(no subject)
I know this is another update...
But it's for a good reason...
I was looking in this christian story book.
and i found this.
I think it's something that EVERYONE should read through.
I know it's long, but it is very meaningful and important.
ENJOY!
I am on a journey- an exciting, adventurous journey. It’s a journey on the road of life. Along my journey I experience thrills and spills, and I encounter enormous mountains and vast valleys.
I’ve taken many wrong turns and a few detours, and I’ve lost my way in the wilderness countless time. But, somehow, I always find my way back to the road, the narrow road. God keeps it all lit up for me so I’ll always be able to find my way home.
You know how on hot summer nights you can see the lights of a softball field all the way across town? Even if it’s a long way off, if you follow the lights, you can eventually find your way to the field. God’s light is like that. It penetrates the darkness and shines steadfastly, and if you’ll just keep it in view and keep making your way toward it, you’ll eventually end up right there with him.
But sometimes, the freedom of the wide road seems much more fun that the confines of the narrow road. And I find myself wandering off course and away from god. On the wide road, I can make my own rules and decide my own way. And I like that… for a while. But soon the air there becomes bitter and stale. And the crowds of people press against me, and I get sweaty and covered in dust. I begin to feel as if I’m suffocating. And it’s so dark and I feel so lonely--- even though I’m surrounded by thousands of other lost souls. And in my desperation, I begin to frantically search for the light. I finally spot it but it’s far away, and I’m tired and weary. I want to give up and rest right where I am. But I know that could get me in trouble. It’s sort of like sleeping in your car at a rest stop in the middle of nowhere. Anything can happen.
I’m so tired and so far from home, and I’ve accumulated so much baggage that I can’t possibly carry it all on my own. I’ve been away from the light so long that I’ve forgotten that there are people there who really want to help, and that there is One who is strong and loving and wants to carry my load. He misses me and wants me to come home.
But I’m so ashamed. I’ve turned my back on him; I can’t ask him for help now. I can’t go home. Just look at me. My face is smudged with dirt, my clothes are filthy and worn, my hair is wild and out of control--- just like my life. My body is covered with cuts and bruises, and I know they’re there because of my own stupid choices.
I can’t go home… not like this. I look again at my sad surroundings, then I lift my face to the magnificent road in the distance, all lit up and waiting for me. I know I want to go there; I want to experience the warmth of the light once again. Just then, I hear a faint noise coming from far down the luminous road. The sound gets louder and louder, and it sounds so beautiful---like someone cheering and joyfully clapping and shouting. Then I hear my name. I can’t believe it. Someone is calling out my name. I begin to walk forward so I can hear better, and before long, I’m running so fast I can’t stop. The voice is so familiar. Finally, I see where it’s coming from. It’s the most glorious vision I’ve ever seen, A crowd of people, shouting my name and cheering me on--- some I recognize and some I don’t---but all of them are cheering just for me. And when they see me, they cheer even louder, as if I’m about to score a winning run.
Then I see him. His face is shining, and his eyes are locked onto mine. I know him at once. He’s my creator, my savior, he doesn’t wait for me to reach him, but he runs to ,e and embraces me with tears flooding his face.
I’m home! I’m home! And I’m surrounded by the ones I love most--- precious people who have interceded on my behalf to our creator and with their prayers created a hedge of protection around me that nothing could penetrate.
Have you ever taken a detour on the journey of life? Have you strayed from the narrow road and been enticed by the sights and sounds of the masses? Have you lost your way and felt you could never find your way back home? We’ve all been there. We’ve all strayed. We’ve all wandered off the path. But your story can end just like mine. The road to your loving heavenly father is always lit, and you are always welcome on it. There are people there who are cheering you on, even now, and there Is a savior who waits longingly for you to turn your face toward home. When you take those first steps toward home, he’ll run to meet you.
It’s so easy to get distracted and turn from the path god has laid out for us. And when we find ourselves in those dark places, we do things we wouldn’t want anyone to see. If the light were turned on our sin, we would be horrified. If ever you find yourself doing something you wouldn’t want the people you respect to know about, a loud alarm should sound in your head and warn you to stop! But god does see everything we do. Imagine living in a house of mirrors. Everywhere you look, there you are. Everything you do, you see yourself do. God is our house of mirrors. Everywhere we go, he goes. Everything we do, he sees. Everything we say, he hears.
The challenge is to remain constantly aware and mindful of his presence and to keep our feet planted firmly on his path. Because I carry the name of Christ, I am called to live by a higher standard. I will never be like him completely, but I will strive to be more like him everday.
And if I stray, he faithfully waits for me at the end of the well-lit road.
Written by: Heather Floyd