Your Legacy

Late last week we had an ice storm. To some, I'm sure it was frustrating. Power lines went down, tree limbs broke, and roads were temporarily impassible. There have been plenty of times when I would have been one of the frustrated ones. But not this day. This day I was out in it, traveling to a weekend retreat. If you've never driven through the country side after an ice storm, you can't imagine how beautiful the world looks as it begins to unthaw. As we drove, it was difficult to keep my eyes focused on the road. The trees, and the fences, and the buildings along the way glistened. Canopy's of silver branches folded over the highway. The sun broke between the clouds and polished the frozen landscape.

One particular seen was more than I could pass by. We stopped to watch clouds of steam roll up from the mountain floor and across the shimmering forest. It was breathtaking. My attempt at capturing it on film didn't come close to the image imprinted on my soul. It was a precious opportunity to experience God's artistry unfold in front of my own eyes. I can't do it justice really, even though I try. It's not even about the words, really. Or the hope that you will some how see what I saw. You can't. Even if you were there. Those priceless moments were for me. The way my heart received them was as God's voice. Even if you were there, and even if you shared those wondrous visions, you didn't hear what I heard. And neither did I hear how God spoke to you.

God knew what I needed to hear that afternoon. He knew the quiet desperation of the far reaches of my heart. He knew what I longed for. And He answered magnificently. "Do you see me? Do you believe that I'm here? Let me show you." It started with life yanking me down into frustration and irritation. But then my wife, Lisa, lifted the flag and called out, "give us a new attitude. restore our joy." I saw God in her heart and the glory of His greatness was revealed, in one small nudge in a different direction. Then one turn left instead of right brought yet another deposit of His loving hand. And as the terrain around me took on new life, my heart welled with joy in anticipation of the days to come.

That experience set the tone for the rest of the weekend. And every moment of that time was filled with memorable conversations, emotions, fellowship, and God touching and healing hearts. Life itself somehow seems more real during those moments. The numbness of everyday living wears off, and the feeling comes back to those places in you that have gone cold and stale. You don't want it to end, but you know you can't stay there. How, possibly, can you hang onto some part of that? How can you return there when it all seems to be nothing more than a distant memory, and life has butchered you yet again?

You must write it down. If you ever hope to taste again the joy of those moments, you have to write them down; your words, your thoughts, your experiences, the way it happened for you. Journaling nourishes your soul. Journaling allows you to travel back to those moments when the pain was unbearable, through the moments of restoration. It allows you to see how your deepest questions have been answered, and how your Heavenly Father spoke life and truth into your aching heart. It's your story as no one else sees it. It's Scripture that speaks to you, and quotes, and life's little sayings. It's moments of joy, and times of darkness. It's prayers. It's success and it's failure. It's your life, and it's valuable. And the opportunity to travel back through all of it is beyond measure. How can you know where you are going if you don't know where you came from. Write it down. You don't know how? Yes, you do. And one day, it will matter. One day when the pages are yellow and crumpled and life here is but a vague memory tucked away in the recess of another's past, your life will speak boldly. Your journey will inspire another. Your story will continue.