One of the most freeing truths in the universe is to know that we are all fearfully and wonderfully made. God knit us together in our mothers womb personally, fully aware of the works and adventures he would set before us, so that we would be fully equipped and passionate to live out our callings. One of the desires God knit into me is to escape into nature and just be still. My affections for God are so stirred when I see the fullness of the night sky, watch an incredible sunset, hear the waves crash onto the oceans shores, feel the soft breeze on a gorgeous spring day. I can hear God better in these moments. I'm soooo much closer to Him.
God knows this.
The God who sovereignty wrote my days like a poem knows how to intricately wave these moments in my life to stir my joy and worship in and to Him. In the middle of the mess that Satan was creating in my mind, God wrote a stanza of escape.
That escape took its setting at a place called "orchard glory". I call it Glory Ranch cause I couldn't remember what it was called when I told people about it, and it just honestly sounds cooler right? Anyways, Anna, a wonderful woman of God on my team, and I got nominated by our team to leave the base and take the 2 hour trip north to this ranch. Zion Church was havin a retreat there, and had contacted YWAM in need of 2 of their staff to come out for 4 days and run and kids program while the adults of the congregation went to sessions. I was pumped! I had been doing this exact thing at lutherhill for a year of my life and I had been missing it, so I immediately recognized it as a huge blessing from God. Little did I know…
When I stepped out of the car –2 members of the congregation graciously gave us a lift–I was greeted by that glorious feel in the air that tells you it's spring, and the smell of citrus blossoms. After unloading I took a quick look around. The place was clearly an orchard because there were lemon and orange trees you could pick from if you wanted, and there were all sorts of animals all over the place. I wondered a ways off from the cluster of cozy little guests house which we were to stay in, and was immediately greeted by the amazing views of rolling hills and meadows all around me scattered with distant flocks of sheep and cattle. The place was beautiful, and the weather–perfect.
Afterwards, Anna and I began our responsibilities of entertaining kids. They were so great. All they wanted to do was be ridiculous and play games all the time. And play games we did. In fact, we probably played too many games. How do i know? Because by thr end of day 3 aleanest 8 of the 12 kids we were responsible for had some sort of injury. That's when you know it's going well. Rofl. (They were only minor injuries…I can be trusted with kids I swear.) We also added in a little bible study and a worship to close it all off. It was exhausting at times because at the end of the day kids are kids, but it was just what I needed. It was so refreshing to just be at camp again.
However, the most refreshing experience to me was looking at the stars. It was incredible. It was peaceful. Towards the end of my month in Malaysia I was getting so sick of the clustered city life. The noise never ended, the sky was hidden behind the aura of city lights…there was no stillness. It clustered my soul, and I prayed and asked God for stars. I think I actually asked for a rolling blackout of the entire island of Penang. (selfish, I know) His response was 3 nights under the brightest stars I have ever seen in a field at an Australian orchard. Goodness. And it wasn't coincidence. All three nights there was no moon, I seriously never saw one cloud, and sometimes it got so quiet that it felt like I was spelunking in the bottom of a cave. It was totally and completely designed for me! ( And Anna too. Check out her blog for how God designed her weekend…it's nuts.) God knows me, and he took me out of trying to serve and strive and do for Him, he took me out of feelings of inadequacy because I could never strive enough, he took me out of the chaos and the to do lists, and he brought me to stillness. He reminded me every night to have "peace in the process" and to just trust and abide in Him. He encouraged me that the God of the Universe was still proud of me right in the moment. Right where I am
He knew.
He knew how he wired me thus he knew how to calm my soul and fill me up again. He knew how to awaken my heart again and stir peace in my soul. He knew how to bring me joy. What a good God!
I'm now fully convinced that God knows are desires and what we need, and like a good friend, longs to give us those things. It brings glory to His goodness. God is soooo glorified when He brings us to the realization that He is worthy to be glorified. When we love Him not because we have to, but because we find our deepest joy in choosing to. God works all things together for our good because he is, in fact, good! I can trust that God even in the storms. A God who, with all His power and majesty, not only considers me, but chooses to know me and love me fully and perfectly in accordance to how He wired me. All of this is His grace. All of this is His goodness. What a great God!
