Psalm 34:3 – Let us exalt His name together. Join the Journey
Join the Journey!
No, seriously. Join it.
Eons ago, I traveled Europe alone for a month. It was a marvelous experience, but I came to appreciate any random stranger who wanted to join me on my journey.
Except that one guy in Antibes, France who caused me to discover a deeper level of praying. Thankfully I managed to lose him. God had to have been involved.
I don’t believe we were meant to travel through life alone.
Just think about solitary confinement. In a place where just about everyone around you is literally a criminal, solitary confinement is still considered a punishment rather than a welcome break.
We weren’t meant to walk the walk of faith alone either.
I tried that once as well. I’ll spare us both the grimy details. It was easier to maneuver Europe alone than it was — and is — my journey of faith.
I’m discovering another impossible path to navigate alone. The path to publication.
At times I feel like I’m in a hedge maze and the joke’s on me because the bushes have grown up around me, sealing me in.
Go this way. No, go this way.
I’m perplexed but not discouraged for two reasons.
1. I’m not alone.
I know it’s cliche to say that God has been with me, but He has.
I feel sorry for the rest of you wherever you are because God has been with me.
Actually, of course, I know He’s big enough to go around. He has no limit.
And He’s not perplexed.
Apparently He’s fine if I’m perplexed, though. Maybe it’s because I listen more intently to Him when I have no clue what to do next.
The other reason I’m not discouraged is because:
2. I’m not alone.
Yes, I know I already said that.
You’re starting to think you may know why I haven’t had a book published yet, aren’t you.
This is actually a different kind of “not alone.”
I’m surrounded by a cloud of witnesses who believe in me.
But more importantly, they believe in the One who is able to guide and direct our paths and the timing of our journey.
This week I attended the Blue Ridge Mountain Christian Writer’s Conference surrounded by the most beautiful sight — Christian love and community at its finest.
The mountains and wild flowers weren’t bad either.
Lori encouraged me with the perfection of God’s timing. It was scribbled on her hand.
Jan greeted all of us with her gentle laugh and eagerness, celebrating even the hint of someone achieving success.
Jana exuded quiet confidence that spilled over onto me.
Heather’s warm smile and bright eyes shone wide with wonder. God didn’t just pour out blessings on her this week. He gushed them out, and she turned them all into praise. That’s a beautiful sight.
La-Tan instilled vision and hope into anyone with a pulse around her.
Edie has walked beside me from the beginning of this blog, helping it become an award winning blog. What?!
Michelle cheered me on and charted a path for me out of the maze, helping me see beyond the hedge.
Eva opened doors I didn’t even know were there.
All the conference faculty amazed me with their wisdom and careers, which they lavishly shared with everyone.
I met Beckie, Lisa, Julianne, Naomi, Krista, Rhett, Kay, Janelle, and Sheryl and countless others, and I now count them all as friends.
And on the final evening, Leigh Ann, Shelley, Deandrea and I rocked into the night under a perfect Blue Ridge Mountain sky.
No one should ever choose to be alone when there are people like this in the world who will stand beside you and lift you up when you’re weak.
I want you to meet some of these people — and you will, right here on Join the Journey.
I’ll be featuring other journeymen who’ve joined me on this adventure of faith. You need to hear from them.
This blog isn’t Join My Journey. It’s Join The Journey. We’re all in this together.
Will you join the journey with us?
Grab your hedge clippers (otherwise known as the Bible) and let’s work through this maze called life together.
Jesus didn’t send the disciples out alone, and He’s not sending us out alone either.
Why not start today by sharing in the comment section what God’s been doing in your life.
You’ve found a safe place to share your highs and lows, your victories and challenges, and to ask your questions.
If I don’t know the answer, I’ve got people who’ve got people who just may.
Together we’ll look to the One Who is the answer to it all.
Join the journey!
Click to tweet: Oh magnify the Lord with me and let us exalt His name together! ~ Psalm 34:3
