“It is good to have an end to journey toward; but it is the journey that matters, in the end.”
― Ernest Hemingway
I've heard this quote many times over my lifetime. I never really understood it, until now. Now as in January 6, 2013. I look back on the last few years of my life, and especially the last 8 months, and I get it. NO, like I really GET it. I read it and I'm blown away with how much I get it. We've been on a journey that has taught us so much!
I however believe we are not finished on our journey. I know God started this amazing journey for an amazing outcome and He's gonna do big things!
Journey: A process or course likened to traveling a passage
Passage: The act or process of moving through, under, over or past something on the way from one place to another.
In our journey we've gone through, under, over and past a lot of things to make it to the next step. We are sooo thankful for each and every one. Each and every step no matter how hard or long it took. Each step taught us another lesson, another part of our life God needed to refine.
THRU
We moved thru the motions. There have been times when we didn't know what the next step would be or when. We just had to move thru the motions as God showed us the way. We had to trust Him in His all knowing wisdom and know He was leading us with a purpose. And with each of those steps He gave us strength. Strength neither of us thought we had or could even receive from Him.
Phil 4:13 "I can do all this through him who gives me strength"
UNDER
We were under the cloud of emotions that each step brought. Some of those emotions were joyous and amazing. Some were heartbreaking and eye-opening. Emotions caused by things we thought we could never experience and still live to tell about. We did though and through each one we reminded ourselves and the ones around us that God was doing something big! We knew His light was shining through those moments of joy and heartache. Because we know His plan provides good and bad, but always brings good outcomes. His glory should be found in those good and bad moments.
Mark 4:21 "He said to them, "Do you bring in a lamp to put it under a bowl or a bed? Instead, don't you put it on its stand"
OVER
We always knew if we could just make it over the next hurdle, we'd be one step closer to what He was doing in our lives. Sometimes the next hurdle came out of nowhere and sometimes it was expected. Overcoming each hurdle took His hand and His angels guiding us.
Luke 4:10"For it is written: He will command his angels concerning you to guard you carefully"
PAST
Getting past the hurt sometimes was the hurdle for the moment. And some of those steps hurt so bad our hearts ached physically, not just emotionally. We had nights when we hurt and just wanted the current hurdle to be over. But God's timing is best and looking back we see that. We know during those moments of hurt He was shaping us and modeling us into the people and parents we would need to be in this journey. Shaping us and teaching us how to get past those moments of hurt.
Job 29:2"How I long for the months gone by, for the days when God watched over me"
One of the HUGE lessons we learned was compassion. We were taught by family and friends the true definition of compassion. So many expressed compassion in a variety of ways during our journey this far. We know God used those people to be His hands and feet. We know they were obedient to His commands. Words can't express the love we feel for each and every one.
Luke 10:33 "But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion"
Psalm 145:9 "The Lord is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made"
Our journey in the last few years has involved infertility, two precious babies lost, almost losing Luke, complete strict bedrest and Luke's heart condition and isolation.
If God could set you down and tell you "I'm gonna take you on an amazing journey but I must warn you there will be joy but also heartache" and then give you a choice of the journey or not experiencing the journey at all to avoid the hurt, what would you choose? I know my honest answer 4 years ago would be "I'm avoiding the hurt. I couldn't handle it." Now, I would experience the journey in a heartbeat. I know without a shadow of a doubt God's ways are ALWAYS best and I know His ways always lead to the good for those who love Him. So now when we sing, "where you go I'll go, where you move, I'll move. I will follow you." I'll be singing it from the depth of my heart and soul with honest and true emotion. I want to go where He sends us, where He moves us. I want to follow Him.
Luke 9:57 "as they were walking along the road, a man said to him, "I will follow you wherever you go."
So promise me this one thing. Promise me the next time God places a hurdle in your way, don't walk away and take the path that's easier because you don't want the hurt. There may be joy on the other side. Unspeakable joy. Our family can tell of that unspeakable joy over and over.
Jenna joyous.... holding Luke for the first time at home at one week old.
