Strawberry Jam

Ok, I've had my rant.  Cannot promise it will be the last.

Last time we chatted I spoke of 'broken cisterns', leaning on our own understanding, trusting in human wisdom...rather than the Lord and His Word.  I am sorry to admit that we had become uncomfortable and impatient.  In our well-intentioned efforts to soothe the agony of uncertainty in our lives, we had spun the wheel and landed on 'Chile'.  We thank God now for His firm, yet gentle redirection... 

There was no doubt storm clouds were continuing to gather.  Dinner with a friend (who was enlisted in the army) included conversation which confirmed reports we had heard.  The army was (and is) actively recruiting people to train for work in 'resettlement and internment camps'.  Of course, the ten-billion dollar question is, 'WHY' ??? Other 'chance' conversations informed us that FEMA had not only been stockpiling unimaginable amounts of hollow point ammunition (outlawed in international warfare because of the carnage it causes), but had been shipping stockpiles of storable foods to its employees all over the country.

In light of all the 'bad news', as my kids called it, it was a continual challenge to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, and NOT on the circumstances.  Still, we knew the Lord had allowed us access to information that would have been foolish to ignore.

I knew all too well the tragic decline of our nation...I could see the handwriting on the wall.  Something continued to weigh quite heavily on my heart, though.  Henry had been the one to initiate the conversation about 'coming out' of the country.  He was the one reading the Scriptures and hearing the Lord in this.  Normally I was the one with the tendency toward things 'prophetic'...WHY was the Lord speaking to Henry, and not to me???  In the unity of marriage, it did not seem right that God would be saying something so profoundly life-changing to him...and not to me!

June 25, 2013 was a pivotal day in several respects.  My devotion that morning included the following admonition:

"Never dread any consequence resulting from absolute obedience to His command.  Dare to trust Him!  Dare to follow Him!  Then discover that the forces that blocked your progress and threatened your life become, at His command, the very materials He uses to build your street of freedom." (Streams in the Desert)


Later that afternoon, my friend and prayer partner Christine came over to make jam.  I had shared my concerns with her.  She arrived with a bowlful of fragrant, homegrown strawberries and a verse the Lord had given her for me:

"Make plain the vision.  Write it on tablets, that he may run who reads it."
(Habakkuk 2:2)

"I think what you need to do is get some index cards and go back through your prayer journal for the last year or so.  See if there is ANYTHING that might corroborate what Henry thinks he is hearing.  Write anything you find on the cards, then you can lay them out on the table...see if there is any kind of pattern...make plain the vision."

It was the wisest counsel I had heard in awhile.  I vowed to pick up some
index cards and revisit my journal soon!