Monday morning I was reminded this week of the story of Gilgal. This story pierced my heart years ago where God brought major freedom into my life. It just so happens that on Monday mornings I teach yoga to a group of women at Gilgal Inc. here in Atlanta. Which is by no accident in itself. Gilgal is a group of women who have committed to walk into freedom and healing from drug and substance addictions. These women are full of courage, fiercely present, authentically real, and contagious in their laughter.
To say the least, I am so blessed to share this space with them, pray with them, and watch them walk this journey. Like any human journey sometimes they show up discouraged and other times bursting with hope. I love that I have the honor of watching them grow and share their hearts which in turn stirs my heart to do the same. Each yoga session we sit on our yoga mat and share our name and one word of where we find ourselves that day. We close out the session in the same way.
This past Monday was a hard morning for the Gilgal women. Again, by no accident the Lord brought my heart back to the story of Gilgal. This is where the Lord brought the Israelites to set up camp and set up 12 stones in memory to recall God’s faithfulness and the now freedom they had come to. It was a long journey that they had walked. That journey had a lot of ups and downs, tears, joy, doubt and even crying out to go back to where they had come from even if it meant going back to where they were captive and not free at all. Yet Christ stood faithful and unmovable. Just like those 12 stones now stood unmovable, full circle from where they had started.
This story overwhelmed my heart and found me where I was that day to tell the women that He stands unmovable and He stands victorious even in the midst of our doubting or weakness. I was doubting that morning too. He is for our good. He has stories of victory to write over our lives. When I can’t see past my current place or circumstance I have to take a moment to look back at my Gilgal. A place were God has already provided, showed up, and has taken my doubt and turning it into stones to be set up in memory of His victories in my little life. Standing in awe of what the Lord has already done. Will He not continue to do and be the same?
Those stones that represent steps of blind faith where He showed up more faithful and present then I could stand to say. Even in the midst of my deep doubt and in weakness and shaky knees. And I guess that’s where I find myself more often then I would like to admit on this journey. In the midst of preparing to go on the race. I have no idea what is ahead other than I have felt God ask me to say ‘YES, send me.’ And yes, I have had those moments of questioning. I ask God, how will we get there? How will all of this pan out? All of the what if’s that cause me to tremble. If you are joining me then welcome to my journey ! I have a feeling this will be yet another stone to set up in my Gilgal, in that full circle to see His goodness and faithfulness come through and overwhelm me yet again.
