Cherokee Youth Ritual

I have no idea if this is factual, but it was a very touching email that was sent to me some time ago. I apologize if it is not accurate, but it is inspiring nonetheless:

Do you know the legend of the Cherokee Indian youth's rite of passage?

His father takes him into the forest, blindfolds him and leaves him alone. He is required to sit on a stump the whole night and not remove the blindfold until the rays of the morning sun shine through it. He cannot cry out for help to anyone. Once he survives the night, he is a MAN. He cannot tell the other boys of this experience because each lad must come into manhood on his own.

The boy is naturally terrified. He can hear all kinds of noises. Wild beasts must surely be all around him. Maybe even some human might do him harm. The wind blew the grass and earth, and shook his stump, but he sat stoically, never removing the blindfold. It would be the only way he could become a man!

Finally, after a horrific night, the sun appeared and he removed his blindfold. It was then that he discovered his father sitting on the stump next to him. He had been at watch the entire night, protecting his son from harm.


We, too, are never alone. Even when we don't know it, our Heavenly Father is watching over us, sitting on the stump beside us. When trouble comes, all we have to do is reach out to Him.
Moral of the Story: Just because you can't see God, doesn't mean He is not there. "For we walk by faith, not by sight." ~ 2 Corinthians 5:7 ~

Familiar?

Do you ever read something like this and worry that it sounds a bit too familiar?

Beware that you forget not the LORD your God, in not keeping his commandments, and his judgments, and his statutes, which I command you this day: Lest when you have eaten and are full, and have built goodly houses, and dwelled therein; And when your herds and your flocks multiply, and your silver and your gold is multiplied, and all that you have is multiplied; Then your heart be lifted up, and you forget the LORD your God, which brought you forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage; Who led you through that great and terrible wilderness, wherein were fiery serpents, and scorpions, and drought, where there was no water; who brought you forth water out of the rock of flint; Who fed you in the wilderness with manna, which your fathers knew not, that he might humble you, and that he might prove you, to do you good at your latter end; And you say in your heart, My power and the might of my hand has gotten me this wealth. But you shall remember the LORD your God: for it is he that gives you power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he swore to your fathers, as it is this day. And it shall be, if you do at all forget the LORD your God, and walk after other gods, and serve them, and worship them, I testify against you this day that you shall surely perish. As the nations which the LORD destroys before your face, so shall you perish; because you would not be obedient to the voice of the LORD your God.

-Deuteronomy 8:11-20

The Time Draws Near

Okay, so the big day is this upcoming Wednesday evening. I have been studying and prepping myself because frankly, I'm scared. I'm worried that I won't live up to what He deserves me to be, but I feel called to do it and I keep telling myself that I can do all things through Him.

Breathe in, breathe out.

On an interesting (possible) turn of events, it seems that one of the Mormon missionaries might be going through a faith crisis of his own. Maybe this is the reason why they are coming? We'll see. I'm leaving it up to God.

Keep praying. I need it!

More Weather...

So it seems that Gustav was not nearly as bad as expected, although I hate to say that knowing that there are a lot of people who did receive the brunt of that storm.

What now? Hanna is headed for our house. Hopefully not specifically our house, but she is definitely headed this way. Although the reports show it hitting more of the Charleston area rather than Savannah currently, there is no certainty with the weather patterns and we'll still be affected even if it hits Charleston (although that does put us on the "good" side of the storm.

We'll be watching it carefully and evacuating if need be. In fact, Chip plans to go get plywood for the back of our house (which faces east) tomorrow. Even if Hanna misses us, there is a possibility that Ike is right behind her.

So, right now I ask you to pray for a few things...

1. Firstly, pray for those currently undergoing the storms. Those poor residents of the Caribbean have just encountered Fay, Gustav, Hanna and now Ike is headed toward them. Although only one of our coastlines is affected by each (usually), they take hard hits with each!
2. Secondly, pray for those recovering from Gustav. Although it wasn't the massive monster that it could have been, there are people still in need of help due to the damage that was inflicted.
3. Next, pray for whoever these next hurricanes hit. I will be glad if it is not us, but I know that it will hit SOMEBODY.
4. Lastly, pray for all of us in the possible paths of all of these storms that we will have peace and comfort in our Lord, knowing that God is in control of all of this crazy weather.

Soon I hope to be back to our regularly scheduled posting (was it ever regular?), but until these storms pass, it may be sporadic!

The Silence Begins...

Have you ever not asked God for something because you’re afraid you might get it? I have.

There are times that I hesitate to pray for humility or patience. Not that I don’t want them, but it’s just that I don’t want the lessons that go along with receiving them. That’s right. God doesn’t just snap His fingers and make us magically humble and giving. Nope…He likes to teach us how to be humble by snatching our pride out from under us. No pretty paintings; no magical fairy dust. Just a lesson that is often hard to swallow. But the lesson does its job. We don’t take that gift for granted when we’ve experienced a situation to get there. We are more able to see the grace of God by having Him walk us through the storms rather than avoiding the storms altogether and ending up on the other side in the clearing. We become more dependent on Him. We draw closer to Him. Our witness grows.

I have avoided asking at times because I was afraid. It is the fallen side of humanity coming out in me. It is a lack of trust in God to see me through. It is fear of the unknown, although I know He holds the universe in His hand. It is wrong. Plain and simple. I fail.

This blog emerges because I cannot be silenced by fear. I have hesitated in starting it in fear of what could start happening to me if I write those things that I feel inspired to share. You see, I have been wanting and needing to write this for weeks now…possibly months. I feel inspired by God to share things with an unknown audience and the only thing that has stopped me to this point is this fact: When we start working for God, we draw the attention of Satan who is working to prevent the advancement of God’s kingdom. When he sees people drawing to God’s word and plan, he begins trying to demolish the source. That’s scary to me. He’s pretty powerful. He’s downright scary.

However, my God is bigger and more powerful than Satan, and He is holy. He will not give me any weight I cannot bear. He will not allow this enemy to take me. I will hold to Him.

And so, I begin silencing the very stones that might cry out in my stead if I don't proclaim His glory.