The Camp

Genesis 32 I am not worthy of the least of all the deeds of steadfast love and all the faithfulness that You have shown to Your servant, for with only my staff I crossed this Jordan, and now I have become two camps.

When I look at my life now, when I see it all laid out before me like a story, the blessings that the Lord has given to me, there is such an overwhelming rush of gratitude that I can hardly contain it.

We have been home for a couple of weeks now and it has been so sweet. Keeping Jamie's girls, going to Silverdale for Sunday worship, dinners with my family and friends, looking forward to seeing Jodie before his deployment and seeing his child growing in Cortney's little belly, camping in the mountains of North Carolina with friends from Germany, Beth's bridal shower, watering my yard, fire in the firepit late at night.....gratitude.

I remember how I got here and the circumstances that brought me to this place at this time. And those memories make me grateful, so grateful for what I have now.

The Bible says it best by saying, That for the joy set before Him, Jesus endured the cross. The ability, through hope, to look beyond the present, to the future. And again, the Bible says that this present suffering is not worthy to be compared to the joy that is laid up for those who love Him.

There is little suffering in my life and certainly nothing compared to the cross but I do not want to forget what is behind me. I am no longer defined by my past but I cannot deny that I am somehow shaped by it. I would not chose to change a moment of it if those changes would alter what I have.


I am not worthy of the least of all the deeds of steadfast love and all the faithfulness that You shave shown to Your servant, for with only my staff I crossed this Jordan, and now I have become two camps.

I know where My help comes from. It comes from the Lord. So today I will say to You Lord, Thank You. Thank You. Thank You for Your goodness and mercy toward me. For my salvation, for my family, for my church, for our friends, for our freedom, for laughter, peace, contentment and happiness. Everything I am and all that I have is from You, by You, for You.

Philippians 3 But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of KNOWING Christ Jesus, my Lord.