I’ve taken to calling anything that Jesus does to show me His love a “love letter from Jesus”. Of course, this doesn’t come in the form of pen and paper; God is much more creative than sticking to just that. This month I have recieved more love letters then I can even count. God is working through our ministry host to just shower His love on me. This has ranged from hair cuts, to hot showers, to fellowship, to warm beds, to cold weather; anything and everything has spoken to me about God’s love. There is nothing, however, that has spoken louder then this past love letter.
Anyone who has ever met me will know that I have a total obsessive love with elephants; to the point that I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that I would cry upon seeing one close up. They are my favorite animal, and before leaving for the race I raved about how I was going to be able to ride one when we get to Thailand. No, I have not been on an elephant (yet), but this month in South Africa our amazing hosts blessed us with a trip to Kruger International Park. This park, you guessed it, is home to many, many elephants.
For three days we are staying in a beautiful home just outside of Kruger, and when I say just outside I mean I can actually see the fence of the park from our front yard. On our first day we went on a Safari inside the park. We have all been praying for days that we would see “the big five” animals in the park: that is lions, leopards, water buffalos, rhinos, and, of course, elephants.
As we were driving through the park I was sitting on the right side of our vehicle praying that I would see an elephant, and specifically asking if the first one we saw could be on my side of the road and perfectly visible from where I was sitting. I heard that still small voice whisper that it would happen just as I’d asked. About half an hour into our drive we spotted our first elephant, and low and behold, on my side of the car only a few feet away from the road. I was like a child at Christmas when I saw Him, and yes, I did cry. He was beautiful; everything I’d imagined, but beyond just seeing him, that elephant showed up in exactly the way that I had asked. Love letter number one.
As we continued to drive a mention of brunch was made; so we started heading to the destination where we would eat. I heard God whisper at that time “there will be two elephants at the place you are going to eat”, but I shoved that thought aside thinking I was simply wishing for the best. That was not the case, however. The place we stopped to eat was on top of a small hill, and right at the base of that hill there were two elephants eating out of a tree with nothing but a hill seperating us. We were able to stay there and watch them for half an hour at least. Love letter number two.
We had a wonderful time in the rest of our safari; we did successfully see all of the “big five” just like the team had prayed for, and besides the three that I saw very close there were also several other elephant sightings through out the day. Including four right next to the bridge we were on as we left the park, but it was the next day as Alex and I sat looking out over the park from our own home that the best love letter of them all came. We were looking out over Kruger from our balcony, and I told Alex “I would really love to see another elephant before we have to leave”. Then I prayed and asked Jesus that one would come and walk into view of our house. Not even ten minutes after praying that an elephant walked out of the tree line right in front of the house! Then TEN MORE ELEPHANTS FOLLOWED! This included three baby elephants! They stayed within our view for almost an hour, and I was able to watch them for that whole time. Love letter number three.
Maybe not everyone will understand this, but as I watched those elephants I had tears streaming down my face. And, this time it was not the elephants that brought them on. It was the realization that I was seen and heard and loved my my heavenly father. He knew my desire to see those elephants, and He over-delivered on that desire. I am so loved, and my heavenly father loves spoiling me and writing me amazing elephant-sized love letters.
