’m experiencing what makes PHX great by not experiencing it – by being somewhere less sunny and less warm and more insect-invested and more pollinated.

I smile because – well – I choose to. No point pining for a PHX I can’t have. I had it for a while, it was great, and I’ll cherish the memories. But I choose to move on.

I smile because, like Bella, I miss the sunny, exotic place, but little do I know that amazing gifts lurk in the rainy shadows of my new home. If she hadn’t moved into those shadows, she never would have found her gift, Edward. Now, I don’t need an Edward, I have my Daniel who is the love of my life, but I smile because I will continually be on the lookout for the gifts that are for me here that I would never have found anywhere else. In fact, I think I’ve already had the privilege of receiving some of those. (I have more analogous theories about the Bella/Edward stuff, but that’s coming up in a later, special series of posts for Dry Ground. Keep watch for that…)

I smile because, if I surrender my longing for the sunshine, I find pleasure splashing in puddles, lingering in the downpour, listening to the sound rain makes on car hoods, roof tops and pavement, watching the turtle in the pond out back enjoy sprinkles pinging his shell.

I smile because I can learn to appreciate the different kind of beautiful in Knoxville again, if I let myself ride that train.

I smile because without rain, rainbows don’t exist.

I smile because this is the day the Lord has made, and I’ll rejoice, be glad in it.

Wherever you are, I hope you can too. Thanks for visiting Dry Ground!

New Features

The morning headline of the Insect Inquisitor reads:

Knoxville Mosquitoes Thrilled, New Feast in Town.

My heat-thinned blood must be tasty. And I keep forgetting to rub down with a dryer sheet before stepping outside my front door, a big thank you to Aunt Christine for that effective remedy… when I actually use it.

FYI, mosquitoes don’t exist in AZ. Okay, maybe they exist, but in Phoenix, they don’t bite, me at least. The swelling subsides, though, if I apply Mela-gel right away. A big thank you to Aunt Lee for that effective remedy… when I use it.

So I’m covered with welts.

I also figured out why TN football colors are so ridiculously and obnoxiously bright orange… they need sunshine and the only way to get it is through ridiculous and obnoxious simulation. They have to do something to contrast the cloudy grays and the never-ending green that just gets duller under the cloudy grays. *sigh* But I digress.

Can you have a rabbit trail at the beginning of a thought?

I really do love my new home.

New… lovely word. Who doesn’t like new? A (preferably sunny) new day, new house, new job, new baby, new clothes, oh and how about this one (does it for me every time) a new pen and a clean piece of paper. Even collectors of old things gush when purchasing something because it is new to them. New stories intrigue, new television shows entertain, new movies enthrall, new ideas inspire, new friends encourage.

New is the opportunity to adjust, absorb and appreciate. New indicates growth. New is fresh, clean, full of energy, shiny, perfect (or a do-over!).

As opposed to old, worn, dirty, frayed, useless, marred, tired, lost, tossed, forgotten.

I am encouraged that God is all about new. Our hope is built on the concept of new. In fact, God takes the old and makes it new. A new covenant, a new heart, a new start, a new beginning, God is making all things new and those of us found in Christ Jesus will experience a new heaven and a new earth where we’ll receive a new name. Trusting in God and believing in Jesus is not imprisonment to an antiquated religion.

It is embracing new.

“And the one sitting on the throne said, ‘Look, I am making everything new!’ And then he said to me, ‘Write this down, for what I tell you is trustworthy and true.’” (Rev. 21:5 NLT)

Funny how God says that at the end of the Bible. Awesome and Amen.

Speaking of new, I have a few new features here on Dry Ground. All can be found on the sidebar. First, Life Vest Verse – a Bible verse that has helped me somehow, kept my head above water and my feet on dry ground. Second, Lovin’ Those Lyrics – partial lyrics, or maybe sometimes an entire song, inspiring me at any given time. I’ll try to provide links, too, for listening and also so you can check out the bands and their other music. Third, Pictures from My Penske – an occasional image from our trans-American trek.

For the record, I do not plan on appreciating the mosquitoes – ever – but I guess I can adjust to them.

Hope you enjoy and as always, thanks for visiting Dry Ground.

Crossing the Bridge Part 2 - Place Personification

Driving through each unique place on our way across America got my imagination percolating. Pretty soon, I had compared each state to a movie personality. Here are a few I came up with…

Arizona is a lot like Russell Crowe in 3:10 to Yuma. Russell’s Ben Wade is bad, but not all bad. Christian Bale’s Dan Evans is good, but not all good. “Even bad men love their mamas,” Mr. Wade states. Arizona is a wild-at-heart desert, full of blistering sunshine, lethal animals and hostile vegetation, but it’s still has a lot of love to offer.

Texas reminds me of Chris Pine in Star Trek 2009 as James Tiberius Kirk. I know Capt. Kirk is from Iowa, but come on folks, he’s so much more Texas, don’t you think? Daring, independent, brave, rebellious, sexy… and though on the surface he seems self-serving, his actions always save a bunch of people. As Bones said to him, which describes his personality to a T, “It’s the Kobayashi Maru, Jim! No one goes back for seconds let alone thirds!”

And then Tennessee, my new home state, is like Paula Deen as Aunt Dora in Elizabethtown. Orlando Bloom’s Drew Baylor has come to Elizabethtown (KY) to make arrangements for his father’s funeral, originally from there. Drew hasn’t seen the extended family for years. Still, he is welcomed with that overbearing but to-die-for hospitality the South is known for and ends up learning a lot about himself, life and other people. Despite Aunt Dora’s and others’ innocent misunderstandings (i.e. they keep introducing him as one of the “California Baylors” when in fact he is from Oregon), their sweet, unassuming, all-inclusive, unique acceptance of him as family warms the heart.

So here’s the fun part – what state do you live in, have lived in, or maybe just wish you lived in, and what movie character does that state remind you of? Would love to hear what you and your imagination come up with!

Crossing the Bridge Part 1 - Known For

I just traveled 1865.76 miles across the great nation of The United States of America from Phoenix, AZ to Knoxville, TN, along Interstate 40, which parallels Historic Route 66 (I don’t know how many times I saw that sign…okay, got it, Route 66 is historic. Write it in my diary…). My Daniel manned the controls of our monstrous Penske that pulled our Element (a.k.a. Pearl) and I navigated. We hit six states – Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Tennessee, each with distinct personalities, like characters in a story.

America is blessed to be diverse both in geography as well as in population. But that’s not the main thing that stuck in my mind as we drove. Impossible not to notice, each place rung true to what it is known for. For example, when I think of Oklahoma, I think of tornados. Well, driving across the plains, we watched storm clouds erupt on the horizon and mighty webs of lightening tangle across the sky. Breathtaking. When we crossed into TN, we ate dinner at this BBQ place that had Blues playing in the background, and I felt like I experienced quintessential Memphis because that’s what they’re known for.

It made me think… what do I want to be known for? I can say I want to be known for this or that, but am I doing what is necessary to follow through on the words? Or am I just talk?

The point here is this: figure out what you want to be known for, and then act accordingly.

In Transit

I will be back Monday with all the details of our trek across the country! In the meantime, enjoy this, my new favorite song.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NdTKbRaM6Ck

Have a great weekend and THANKS for visiting Dry Ground!

The Rest of the Story

I thought that our dry ground, the move to and job in Phoenix, was the end of the story.

But God had more. (I’ve discovered that He always does.)

The opportunity fell into our laps, a recent offer for an even better job, a move to Knoxville, TN, a town that has special significance for us. It will be like going home.

At first, I didn’t want to accept the promotion. I felt like Phoenix was our new life from the ashes, our dry ground. I’d be ungrateful if I even considered it, right?

Nope.

Dry ground is meant to be a bridge. God wants us to CROSS the bridge, not camp out on it. The waters have to return to normal. We still have the Promised Land to claim.

God commanded the Israelites to haul stones from the riverbed and set them up as a memorial to Him so they would never forget their deliverance by His hand. So, even as my husband and I move on in obedience and victory, I never want to forget my dry ground and the bridges God provides exactly when we need them.

Have your experienced dry ground? Set a stone here as a memorial. Remember God’s deliverance and encourage those who may need to hear that God provides bridges.

Why "Dry" Ground?

Dry Ground – Post #1 –

In a drought, dry ground is a symbol of despair. But in a flood… dry ground is salvation.

The Book of Joshua in the Old Testament starts with a description of a desperate people, His Chosen Ones, the Israelites. They’ve been wandering in the wilderness for forty years and now stand on the banks of a flooded Jordan River. Can’t move forward, wouldn’t want to go back, still living on manna, that day-to-day “just enough” stuff. Life has been hard. They’ve survived, but they’ve also been promised a land flowing with milk and honey which they have seen none of yet.

If you read Joshua 1-3, you find out what happens. A miracle. At the perfect moment, God shows up. He doesn’t just show up, He goes ahead of them, clears the way, creates a bridge by walling up the flood waters, leaving absolute dry ground to walk across. These desperate people didn’t even get their sandals muddy.

Have you been there? In that place of desperation? Head barely above the waves, gasping for air?

I have.

It’s a long story that spans years. Among other things, my husband was out of a job for nine months. When I stood on the banks of our raging river, my journal read:

Okay, Lord, what now? Are we really supposed to be in the dark… still? I can’t even come up with words to describe how baffled I feel.

Part of me… no… most of me just wants to rant and rave because I’m so… I don’t know… tired… over it… upset… but the other part of me feels like all I can do is wait.

I feel like I’m beating my head up against a wall.

That entry is dated less than a year ago - Sept. 23, 2008. Several weeks passed after that before our river parted and we got to walk across a bridge. A miracle, a job and a move to Phoenix, AZ, literal dry ground with legendary significance to boot. Words can’t express the relief I felt. I could breathe again.

Whether you are in the wilderness or waiting on the riverbanks wondering how in the world you will get to the other side, remember God provides bridges.

Welcome to Dry Ground.

Coming Soon!