Water Walking

Water cascaded over the side of the rocky incline. I stared at the waterfall thirty feet away and the rushing water in front of me. What am I doing? Am I crazy?

"Come on Mom. It's great." Jared yelled above the roar of the water. Dark water swirled around my teenage son as he grasped another rock along the edge of the rushing river.

"Oh, it's cold," I shrieked as I slid into the water. My husband was just a few feet in front of me. The water was slightly above his waist, but when I plunged in, it came up to my chest. How did I end up river walking? We were just going to dip our feet in and get a few pictures of the waterfall!

"You can do it, Sue. Just move one foot at a time. Get a good grip of the rocks on the side. The current is strong and it's slippery under the water, so step carefully."

After several minutes of moving against the force of the water, I stopped about ten feet from Auger Falls. "This is far enough for me. I can see the waterfall great from here," I yelled above the noise.

My son peeked out from a narrow crevice behind the cascading water. "No, Mom. You have to come all the way - all the way behind the waterfall."

My husband turned around. "You can do it, just grab my hand."

"I can't. I'm fine right here."

"You can." Jim extended his hand. "You'll be safe with me."

I looked into my husband's eyes and then took a deep breath and leaned forward. Our hands interlocked and I squeezed tight while clinging to the rock with my right. Little by little, I edged forward, closer to the waterfall. Soon, I was looking out from under a veil of falling water at the rushing river below.

"I can't believe this." I leaned against the cool, wet rock wall that surrounded us on three sides. "It's amazing!"

"Isn't it great?" Jared said, his voice echoing slightly under the rocky shelf.

"You did it Sue." Jim looked at me with a smile. "I knew you could."

"With your help, Jim. I wouldn't have made it without you."

Life is a little like water walking. Sometimes God doesn't allow us to see the waterfall from the sidelines. There are times He brings us right down into the rushing river and allows us to see life and eternity from a different vantage point.

Don't stop. Keep moving. Reach out and grasp the Rock of Christ. Allow your friends and family to help you along the journey. God has given us friends in the Lord to encourage and help one another. And the beautiful part is that along the way, you just might discover that life with Christ is one amazing adventure!

Won't you join the journey?

In Jesus' love,
Susan

P.S. This event really happened last summer at Auger Falls in New York. It was my first waterfall river walk!

God of Wonders

I wrote this post "God of Wonders" today on my other site, Anna's Place. Anna's Place is my other blog for those who have experienced grief and pain that comes with the death of a loved one. I felt it was important to post it here at Adventurous Living. I pray these words will speak to your heart today.


It's interesting to see how certain events bring back memories.

I'm in the middle of Vacation Bible School right now at our church. You see, my first husband, Gerry (short for Gerald), died the week before Vacation Bible School in 1992. I was the VBS director then. I am the director now.

Many wondered and some outsiders even scoffed at how I showed up and led the songs that summer of '92. All I can say is that I couldn't stay home. There was work to do. And if I had to sit down and cry after the kids left the sanctuary for their class - I did.

But I also knew this was yet another opportunity to share the "God of Wonders" with children and their families. People need to know that God loves them. People need to know that Jesus will save them from their sin and give them a home in Heaven for all eternity.

So as I sing and lead children this week at VBS, I stand back in awe at the God of Wonders who has saved me and brought me this far. I leave you today with the words to this song. May you know the God of Wonders who loves you and gave His life for you so you might live! Allow your heart to sing...

God of Wonders

Lord of all creation,Of water, earth, and sky.

The heavens are your tabernacle. Glory to the Lord on high.

God of wonders beyond our galaxy,You are holy, holy.

The universe declares your majesty. You are holy, holy.

Lord of heaven and earth; Lord of heaven and earth.

A Prescription for Doubt

Did you ever have the fleeting thought, "What if it isn't true? What if the Bible really isn't the Word of God?"

The devil loves to mess with our minds. So where do we go when our minds are barraged with a full frontal assault?

Right back to the truth of the Bible.

"All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work." II Timothy 3:16,17

I love reading the 4 Gospel narratives in the New Testament. Each writer has a different perspective, a different angle of looking at the events surrounding Jesus Christ's birth, life, death, resurrection, and ascension into Heaven. The Holy Spirit worked through each of these unique men, each having a different writing style to say what God wanted us to know.

Right now I'm reading Dr. Luke's narrative. That's right. One of the writer's that God used to pen his Word was a doctor. Check out the attention to detail Luke uses just in the first four verses of Luke, chapter one.

"Inasmuch as many have taken in hand to set in order a narrative of those things which have been fulfilled among us, just as those who from the beginning were eyewitness and ministers of the word delivered them to us, it seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write to you an orderly account, most excellent Theophilus, that you may know the certainty of those things in which you were instructed." Luke 1:1-4

Put your name where "Theophilus" is and guess what? It makes this passage real personal.

If you haven't been instructed in the Scriptures, now is a good time to take a look. Find out what God's Word is all about. Go to a Bible believing and teaching church and get plugged in. Don't let the devil keep you away from something that will change your life forever. An encounter with the living God through His Word will change your life - for the good - for all eternity!

And for those of us who have been instructed in the Bible? Keep reading. Keep attending a Bible teaching and preaching church. Don't give into doubt. There is an orderly account for us to understand. There are unsearchable riches for us to explore. There were eyewitnesses and ministers that saw the prophecies of the Old Testament Scriptures being fulfilled before their very eyes!

Yes, we can know with certainty those things in which we were instructed!

Live the adventure,
Susan

July Update

Hi all my blogging friends :) Just checking in with you all! The above title is not very creative, but hey, it's real! It's about all my fried brain can come up with right now!

I enjoyed spending alittle time this afternoon surfing your sites. How relaxing to visit with you and encouraging to see what God is doing all around the world. Our God is truly amazing and all-powerful!

We had an "eventful" 4th of July holiday here in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. A little trip to the ER (Can you believe it happened even before the picnic started? Don't worry, all turned out well!), a family picnic, a wiffle-ball game, fireworks in the rain... But probably the most memorable part of our family's 4th of July celebration was missing my oldest son who has been in Germany for the last ten days playing his trombone with All American Youth in Concert. I suppose since he's leaving for college in two short years, I better get used to that!


Also, I ask for your prayers for the church I attend and their upcoming Vacation Bible School program on July 14-18th. I am busy preparing last minute details as the VBS Director. Please pray for the salvation of souls. That's what this VBS is all about - kids and their families learning about Jesus Christ and discovering that they can be forgiven of their sin, have Jesus help them through this life, and have a home in heaven that lasts forever!


I'm especially excited with the theme for this year's program since I used to work in a medical laboratory before having children. If you're interested in knowing more about why the blood of Jesus is soooooo important, check out one of my posts from last year on this interesting topic. (Click here) In addition, my blogging friend Connie, at Connie's Thoughts from the Heart also had a very thought provoking post today about the importance of Christ's blood.

There's power in the blood of the Lamb!

Live the adventure,
Susan

Soar

Did you ever watch an eagle soar through the sky? What an amazing sight to behold. Majestic and strong, this beautiful bird will rise and crest with the wind. God says that we can mount up with wings like eagles. I like that promise!



Even the youths shall faint and be weary, And the young men shall utterly fall, but those who wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles. They shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint. Isaiah 40:30,31

These Bible verses are special to me. In fact, after attending public school up through the eighth grade, I had the opportunity to attend a little Christian school for my high school years. Isaiah 40:31 was our field hockey team's theme verse.

On various trips, I remember riding along in the yellow school bus to and from our games singing with the rest of the girls, "They that wait upon the LORD, shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings as eagles..."

Surely that Scripture song has come back to me again and again, on good days and days that I'm having a really tough time. You see, with Jesus Christ, we can mount up and rise above life's circumstances, just like an eagle. The LORD surely will carry us through.

Teach me LORD, teach me LORD to wait!

Live the adventure,
Susan