Update #170 - Direct Route

“…guiding them in the right way, so that they might come into the town of their resting-place.” Psalm 107:7

Kirstenbosh National Botanical Gardens, Cape Town, South Africa

In 2006 I had the privilege to visit Cape Town, South Africa. We stayed in the Rondebosch neighborhood near the Newlands Cricket Stadium (700m walk away – this drove our sports enthusiasts crazy; to hear the roar of the crowd, the participants cheering - and not be there!). Cape Town itself is picturesque and stunning – but Rondebosh is surrounded by natural wonders - Table Mountain Natural Reserve, Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens, Rondebosch Commons. Everywhere you gaze beauty beholds – endless blue sky, verdant trees, lush vegetation, vibrant flowers, craggy mountainous outcroppings providing rich background texture.

As usual, I asked a ton of questions and did some research about the place we were staying. When was it settled? Who pioneered it? What is the government like? Are there any oppressed peoples? What is the education structure? What is the culture around women? How old do you need to be to drive (what side of the road do we drive)? Drink alcohol? What is the primary language? What is the common language? What age do people leave home to live on their own – or do they move out when they marry? I am sure I drove our hosts crazy with all my questions.

I discovered Rondebosch was settled by the Dutch in 1652 and the Commons area was used as a military camp base; troops were regularly stationed there even up until the Second World War. One of my hosts quipped Rondebosch is actually two words smooshed together – the English translation would be similar to “round the bush.”

In 2006 “round the bush” was a life descriptor. I felt as if I had been going round and round and round the same things – over and over and over revisiting the same stuff – unable to move on, unable to conquer, unable to leave the old behind. It would fade and then months later smack me in the face again. I actually laughed out loud when I learned what Rondebosch meant – God has such a sense of humor! “Yep, drop me in the place exemplifying my life – good one God.”

In the latter half of 2006 I felt my life wasn’t having much impact and I was busy wearing a groove in the dirt around the same three bushes. I felt I was wasting time, delayed and detoured off the main track. I felt like Moses in the back 40 tending uninterested, unresponsive, unrepentant sheep… abandoned and off in a muddy field vs. on the highway of life.

During our 2012 staff planning meeting I recalled this period of my life when we read Psalm 107:7 “…guiding them in the right way, so that they might come into the town of their resting-place.”

Wow. I was right where God wanted me. I wasn’t detoured. I wasn’t lost. I wasn’t delayed. I wasn’t wasting time in 2006 - God hadn’t forgotten me, hadn’t abandoned me, hadn’t forsaken me - even though my feet were crusted in mud and the bush-track was ankle deep.

Yes, I may have spent a bit more time travailing around these particular bushes than God would have liked, but I needed to deal with them and he wasn’t about to let me move forward in life without gaining healing, peace and reconciliation in these areas.

Where are you travailing? What bushes are you going round and round and round? Where are you seemingly “stuck” and unable to break out of the rutted track? Where do you feel abandoned by God? Where do you feel detoured, delayed and forsaken? The truth is you may be waylaid, postponed and suspended from moving forward but it is for a reason. He is moving you toward your “resting place,” he is moving you toward your promised land town.

If you are stuck ask him what you need to do to break free. Do you need to forgive? Repent? Let go of anger, bitterness or resentment? God loves you too much to let you get too far with unresolved, unhealed, untended wounds and gashes. He will stall you as long as needed to make sure you are in the proper state of health for your journey. A wise man once told me “hurt people, hurt people – healed people, heal people” – I don’t know about you but I would rather heal than hurt. You?

Updates:

Travel – I’m home! After 30 or so hours of travel I crashed into bed at 6pm and slept for 13 hours… jet lag isn’t a problem (yet) today! Hoping for a quick recovery!

Work – South Africa went better than we could have expected – great alumni connections, Brett spoke several places, and we marketed the Repurposing Business Intensive. Next stop, TBW this weekend and the KEYS Conference the following.

Personal – money was donated for a “new” car for me! Whoo Hoo! Blanche, my beloved Pontiac Bonneville is showing signs of age and is racking up the repair bills. Thank you to the generous alumni who is making this possible; I am humbly grateful.

Requests:

Travel – For our upcoming hectic travel schedule, that we would be able to attend to what we need to while home, prioritize while away, and road weariness won’t be a factor.

Personal – to be fully present in the moment and not distracted by what’s next on the schedule (and what needs to be done in preparation), to understand what God is doing and follow him fully, to hear God’s voice and be obedient.

Work – for the TBW retreat this weekend – for hearts to be prepared, for the speakers and testimony givers to hear God’s directive, and for the worship leaders to be anointed with God’s presence. Also, for Brett’s speaking slot at the upcoming KEYs Conference. Finally, that registration for the Repurposing Business Intensive will begin to arrive.