Hinds' Feet On High Places

First, I thank the good Lord for those of you that still read my blog.  Your words of encouragement and prayers in the comments on my last posts are BEYOND appreciated!

Rest assured, with the first day of summer break, God has begun a work in me to prepare me to be a better educator, friend, wife, and mother. I know it. Let me explain...

I think I've said this before, but it bears repeating: I don't believe in coincidences or "accidents". Those "moments" are all a part of the plan wrought by the ultimate designer.  Now, having said that...

Before I left for summer vacation, I had to clean out my room and ready to move to a different room.  In the course of this move, I boxed up my classroom library - which wasn't really ever used - and I decided to donate many of the books.  I first offered them to our school librarian.  She looked through them and took what she thought she could use, but then, she pulled out a copy of Hinds' Feet On High Places by Hannah Hurnard. 

I had never read the book. I probably picked it up at a yard sale those early years in my teaching when I was trying to find books to fill my classroom library.  Now, she pulled out this book and handed it to me saying, "You REALLY need to read this!  I read it long ago, and it was GREAT! It's a Christian allegory. I think you might like it." 

I took it from her, and I said I would give it a try.  Well, I started reading it last night, and it's as if Heaven opened up and delivered a message straight from the Creator to me.

Here's the gist from a summary online:

"It is the story of a young woman named Much Afraid, and her journey away from her Fearing family and into the High Places of the Shepherd, guided by her two companions Sorrow and Suffering. It is an allegory of a Christian devotional life from salvation through maturity. It aims to show how a Christian is transformed from unbeliever to immature believer to mature believer, who walks daily with God as easily on the High Places of Joy in the spirit as in the daily life of mundane and oftentimes humiliating tasks that may cause Christians to lose perspective.  The book takes its title from Habakkuk 3:19, 'The Lord God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds' feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places.'"

That's what I need - to mature more in my faith.  Maturity - His maturity - in all things.  I need to lean on Him for my strength - in all things - and then I'M SURE I'll experience a peace that passeth all understanding - in ALL things.

I'm excited about continuing to read this book. In fact, I'm going to jump back into it as soon as I post this.  I've so much more to learn about what it means to be a Christian - to have that relationship with Jesus here on earth.  I'm hoping, praying, and fully expecting that this book will give me insight on how to get closer to my Jesus through WHATEVER He is currently doing in my life.  I know it will - it's in my hands for a reason - I don't believe in coincidences.

Today's forget-me-not: Reach out to Him; He will reach out to you - in ways you might never imagine!