Hello!
Lindi here.
Are you ready for September? Fall weather, football, pumpkin spice lattes? (Which I don’t drink by the way!) But they’re all the rage here in Georgia. My favorite season used to be fall, but now it’s spring. That’s another blog post for another day, though.
I love how seasons define certain things in life we anticipate. They are like mini journeys throughout the year. Sometimes events or occurrences take us from one season to another.
As a reader I love reading character’s journeys.
As a writer, I want to write interesting journeys for my characters. Just like our characters we journey internally and externally. And just like our characters we journey with God.
What a journey!
Anyone who thinks the Bible is boring, or following Jesus means no fun, they don’t know the God of the Bible. This journey is anything but boring or no fun. It’s exhilarating, like riding a roller coaster. We sometimes compare our journey to valleys and mountain tops.
However you describe it, it’s a crazy ride.
And isn’t that the point of a journey?
From the online dictionary:
Journey
noun, plural jour·neys.
a traveling from one place to another, usually taking a rather long time; trip:
This definition focuses on the external, a traveling from one place to another.
passage or progress from one stage to another:
This definition focuses on the internal.
Like the picture above, sometimes we’re in the light, sometimes the dark, but either way we’re on the journey.
Young, excited and anxious. The mood surrounding the young couple embarking on their first entrepreneurial journey in the Caribbean was strong. Full of hope, energy and visions of success, their dream of starting their own business was really happening.
Now.
Stepping off the plane, their life in 4 suitcases and 2 cat carriers, they surveyed their new surroundings. Driving the rental car across the foreign terrain they headed for the apartment rented online after viewing a few pictures.
The first couple of days were filled with opening a bank account, securing drivers licenses, and buying an extremely well-used car. Checking out local establishments and tourist villas took over their days. Planning for their personal chef business occupied their evenings. Crunching numbers, planning menus, they could literally reach out and touch their dream.
Until Maria came.
Hurricane Maria, that is. Wild, furious and with a frenzy Maria stormed across the island of Puerto Rico, slashing trees and dreams. Her winds screamed outside as the couple spent 30 hours in a bathroom, the girl’s 30th birthday coming and going, an almost mocking of turning such a pivotal age.
They’d been on the island ten days.
Emerging from the cement block house that had kept them safe, they surveyed the landscape they hadn’t yet memorized. Sketchy images of before paled with the images after.
They watched geckos scramble to find security amongst the downed palms. They watched humanity come together to clear streets. They watched the sun rise and set, each day their dream washing further and further out to the now calm Caribbean.
They held hands and each other, bought a donut for a belated birthday celebration and met people in the community in a crisis mode. This was not the way the dream was supposed to go.
Is this the way the dream would end?
Journey.
That is a journey my son and his wife were on last September. I can’t believe a year has passed. Our family was changed by that journey. A journey no one asked for.
A journey no one wanted to be on.
And there were many on the journey. Many we don’t know. Lives were changed and altered. Life was different. (I’ll post part 2 of their journey next month.)
Journey, you gotta love it!
I’d love to hear about a journey you’ve been on. Good, bad, life-changing. We all live them and we need to share to encourage and learn.
Prizes galore in our Back-to-School Bash now on!
USA Today featured author Lindi Peterson lives in north Georgia, in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, with her husband and a lively array of cats, dogs and birds. She loves sharing life with her family and friends. Her passion for reading led her to writing, and then God spoke words of love into her heart and changed her life forever.
Hi Lindi. We are entering Spring here- it takes a few weeks for the temperatures to catch up to the fact that Winter is over..but there is hope:) Spring here means wind, a strong, cold wind, so Autumn is my favourite season:)
Your post resonates with me- I absolutely agree that life and our relationship with Christ is a journey. We never would have chosen to work/live where we do, but God called us and so many more years than I imagine later, we are still here and, with the benefit of hindsight, recognising the blessings and pattern of God’s guidance.
Blessings:)
That was definitely a hard journey for all involved, Lindi.
I live in Florida, and have had a few hurricanes come through, but nothing like that devastating one.
Thanks for sharing! On a side note, I just finished Her Best Catch and so enjoyed it, thank you!!
Journey of motherhood is long but so fulfilling, is it not?
A journey of motherhood, yes. Watching your daughter growing up, not being able to have another child,… It is filled with joy and also emptiness.
Hi Lindi! Keeping your son and his wife in my thoughts and prayers. Natural disasters always grip my heart. In 1997 we lost our home to a devasting fire. Lost everything, but my kids schools were still there and my parents and brothers home. We received lots of support. Just can’t imagine a whole community destroyed through tornado, hurricane, or earthquake. Best wishes and prayers.
Wemble….. enjoy your spring! I love the story of your obedience to God. I know you’re flourishing where you are. Thank you for visiting the blog. We love your faithfulness to the blog.
I was a single mom for 6 years. I know many do it longer than that, but it was a journey of mine. It was beautiful at times and so lonely at times. But my bond with my daughter really does make me thankful for that time alone with her.
I lived in Georgia from age 7 to 12. It was awesome. We lived in an Atlanta Suburb. We rode our bikes in the street, there were woods on both corners of my block and my back yard connected with my best friend’s. We still have family there and lots of friends that I love to visit.
I also love the cat carriers. I have 3 and my parents have a stray they’re trying to give me.
We’re in a journey of learning a new state after 30 years near DC in northern Virginia. We’re enjoying a slower pace in Kentucky and our kids and grandkids.
Paula–Thank you for the kind words about HBC! My first published book! I know living in Florida you are hurricane ready! :)
Hi–Yes! It is. No matter the age, too, right? We are empty nesters but we are never empty hearters. :)
Irma-Wow–That is a journey. You have no idea how this speaks to my heart. Thank you for sharing! Savor the joy.
Renate! Wow–how awful! I’m glad you had a place to go and the schools were still there. I know that must have been hard. We don’t deal with fires that much in Georgia. They’ve been horrible in the Western US this year! Thank you for praying!
Katie! I love your story. Beautiful and lonely. I know your daughter cherished that time, too. :) I’m glad you have a special bond. I feel like I have that with my daughter. It is a blessing, isn’t it?
Shannon—I do love the Atlanta area. :) And I’m a cat lover! We have 3 now. My son and his wife have taken those cats from Middle Georgia College, to Atlanta, to Chicago, back to Atlanta, to NYC, then to PR. They are well traveled cats!! Ollie and Otis. :)
Diana, I love both of those places. And yes, grandkids do want to make you slow down and enjoy time with them. I hope you’ll grow to love Kentucky! At least you’re not going through a big weather difference. :) Enjoy those grands!! (And your children, too. )
A memorable journey for me was in th early 80’s in AZ.
During monsoon season an earthen dam broke near Tucson and water spread for over 50 miles across the desert and farmland flooding everything.
I was a nurse in the ER at night in Case Grande when word came that they were closing the bridges.
I left work to hurry home to help our neighbors,I was the last car allowed to cross before the flood arrived.
My husband was awaiting my arrival and we spent the next three days opening a shelter,coordinating the evacuation of people sitting on the roofs of their homes,and caring for the needs of over 300 people.
The major event was flying a pregnant woman in labor out in a crop duster and saving a baby,in a clothes basket that was accidentally thrown from the rescue helicopter.
This episode made a very positive experience for my time as an ER nurse in Az.
I’ve lived the journey of being in an abusive marriage and starting over with my kids after he destroyed everything. It was a long difficult road but with God By my side I endured.
Thank you <3
Journey of adjusting to change after a big move.
I’m a Native Floridian and have been through more Hurricanes than I care to count, but nothing like what your Son and Daughter-in Law went through.
September is the peak of Hurricane Season and this time last year, Hurricane Irma was knocking on our door, literally.
I’ve only ever heard of far away hurricanes, but there are other kinds of disasters everywhere–unfortunately.
September came too fast, I wish for another 6 months before the end of the year.
Hi Lindi! I can’t wait to read part 2 of the journey!
My journey is filled with God and His blessings…even through the battle with cancer He was always near! My Rock!