Northern Ireland is absolutely stunning. The sight of lush green grassy landscapes, the sound of the crystal blue sea, the scent of fragrant wild flowers, and the cold stone of the crumbling remains belonging to once mighty castles all overtake my senses. It feels like I am living in a painting. I find myself constantly asking "how can this be real"? But aside from the very obvious and outward presence of God's beauty that I am blessed by daily, I am truly beginning to gain understanding of God's inner beauty, His heart.
Since the start of my Race (just a mere two weeks ago) my faith has been continuously tested. I have been challenged to listen to the voice of God and to simply do what He says no matter how crazy it may seem to me at the given time. On Monday evening during worship, one of the leaders came to me and said that he had a prophetic word for me. He said that the Lord had given him a picture of me going into a field and finding an old wishing well. I had to search for the well, as it was not easily visible but it was off of the path. It could only be found if it were intentionally sought out. In the vision when I approached the well, I saw that there was a bucket and began to lower myself down and then half way I suddenly realized that I was being lowered by an outside force. When I reached the bottom, what I saw was breathtakingly beautiful. The sunlight danced off of the water and casted shimmering rainbows onto the old stone well walls. The "word" that the Lord was giving to my leader through this vision was that Jesus will meet me in the secret place. He will lower me down into the depths of His love. The Lord's beauty and His heart are found in the secret place, and that is where I will be filled up with His love. It is in my quiet times with the Father, that He will reveal Himself and His beauty to me.
On Tuesday my team had the day off from ministry. We were given the opportunity to explore the Causeway Coast of Northern Ireland. It was so awesome to venture out and sightsee with my new little family. The first stop on our touring adventure was Dunluce Castle. We walked through the beautiful cliff-top castle remains, of course taking about a jillion photos a long the way. The foaming ocean tide was on one side of the castle and vast, flowing grass fields spotted with colorful flowers stretched across the other side of the ruins. As my team and I were beginning the trek back to our bus stop, I veered off of the main path. When I rounded the corner, I found a well. A legit well. What are the odds? I couldn't help but to laugh a little and thank God for His sense of humor.
Our next stop was the Old Bushmills Distillery. Whiskey has been made in Bushmills since 1608. It is one of the very oldest working distilleries in the world. My team and I also enjoyed an A-mazing lunch of fish and chips in the seaside city of Bushmills. So good!!
Our final stop for the day was the Carrick-A-Reed rope bridge. We hiked 1km to the bridge along an absolutely stunning trail. After daring the extremely sketchy rope bridge, slippery slopes, and taking in the "someone pinch me please" ocean views, we began the 1km walk back. I had been chatting with the married couple on my team, but then realized that they might like a little alone time (it doesn't get much more romantic than the coast of Northern Ireland after all). So I decided to go on ahead by myself a little ways up the trail. As I was walking the path, I was just thanking the Lord for His majestic creation and for the blessing to be able to witness such beauty first hand. All of a sudden I was completely overwhelmed with the presence of God. I clearly heard Him speak to my heart. His words were simple. "This is all for you my Beautiful Daughter." The power of those words struck my soul, I immediately felt a peace and an overflowing love. The Father then placed the scripture Micah 4:12 on my heart (I don't regularly read the book of Micah…at all, so I know it must have been from the Lord). 🙂
As soon as I got on the bus, I asked my teammate for her bible and immediately looked up the passage. Verse 12 on its own, didn't make much sense to me. So I read Micah 4:6-13. Verse 8 and verse 13 really resonated with me and I felt the Lord's redemption fall upon me. Verse 8 reads, "As for you, watchtower of the flock, stronghold of Daughter Zion, the former dominion will be restored to you; kingship will come to Daughter Jerusalem." I felt like the Lord was reassuring me of His fatherly love for me. I felt that these words were His promise that He will restore me to being the daughter of a mighty king that He created me to be, and to whom he trusts with precious things. Verse 13 reads "Rise and thresh Daughter Zion, for I will give you horns of iron; I will give you hooves of bronze, and you will break to pieces many nations. You will devote their ill-gotten gains to the Lord, their wealth to the Lord of all the earth." I felt the divine wisdom that this was the Lord's desire for my life. For me to be used as a powerful tool to aid in bringing His Kingdom here on earth. When I handed my teammate back her bible, I was blown away. It was sooooo awesome to be able to feel such a tangible and clear connection with God. She of course shared in my excitement and joy with me…basically mini party in the back of the bus!
So in the end, there was a field. In the field there was a well. And in the well there was the gentle, and beautiful voice of my Father. He will continue to lower me down. I will continue to listen.
<3 Love you all,
Cassie
