“This would make a lot more sense to me, if this place didn’t exist and I woke up tomorrow and found out everything was a dream, or the Lord has taken us to a land like Narnia that didn’t actually exist. Then it would add up.”
I’ll have these amazing memories, and I think to myself, nothing could ever come along and top it, but God loves to blow us away. Not because he guarantees an easy life filled with all we want, but because of the person He is. His character doesn’t change based on what we do or don’t do. He loves us all the same. The Mags had so many unexpected gifts showered upon us, we truly didn’t have room to receive all that he gave. Port Dickson will hold a special place in my heart for a long time I’m certain. From the cab drivers who would wait for us at the beach to make sure we returned to the hotel safely, to the incredible hospitality of the family at the greenhouse cafe( the Mags are quite good at finding wonderful local cafes), ending with the young men who took our photos, and asked for our stories , to the young man from Starbucks who had been to Alaska. Every desire, every need, and every prayer was met.
I can honestly say I’ve never had my prayers answered in a back to back fashion like that. Day after day, it kept getting better and better. I remember sitting at the greenhouse cafe and the owners told us happy Easter and brought us free chocolate cake, something deep fried, and thanked us for spending our Easter with them. I couldn’t breathe at that moment. My fingers were tingling, my eyes welled up with tears, and I was speechless. Not only had they been giving us pointers on where to go for our upcoming months, and how to travel across the country, they gave us something that they didn’t have to. A feeling of home away from our families. I was completely overwhelmed by Jesus in that moment and I know he used all the people we met to show me how much he really loves me.
Not the love that only comes through, when everything’s gravy, but a real love that comes after me and refuses to give up or turn its back on me. I’m talking about standing against imminent death and destruction, taking a deep breathe and saying, “take me. I will give you my life in her place.” The love that echoes through centuries of time, and shakes the foundations of earth.
I’m not sure if I’ve even begun to understand all that happened there, or if I will ever know more than I know now. I do know this; that through it all, there is no one I would rather have shared it with than Jesus.
Love,
Alisha
