May the road rise to meet you

[Katie Keegan Photography]


As it is the eve of my departure for a summer over the pond, I have found myself unable to sleep. What better to do in those moments than write - it is after all when I find my mind most clear. My eyes, however, are another story because I cannot locate my glasses at the present time. So heed my warning & if there are spelling mistakes or grammatical errors please go easy on me.

This journey of fundraising, much like the last, has tried my patience & tested my trust. It has stretched me. I feel closer to the Father watching Him provide for me (in a different way than the last) now than when I first began.

But I'm here now. I'm in Atlanta. Im fully funded. I'm (somewhat) packed. I have enough snack food to last me, well, a whole summer. I am good to go. But my heart, it is anxious. My fickle self is reminded that putting our lives together neatly does not grant us peace. But the heart of the Father is to show us the way to His everlasting peace.

Could it be that peace isn't about having things all neatly put together? Don't get me wrong, I love having a clean room like anyone else because it seriously eases the anxiety. But there are some things that we cannot control in our lives and what do we do then? What I've been learning this past season is that we can control where our eyes are fixed. No doubt, there were days I fixed my eyes on school or fundraising or work. But even if I got a lot accomplished that day, the peace did not compare to that of a day where my eyes were fixed on Jesus.

The verse: I will lift my eyes to the hills. Where does my help come from? Surely, it comes from the Lord. has trailed me for years. In fact, the first time I think I came across it was at an overlook at a United Methodist Assembly in Beersheba TN. In front of me lay the most perfect mountain view I've ever seen and below me lay stone with the verse above etched in its face. It's nothing special - but to me it is a sacred place. Because I learned to set my eyes on my Maker and not on my own two feet. I would look down and see the verse and immediately be beckoned to look up once more.


In a moment such as this, where I confess that I am nervous to embark on this journey - I feel that same old beckoning feeling to lift my eyes. Sure, I could repack my bag for the 5th time (no seriously) - go over my packing list again - keep myself busy. but I would be denying the chance to sit and be with my Father, to process through the leaving with Him, to let Him prepare my heart for the months to come.

What a sweet thing we could miss out on if we were fixed on the thing in front of us in whatever form it takes: anxiety, pride, business, etc.

The word for this time with Abba? Abide
The Hebrew word is guwr & means to sojourn or dwell for an extended amount of time.

Everything may not be perfect. You may, like me, be unable to fit all your snacks in your backpack for the trip and your shoes may be untied every minute. But when you bend down to tie them, just remember to lift your eyes to the One who is your great help. Take a breath & walk into the next moment with the Holy Peace of Jesus.

May we fix our gaze on our Father who extends all comfort and peace. May we learn to let go of things not in our control. and May we guwr with God in the days to come.

may the road rise to meet you, and the wind be ever at your back
and until we meet again, may God hold you in the palm of His hand

Journey well,
Em





**I won't be keeping up with everyone through this blog. BUT if you follow Choose to Invest on social media, you'll be able to see what I'm up to. And if you want to read blogs throughout the summer by the Journey 2016 team, they will be posted HERE