Tomorrow, my daughter’s coming home from the mountains of Zacapa, Guatemala.
While we’re excited to have her home, I know she’s left part of her heart in Zacapa. God has been faithful in affirming her desire to work in long-term mission work sometime in her life.
But there’s a saying,
Even Moses had to come down from the mountain.
And man, did his bubble burst
the second his foot met solid ground.
God is gracious in giving us Mountain Top experiences.
He’s also gracious by allowing them to end.
It causes us to lean more into Him,
because living in the Valley can be
toiling, tiresome, frustrating, and hard.
I’ll never forget one of my first MT experiences at a Women of Faith conference as a young mom. When I came home, my husband wearily looked at me and said, “I’m glad you’re home.” One of the kids had just puked and guess what my first task was back in the Valley?
And such is our walk in life with God.
He provides moments so precious
we don’t want to leave them
to become memories,
I have.
Re-entry into the world you left is different.
You’re the same on the outside,
but different on the inside.
“When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the covenant law in his hands, he was not aware that his face was radiant because he had spoken with the Lord.” Exodus 34:29
I’m sure tomorrow night
when we meet my little girl at the airport,
her face will be radiant,
because she, too,
has met her God on the mountain,
We’ll help her process what it means to live as Mountain Dwellers in the heart of the Valley until the Lord leads her on to “what’s next.”
I’m challenged to go back to Mountain Top places in my life, remembering the lessons, and figuring out how to be a Mountain Dweller, radiant from the Son, in Valley living.
Where have your Mountain Top places been?
Where have you seen God work in your life
that were life-renewing and life-changing for you?
How have you been able to integrate those lessons into the life you are living now?
What have you found successful in living as a radiant “Mountain Dweller” with the Lord in the middle of the Valley?
I would love to hear your mountain-top experience stories. God is so good in giving them to us.
But Adios for today – I’ve got to prepare a homecoming for Senorita Mtn. Dweller. Washing bedding, cleaning bathrooms, etc., that valley-living stuff.
But join me in carving out time with the Father so we can be radiant to all the world
Down in the Valley.
Brenda
P.S Here are some pictures of the New Season for my porch.
Janette, your words are very meaningful to me – the reality of the words "walking around almost lost" rings so true. What experiences your young men have. What wonderful husbands and fathers they will be. Thank you!
Love you porch…and yes, yes, amen, amen…as you walk her through processing. I have watched my sons, having been to Africa, Cambodia, Russia and Germany…walk around almost lost when they came home…and yes, what now? As my son came back from Cambodia this year I loved the maturity God has place in him as a older adult, a married man, he started to process and it was good. You are wise…God will give you the right words to walk her through…and yes, what tomorrow holds.
Thank you so much, Joe!
Thank you, Amelia! She is one who also doesn't like change – always as her mom to help her through those processes. I hope she develops into a beautiful, God-honoring woman like you. Thank you.
Hope her homecoming was wonderful! I had a few of those experiences after missions trips in high school, and as an adult, it's always a post-conference attendance low. It's a great time to practice what I've learned. Thanks for these great reminders!
A lovely porch 🙂
Thank you, Bobbie, for your kind words. I hope they bless those who hear them, for His glory.
Brenda, I admire and enjoy so much how you express these spiritual truths. Thank you for sharing them.
Marian, thank you so much for your prayers and encouragement!
Thank you so much, Denise. She is truly a remarkable young lady. Thank you for your kind words!
Loved reading your thoughts as you anticipate Kaylee's return. What a reunion! No doubt you and she will be processing for days, even weeks. Can't wait to hear some of the results. Marian
What a lovely tribute to your daughter; this will mean so much to her! God is certainly preparing her for bigger things; she will always carry the mountain top experiences with her to inspire her when the going is tough, and to give her a goal to work towards. :)Happy home-coming to your daughter!DeniseBTW…your porch looks lovely and so inviting!