Death Valley

Posted on October 30, 2013 by jamiezirkle

Death Valley is located near the border of California and Nevada. It is situated within the Mojave Desert and it is the lowest, hottest, and driest place in North America. Death Valley has long, extremely hot summers with little to no rainfall. In fact, in 1929 and 1953 there wasn’t a drop of rain recorded! The highest temperature ever recorded was in the summer of 1913 at a whopping 134 degrees and the lowest being 107 degrees in the summer of 2012. It’s a long, narrow valley sitting about 300 feet below sea level and walled in by high, steep mountain ranges. The old saying, used by the mob, “once you get in, you never get out”, is especially true in this valley.

But there is life and there is beauty in this valley…millions of wildflowers will occasionally spring to life. It is very rare but it does happen. “The flowers seem to emerge out of nowhere, but in truth, the seeds of these blooms are always hidden on the desert floor, just waiting for the right amount of sunlight and rainfall before sprouting.” (Brian McMahon). wildflowers

David said in Psalm 23:6, “Even when the way goes through Death Valley, I’m not afraid when you walk by my side. Your trusty shepherd’s crook makes me feel secure.” (The Message)

I’m writing this blog in the midst of one of the lowest, hottest, and driest places in my life. Yet, I know that as I walk through Death Valley it requires me to take my own “death step” and release all of my questions, fears, doubts, dreams, goals, and ambitions to my Shepherd. That ole shepherd’s crook has been down many paths. It is seasoned and well worn. He can be trusted!

The area was named by a woman in 1849. That was the year after gold was discovered in California. Thousands of people from other parts of the country traveled to the gold mining areas in California. They were in a hurry to get there before other people did.

Many people were not careful. They made bad choices or wrong decisions. One group trying to reach California decided to take a path called the Old Spanish Trail. By December they had reached Death Valley. They did not have to survive the terrible heat of summer, but there was still an extreme lack of water. There were few plants for their work animals to eat. 

The people could not find a pass through the tall mountains to the west of the Valley.  Slowly, they began to suffer from a lack of food.

To survive, they killed their work animals for food and began to walk out of the Valley. As they left, one woman looked back and said, “Good-bye, death valley.” (VOAnews.com)

One day we will be able to look back on our valley experiences and say “good-bye, death valley.” But, oh, the stories that we will have accumulated through those valley’s and the scars that come with them will bring encouragement to those going through their own valley’s. Then one day the refreshing rains will come and we will be able to soak it all in and we will say, “it was well worth the journey through death valley.”

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Who Is Your Coach?

Posted on October 2, 2013 by jamiezirkle

In the midst of this season that my family and I are in I am in this daily battle of being thankful for my job but yet wondering why I have landed where I have. The continual question of “when will I land on the right team and in the right position?” keeps playing in my mind like a broken record.

It was early on a Friday morning, September 27th, that God “appeared” in a most unique way. Just two weeks earlier I met a dear old lady who came bounding into the store with a smile as bright as the sun. She comes in to the store each Friday to purchase a foot-long sub for her son who happens to be a mail carrier for the USPS. She loves life! Over the past few weeks we had some time to talk about life. During one of our conversations we found out that she used to be my elementary school teacher at a local school, Virginia Avenue. What a small world! She was so tickled to meet me that she leaned over the counter and gave me a big ole’ kiss on the cheek.

On this Friday morning, however, she had a message for me. We were speaking about life and some of the challenges that we had faced and just by sheer life experience hers far outweighed mine. I was encouraged by her journey and her perspective on life and the struggles within. She listened intently (probably far better than I did in her class) as I discussed my journey and my dreams. Pat “Patsy” Gochenour was so excited to share a personal poem with me that she returned later that day and presented me with her poem that was written on a professional template with the following note; To Jamie, with love. Patsy Gochenour. September 27, 2013. I give all credit to Patsy for this poem. May it encourage someone out their tonight!

Who is your Coach

In this game of life when things go wrong
And the first quarter is way out of bounds
I’ll look to the bench, for my Coach knows a play,
Which will turn this whole game around.

God is my Coach and on Him I rely
To send in the plays I must heed,
But the field is so long and each yard is so tough
How will I get the score I need?

Then low and behold from the sidelines they came
A mighty team of ten more.
His signals said in this game of life,
All Mankind can help you score.

I’m now at the 50 yard line in the game,
And it’s 4th and inches to go.
My offensive line didn’t fail me, you see,
For the yardage, I was too slow.

I couldn’t make the ground, I’d lost the ball,
And I thought my Coach would scream,
But instead He said, “You’ve done your best,
Now I’m sending in my defensive team.”

“They’ll keep your opponents from scoring,
And they’ll get you back the ball.
The defensive team I’m sending in
Will allow you to stand tall.”

It takes eleven men and eleven more,
And that makes twenty-two,
An offense and a defense,
If your game plan is to run smooth.

There are special teams and a coaching staff
And players of a hundred or more,
So, if I only can hold on to a faith that’s strong,
The whole team can help me score

If you want to win in this game of life,
And score on that final day,
Get yourself and offensive line
Who will take you all the way.

That’s my game plan, on this playing field of life,
When my three time outs are all gone,
To cross over that goal line, for God is my Coach,
And my offensive line is strong.

November 16, 1986

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Praise In The Maze

Posted on June 27, 2013 by jamiezirkle

I love a good corn maze. In fact if I could I would go to a different corn maze every weekend during the fall. They are just that much fun to me. Corn mazes come in all different shapes and sizes. Some of them are small and quite easy to manage. These are the ones that are very dry and the stalks are only about six to seven feet high. If you are on some hilly terrain then you can see above the stalks and navigating the maze can be quite easy. You really don’t need the map. You can do these on your own.

But the ones that I like are the mazes where the stalks are green and lush and are at least nine to ten feet high. These are the kind that give you the feeling that you are truly lost. I also prefer to do them at night with only the light of the moon and my flashlight to lead the way. Nothing beats being out in the middle of a corn maze on a cool, crisp fall evening! You need the maps on this one. You cannot do these alone.

Life is a lot like a corn maze (and a box of chocolates) because you never know what you’re gonna get. You are handed a map that will direct you through the maze. You are also told that there are treasures to find along the way. But once you are inside the maze it can begin to take on a shape all of its own and it looks nothing like the picture you viewed on the entrance board. This is where the temptation to break one of their cardinal rules comes into play. Let’s run through the corn stalks and try a short cut.Maze

Sometimes the season of our lives are quite easy to manage. It’s daytime. Your career is going well. Your wife loves you. Bills are easily paid. Everyone is healthy and you get to take your family vacation every year! These are the seasons where “getting’ your praise on” is extremely easy.

Other seasons of our lives are not so easy to manage. It’s nighttime. You are stuck in a dead-end job. Your wife hates you. Bills are piling up. Sickness abounds in the home and you have no idea what the word “vacation” means. You seem to be following the map. You’re following all of the rules and you are tempted to take a short cut. What makes matters worse is that you can hear others off in the maze of life finding their way out while you have no stinkin’ idea how to get out but at least you are certain of one thing; you’re stuck! Jealousy, envy, and anger can set in. Whatever enjoyment you found at the beginning of the journey has slowly been fading away and now you’re just ticked off. Things are not going according to plan! If you hear one more person quote Jeremiah 29:11. . .

This is the most challenging time in our lives to lift our hands and praise God. It goes against everything inside of our human nature to be happy when we feel crazed in the maze. This is when we must give praise in the maze. Our only hope of finding our way out is to lift our hands in complete surrender to the Lord and allow Him to help us find out way out. The map is still correct. God’s Word has not changed. He is in control and He sees right where we are.

Psalm 34:1-3, “I will extol the Lord at all times; his praise will always be on my lips. I will glory in the Lord; let the afflicted hear and rejoice. Glorify the Lord with me; let us exalt his name together.” (NIV).

Acts 16:25-26, “About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose.” (NIV).

We have got to give praise in the maze because He is worthy. Praise Him in the morning, praise Him in the evening, praise Him in the noontime. When you’re lost; praise Him. When you don’t have the money to make rent; praise Him. When you lose your job; praise Him. When the car breaks down. . .again; praise Him. When your school loans come due; praise Him. When you don’t know when your next meal is coming; praise Him.When sickness hits your family; praise Him. When you lose your hair; praise Him.

When you feel all alone in the dark of night wandering around this maze of life; praise Him.

HE IS RIGHT THERE WITH YOU!  GIVE HIM PRAISE IN THE MAZE!
  

 

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Drop The Dumbbells

Posted on June 26, 2013 by jamiezirkle

I grew up being a very skinny kid. Nowadays they have these things called “skinny jeans” but all of my jeans were skinny jeans and they cost far less than these ugly things that guys wear today. I mean I was wearing Levi’s and rockin’ the corduroys back in the day and those corduroys came in various colors too! C’mon now! My awesome physique came about because I was diagnosed with Hypothyroidism at an early age. This condition tends to speed up your metabolism when you’re young and slows it down when you get older. Because this condition deals with your hormones I had dry skin, bad acne, and really greasy hair and to top it all off I wore glasses! I was the white Steve Urkel and because my last name is Zirkle I was an easy target for the bullies. They loved me more than Richard Simmons loves short shorts and baby oil. skinny kid

Thankfully, at the age of 13, I was befriended by a man in church who decided it was time to upgrade my bird chest to something a little more manly. For three nights a week he would pick me up and take me to the local workout center in our local park. He told me to eat two peanut butter and jelly sandwiches a few nights a week and wash it down with a full glass of whole milk. After a period of time on this routine and with my new medication I began to notice a difference in myself and so did the bullies.

Let’s fast forward a few decades to today. I’m 42 and a bit overweight. Ironically, I’m trying to lose the weight that I wanted so desperately to put on as a boy. Such is the cycle of life. So, I decided that after many failed attempts and promises of getting in shape that I was tired of crying wolf. I began a 30 day challenge for the month of June. I not only began making healthier nutritional choices but I also began to workout. I have been incorporating, push-ups, air squats, walking/running, and some dumbbell exercises to my daily routine. The idea is not to bulk up but rather to tone up and lose some weight.

Last week I began carrying my 15lb dumbbells to the local middle school track. The parking lot is probably located just about one quarter of a mile away from the track which is located behind the school. Carrying those dumbbells to the track wasn’t too hard but after working out one day I noticed that these dumbbells seemed to feel a little heavier. My arms began to burn, my shoulders got tired, and I just got tired of carrying them. I could not wait until I got to the car so I could drop the dumbbells. dumbbells

I’m a fairly strong guy but when you carry any amount of weight long enough it just starts to hurt. I don’t always look for a lesson each day of my life but sometimes they do come to me out of the blue. I began to think of some of the weight that I have been carrying. I felt God speak to me and say, “you are carrying around a weight that you don’t have to carry and just like these dumbbells in your hands it is causing you pain, a pain that you do not have to bear. Drop the dumbbells!”

Boy, I sure did feel like a dumbbell. I’ve known Jesus since the age of 13. That’s almost 30 years! You would think that by now I would get some of life’s simplest lessons, right?

Matthew 11:28-30, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (NIV)

Matthew 11:28-30, “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” (The Message)

Jesus carried it ALL to the cross. ALL of our sins, our fears, our doubts, our worries, our anxieties, our fears, our dreams, our goals, He carried it ALL. DROP THE DUMBBELLS!

 

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19 Miles to the next Miracle

Posted on June 6, 2013 by jamiezirkle

My family and I like to take trips to Pottstown, PA to visit my wife’s side of the family. It’s not a long journey, perhaps around four hours including one stop, but it’s long enough. One of the signs that we look for as we are coming down the Pennsylvania Turnpike is the one that reads; Morgantown Exit 13 Miles. Once we reach that exit we know that we have just about forty-five minutes left in our journey. Shouts of joy ring out from my son as he draws closer to Nana’s house and my wife awakes from her hibernation and begins to have a conversation with me. The dead in the van have risen! It’s truly a miracle!

But what do you do in life when you are following the directions and there are no exit signs? How do you navigate the road of life at this point?

Personally, there are times on this journey where I become like the little kid in the backseat crying out, “are we there yet?” I just want to take the wheel partly because I have control issues, partly because I don’t trust the driver, and partly because I just know there is a better way than the way that we are going. I’m a backseat driver.

My family and I have been on this never ending journey for the past decade and it goes on and on my friend. We have navigated through a few job losses, financial stress that comes with those losses, death, disappointments, and more closed doors than I can count. It just seems like there are no rest areas to be found and my butt is getting tired from sitting in the car for so long. I just want to find the exit so I can get out and stretch my legs.

There is a story in Joshua chapter 3 that has brought great encouragement to me.

Moses has recently died and now Joshua is in charge. Repeatedly, in the beginning of this book, God tells Joshua to “not be afraid”, “take courage”, “I am with you.” Joshua is obviously dealing with major fear and God knows it. Can you blame him? Joshua has big sandals to fill! Moses was THE man. He led the people out of Egypt and was used to part the Red Sea. God knows that Joshua needs a “Moses style miracle” in order for the people to trust him as their new leader. So God leads them to the edge of the Jordan River, just a across from Jericho.

After a few days God commands Joshua to have the priests carry the Ark of the Covenant into the river (vs. 8). Joshua obeys. The step, literally, had to be a scary one for the priests. They were stepping into a flooded river (vs. 15). The banks of the Jordan were overflown in the spring due to the snow melting from the mountains of Lebanon. The river, usually shallow and about one hundred yards across now became swollen and close to a mile wide. Matthew Henry’s Commentary.

The Bible says that when the very soles of their feet touched the river that the water rose up in a heap upstream in a town called Adam (vs 15-16). This town was 19 MILES AWAY. When that water stood up like an invisible wall the rest of the water still had to flow on down past the priests into the Salt/Dead Sea where the Jordan river poured into. Matthew Henry’s Commentary

Joshua 3:16 “the water above that point began backing up a great distance away at a town called Adam, which is near Zarethan. And the water below that point flowed on to the Dead Sea until the riverbed was dry. Then all the people crossed over near the town of Jericho.” (NLT)

Here is the interesting thing; they didn’t SEE the miracle as it happened. It was 19 miles away. They had to wait to see the miracle before them. If the river was traveling 19mph did they wait an hour until they saw the rest of the water pass on by? Did they wait half an hour? Fifteen minutes? I don’t know but what I do know is that they had to wait.mile19

What are you waiting for? On you waiting on God to bring healing to you or to a loved one? Are you waiting on that job to come open? Are you waiting for Mr. or Mrs. Right? Are you waiting for your marriage to heal?

The truth is that we all are waiting on a miracle. But sometimes God is waiting on us to put our feet into the river. It doesn’t make sense to step into a flooded river. Nothing that God usually asks us to do makes any sense of paper. It doesn’t always add up. But I know that we serve a God who wants to bless us more than we want to be blessed.

Recently my family and I stepped into the river. My wife is a teacher but has been without full time work since the end of last summer. I am a pastor. On April 28 I resigned from my positions at two local churches to be effective on August 1. Our plan is to relocate to the Gettysburg, Pa area and to attend Freedom Valley Worship Center and to volunteer for this next season. I will not be on staff and there is no guarantee of any position on staff in the future. Pastor Gerry Stoltzfoos wants to tap into my untapped potential and I’m willing to give it a try.

It’s a scary thing stepping into a swollen river. I can’t see the bottom. I’ve got school loans that are coming out of my ears and I have bills to pay. This makes no sense on paper and I’d be lying to you if I wasn’t have some second thoughts. But after months and months of prayer, counsel, and research on this pastor we felt this was our next step and we are doing the best that we can to walk this path in faith and trust.

Our miracle is 19 miles away. We’ve stepped in and now we wait for the water to pass on by so we can cross over to our next adventure.

I’m doing my best to release control, to trust God, and to let Him lead the way. He will never take you or me where He isn’t leading.

 

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I’m Ready When You Are (Lent Day 1 and 2)

Posted on February 14, 2013 by jamiezirkle

I don’t have a wife that takes a long time to get ready but on the other hand she is a woman and well she still takes SOME time to powder her nose. Guys tend to be ready to leave in a more timely fashion and we can generally be found sitting on the couch watching TV or in the car with the engine running (the latter does nothing in regards to a woman moving any faster). Either way I can always be heard saying, “I’m ready when you are.” When I used to have a lot of hair I have to confess to using mousse and my mom’s Aqua Net hairspray to keep it in place. Hey, I grew up during the 80’s hairband days! What can I say? By the way that’s just our secret! capture-aquanet-hairspray-1980s

There is no doubt in my mind that this phrase will be used extensively on this Valentine’s night!

I am on a 40 day prayer journey through the Lent season. This is the first time in my life that I have gone all out in giving up something during Lent but I am determined to grow closer to God. And I want to grow closer to God because being closer to Him makes it easier for me to hear Him when he speaks to me. I desire clarity! Mark Batterson has written a great book called, “Draw the Circle”, that, along with the Bible, is my guide through this process.

“God, I’m ready when you are.” I cannot begin to count the times that I have expressed these feelings to God. It seems as though I tend to arrive at this conclusion quicker than what He does. I’m ready to move on, I’m ready to be done, I’m ready for the next step, I’m ready to get off of the potter’s wheel, I’m ready, I’m ready, I’m ready already! Wow! What a whiner! Many women spend some extra time in the primping room just to teach a guy like me a lesson. I’m sure of it. I don’t believe God needs some extra time doing His hair but there are a few things that He brought to my attention.

1. I might think that I’m ready but I’m not. In the haste to get ready and get out of the house there have been times when I forgot my belt, had on different colored socks, failed to see that my shirt was dirty or recognized that my pants needed to be ironed. In the busyness to get from point A to point B I tend to forget that God still needs to tighten some things up on me, clean up some dirty spots, or to simply iron out some details. Jeremiah 18:3-4 says, “Then I went down to the potter’s house, and there he was, making something at the wheel. And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter; so he made it again into another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to make.” I may think that I’m ready but my wife is the final judge. I will just keep spinning on the potter’s wheel until he feels that I’m ready.

2. I might actually be ready but God isn’t. Proverbs 16:9 says, “A man’s heart plans his way but the Lord directs his steps.” This one is probably the most frustrating place for me to be in. I’ve cleaned up well, there is nothing wrinkled or dirty and I match but for some reason God just isn’t ready yet. A friend of mine once told me something that I will always remember; “keep your bags packed but don’t waste your time looking at the front door.” Isaiah 55:9 says, “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord. In fact the Bible tells us that God is not constrained to minutes, days, or years. He is outside of time (John 8:57-58). A woman doesn’t pay attention to the clock when she’s getting ready. She is outside the realm of time:) Waiting on God and on His timing is a huge challenge! My advice? Continue to be faithful where you are right now, have your bags packed, but don’t keep looking at the front door. It will only make time go slower!

3. We’re both ready to leave the house. Praise the Lord! Hallelujah! This is the cool part where we actually get to go out on the date that we both have been looking forward to. All the primping has been completed and we now get to enjoy the journey and the joy of all of the unforeseen adventures ahead. The Jeremiah 29:11 plans are coming to fruition!

“The plans of God are only revealed in the presence of God.” Mark Batterson

I’m ready but will be patient until you are.

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Clear As Mud

Posted on February 8, 2013 by jamiezirkle

I haven’t been able to find where the phrase, “clear as mud”, originated but the popular definition of this phrase is, “something that is confusing or not clear in your mind.” In today’s world of technology and information overload it is very easy to fill our minds to the point of confusion. Recently, I was researching some diets and exercise routines to assist me in losing the 30lbs that literally weighed me down and I found myself being overwhelmed and confused on which ones would work the best for me. One site said that counting calories was a good avenue to pursue while another one said that you have to count the amount of trans fat that you eat while even one more said that you shouldn’t do any of that but rather cut out all bread, pasta, and dairy and you’ll be set. Whew! It was, “clear as mud.” After taking a mental break for a few days I simply decided to watch my calories and begin an exercise routine that has worked for me. mud

Psalm 46:10 says, “Be STILL and KNOW that I am God.” What does it mean to be “still?” There are some images that come to mind for me. The stillness in the air after a snowfall. Everything just seems to be so quiet and peaceful probably because no one can get out of their home so they are forced to be still until the roads are cleared. The stillness in the air on a hot, August night. On the rare occasion that this happens but there is a stillness in our home when my son is sitting quietly playing with his toys or coloring in one of his books. And another image that comes to mind is when I have found a calm pool of water to stand in just off to the side of the river.

I’m a visual person, most men are, and the image of the river really stands out in my mind. On a personal level I have a hard time allowing my mind to take a vacation. I seem to always be planning, plotting, or scheming. As I read Psalm 46:10 the other day I simply felt God telling me that I need to take a deep breath and allow my mind to rest in Him. I have witnessed the churning of the rivers in Harper’s Ferry, WV on many occasions and my mind went to that image as I read this verse. When a river is raging there is a lot of churning going on and with that churning all of the dirt from the bottom of the river begins to move to the top which inhibits the ability to see through the water clearly. Off to the side of the river there will be an occasional pocket of water that sits unfazed by the raging taking place just a few feet away.

Perhaps, like me, you just need to take a break from the raging and step into the stillness. Jesus was, by far, the busiest man alive and yet He found the time to pull away from the raging waters and found the peace, quiet, and stillness of sitting in the presence of His Father. It’s so very simple and yet so very, very hard. Brother Lawerence in his book, “The Practice of the Presence of God”, says to “busy yourself with keeping your mind the presence of the Lord.”

I’m reminded of one final verse that illustrates this point. 1 Kings 19:11-13, “

11 The Lord said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.”

Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. 12 After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. 13 When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave.

Then a voice said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

You can’t hear God in the winds that blow, the earthquakes that come, the fire, or in the raging waters. You and I can hear Him, the mud will be sifted away and clarity will come when we learn to “be STILL and know that He is God.” 30-riverwater

 

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Beans, A Ring, and A Mustard Seed

Posted on January 25, 2013 by jamiezirkle

Have you ever heard of the expression, “it’s the small things in life?” We are encouraged to enjoy each moment that we live and to not dismiss the small, everyday moments that come our way. Moments like coming home and being greeted by a pet that is happy to see you, waking up in the middle of the night only to realize that your clock says you still have two hours to sleep, the laughter of a child, or having just enough milk left to soak your Fruit Loops in. What are some small things that you need to enjoy more?mustard_seed1

Four magic beans turned into a beanstalk that changed the course of life for Jack and his family. They were small, insignificant beans but once they were planted it changed everything.

A small ring that had the power to be used for good became a power that turned men into lust. Something so small and insignificant changed the course of Middle Earth forever.

A mustard seed is usually about 1-2 mm in diameter. Jesus speaks of this seed in Matthew 13:31-32; He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. 32 Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches.”

You dreams and your goals start off with a dream. They are perhaps big in nature but yet they all have small beginnings. A baby will grow up to be a man or a woman. A raindrop can become an ocean. A snowflake can become a blizzard. And faith as small as a mustard seed can move a mountain!

What is the one, small thing that you can do today that will enable your mustard seed of a dream to become a plant full of life and full of branches? God wants your dreams to grow. Go and plant your seeds and with a little faith from you and nourishment from God they will grow!mustard tree

 

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Are We There Yet?

Posted on January 11, 2013 by jamiezirkle

Every kid who has ever had to endure a long, boring journey in the backseat of their station wagon or mini-van has asked this question at least once every few minutes, “Are we there yet?” And every parent who has ever had to endure this long, annoying journey behind the wheel had the same answers, “Almost”, “Just a few more minutes”, or “No, so quit asking.” It’s been said that the average American kid, regardless of how much technology they bring with them, gets bored only after 30 minutes! It’s also been said that a mother (because she has to hand out snacks, juice, and referee fights) endures more stress on this journey than she does on the job. Wow!

I like journey’s but I’m not always patient with them. As a man I just want to get from point A to point B as quickly as I can. I do like to avoid the traffic and take the occasional side road, much to the chagrin of my family, but getting to where I’m going is still my priority.

There is a great story about a boy who became a man and the journey that he endured. His name is Joseph and you can find his story in the book of Genesis chapters 37-50. In short it’s about a 17 year old boy, who like most boys of that age is a bit arrogant. He has a dream, his brothers don’t like it so they plot to kill him and instead sell him into slavery. His slave owners sell him to one of the king’s men but then this man’s wife falsely accuses him of rape and he’s thrown into prison. He spends two years in prison and then one day is released and becomes a highly respected man. But, it’s his 13 year journey that tells me a few things. . .Are-We-There-Yet

1. The journey always begins with a dream (Genesis 37: 6-8). You and I have a dream. Mine is different from yours and yours is different from mine. What is your dream? What is it that keeps you up at night besides some bad pizza? What is it that gives you goose bumps when you talk about it? What is it that you would spend the rest of your life doing if you knew you could not fail? One of Webster’s definitions of a dream is, a strongly desired goal or purpose. God has a dream for you and I believe He even dreams about you. His Word tells us in Ephesians 3:20 that He wants to do far more than whatever it is that you and I can ask or even imagine! However, sometimes we have to be humbled before God can exalt us.

2. The journey is always a challenging one (Genesis 37-41). It’s full of detours, unexpected tolls, flat tires, being stuck in traffic, roadblocks, and the occasional “I gotta pee!!.” Leaving the driveway in pursuit of your dream is where the real test begins. You’ve left the safety and comfort of your own home and have traversed into the unknown. What a leap of faith this is. You can get a “trip check” done on your car, map out your route, and plan for every possible scenario but inevitably there is always something that will come up. Where are you being challenged? Are you ready to turn the car around? Are you stuck in traffic or on the side of the road? Or are you simply lost and don’t know your way? Do you feel like crying out, “Are we there yet??” Personally, I believe the biggest challenge Joseph faced was the prison experience of this journey. For two years he sat locked up, chained up, and perhaps fed up. When you have a dream it’s hard to sit still and feel as though you’ve been forgotten. It’s not fun being stuck!

3. The journey always comes to an end (Genesis 41:40). How will it end for you? Will it end with you quitting or will it end with you persevering? Will your dream live or will it die?

Let me encourage you to not give up, to not quit, and to not turn around. I know your journey has been tough and it feels like you are in your own prison and you wonder if anyone even sees or remembers you. I can assure you that God does. Throughout this entire 13 year journey from an arrogant dreamer as a 17 year old boy to the humble promotion of a 30 year old man the Bible says that, “The Lord was with Joseph in a special way.” Joseph remained faithful as a slave in Potiphar’s house, he remained faithful in prison, and he remained faithful when he was promoted. Be faithful where you are even if it’s not where you want to be right now. Joseph dreamed of his preferment but he did not dream of his imprisonment. It was unexpected. The challenges that we face in this life are usually the instruments in which God uses to accomplish the dream that He has for us. A good man or woman will do good wherever he/she is and they will remain faithful. We learn in our disappointments to trust in God only. Men will forget about us. They will make promises that they cannot keep but our God is faithful to complete the good work in us that He started (Philippians 1:6).

Enjoy the journey! We’re almost there!

 

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2012 in review

Posted on December 31, 2012 by jamiezirkle

The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2012 annual report for this blog.

Here’s an excerpt:

600 people reached the top of Mt. Everest in 2012. This blog got about 3,800 views in 2012. If every person who reached the top of Mt. Everest viewed this blog, it would have taken 6 years to get that many views.

Click here to see the complete report.

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