On to the Land of Milk and Honey { and hopefully a liver mush biscuit }

{ This is a long one but it's Sunday and what else do you REALLY have to do? }

Thank God that the wilderness is not a place one stays. We call it the woods around here, but any way you slice it, it's that big expansive place stock full of trees.

 Sure, you can go galavanting around yelling about incoming invaders from another planet, jumping onto fallen logs, or mapping out the best path on the wet rocks of a small stream to reach the other side safely and without losing anyone to an alligator, piranha, or giant squid {I almost lost a good sister that way years back- luckily she was revived right before our afternoon snack. } Growing up in various southern towns, there were always places like the woods to explore. The catch here is that you always. went. home.

We would run back to the house { always running- taking the time to walk when you are growing up is out of the question. } and eat a tomato sandwich, scraping the roof of our mouths with not quite so clean fingers as the cheese and mayo never failed to slap itself up there and render us from reliving our latest adventure.

I've been thinking about the woods a lot lately- If the woods suddenly became dark and not fun place full of weeping and gnashing of teeth that make you cringe, moan, and weep a little yourself. 

I know that came off a  little dramatic- but you were warned of that in my first post.

The church I have been attending lately makes me chuckle. { Stay with me here, I promise this ties in.} The ridiculously easy to figure out 'life/Jesus' parallels and the language used { God's math will never divide the people but will always multiply if we add our spiritual gifts together-- Oh yeah, I'm not making that up. } in some sermons leave me biting the smiling insides of my cheek so I don't come off as that rude visitor and chuckling about it with Michael on our way home.
 A few Sundays ago, however, there was a great message on being stuck in the wilderness/desert. It got me to thinking- WTF.{ cringe if you must, I'm going for honesty here.} God's people were stuck in their desert for 40 YEARS. 40 years, y'all.

Now, I'm not saying that my life is as horrible as being led around the desert for 40 years by imperfect men who forgot God's promises and therefore ended up keeping almost a whole generation from hosting their annual holiday parties, but because life has been happening to me hardcore lately and I'm honestly in a place I refuse to stay in forever- I am stuck in the place between places. The woods. 

Knowing a little about the history from the book of Exodus {Dad used to pay us to type his Divinity school papers }, I know that the Lord sent the people of Israel on a route that yes, was long and had many of its own issues BUT the actual path that they took kept them from many enemies and hardships that they would not have been prepared to face.
{ Interesting when you think of your own life choices and where they've led you and why.} Did they like following Moses and eventually Joshua to the promised land of Milk and Honey? Of course not. They went without food and water and ended up acting like fools and crazy upsetting God. Here's the kicker though- They NEEDED that time.The Lord knew when the time was right for them to benefit from every hardship and season of waiting they endured.

All of this to say, my 20's has become a time when I am still figuring out what to do and where to go and already mightily believing I am meant for something bigger than the now. So, in this time of waiting it's nice to remember that the Lord is here {even when 'here' means a burning bush type love of "What the heck are you even saying to me?"}, his love provides, and without this season I may not be prepared for this life that is coming.

Though youths grow weary and tired, 
And vigorous young men stumble badly, 
 Yet those who wait for the LORD 
Will gain new strength; 
They will mount up with wings like eagles, 
They will run and not get tired, 
They will walk and not become weary.
{ Isaiah 40: 30-31 }