“Let’s just get there and see. We could find a farm, knock on their door and ask if we can camp in their yard.”
You might think she was joking… but if you had been there in the moment and saw that look in her eyes, you would know she was dead serious. Lynneal has a way of following God with reckless abandon and is full of faith and trust in the process. I have a thing or two to learn from her.
We are doing another month of ATL in Georgia and the word that we were given as direction was spontaneous. I like to think I’m spontaneous… at one point in my life I said I valued spontaneity. But I’ve found there’s a limit.
June 30, 2020
My chest tightened as we hit the open road, off on a grand adventure. Leaving Denver behind us, we were headed south on i25. The first stop on our list was the Great Sand Dunes, but truly that was only the beginning. Our plan was to be on the road for a month. The goal: see as many National Parks as possible.
The idea was merely a whisper in March of 2020 as my Squad returned home from the field. Lindsey was hungry for more of what God had to offer, not willing to resign herself to the “quarantine” mindset that was quickly taking root in America. And she was eager to bring someone with her. It took some time for the idea to be fanned into flame, but eventually everything fell into place. It was a go!
I was living the dream!!! The rest of the world was stuck at home, but I was determined to go places I had never been, run free in wide open spaces and sleep under the stars. And yet fear gripped me…
I sat in the backseat; the fact that we didn’t know where we were going to sleep that night weighed heavy on my mind. We had talked about the plan the night before and looked up some different options while we had wifi, but ultimately decided not to worry about it -we would figure it out later. If you’ve ever looked into dispersed camping (aka “boondocking”), you understand the logic in that decision. It doesn’t take long to realize that the information available online varies in degree of both quantity and accuracy. Most times you have a better idea of what awaits you if you’re standing directly in front of it. We were committed to traveling on a budget and fully prepared to sleep just about anywhere. So “wait and see” wasn’t actually that bad of a plan.
But those thoughts weren’t reassuring. As miles passed by, I kept quiet.
In retrospect, I recognize the fear that gripped me was rooted in lack of control. At this point, I am well acquainted with those feelings… it has apparently become a way of life. The Race forces you to embrace the unknown, every day you have a choice to live by fear or by faith. Living by faith requires you to surrender and trust. You have to let go of your plans, your expectations and desires, your comfort… You move forward with open hands, trusting God to go before you to make a way, to always be beside you, to protect you from behind and cover you from above.
I am reminded, a year later, of a promise fulfilled; his promise to always be with me, to never leave me or forsake me. I am reminded of his provision and guidance. I am reminded of the abundant blessings along the way. And I believe he will do it again.
(The views from our camping spot, just outside the Great Sand Dunes)
Great story Jenn,
To willingly and gladly lose control and implicitly trust in him to lead the way and call the better shots for us is a hard learned process for sure.
Well said, “I will never leave you or for sake you…“ And that he’s done it before and he will do it again. Love it Jenn
When we put the onus and weight upon God, The longer I live the more I see that he never lets us down. When we say like Moses, “I won’t go unless you come with me… “ He seems to show up income through big time. Thanks for the faith builder and may prove to be true in the next few weeks doing ATL in the great country of Georgia.
Funny I’m writing this from the ATL Airport in Georgia right now:-)
WOOHOOOOOO!!!! YEAH JENN!!!! GO N GET EM!!!!!!