What I Learned on My Summer Vacation

‘Perspective’ or ‘What I did on my summer vacation’
Isaiah 55:8-9
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways.” Declares the Lord, “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”

I learned something as I was flying home from my summer vacation. As the plane took off from the Denver, Colorado airport I looked down on the landscape and marveled at the creation of God. I was struck at the flat landscape changing drastically to mountains. In my head I said to myself, I just don’t get it. Why did God choose to make creation look like this? Why, such a drastic change from flat to the mountains? We had been in Colorado all week, driving from place to place, going up into the mountains, back down into the canyon, out to the flat places but when I was at street level it didn’t occur to me how drastic the changes were. Only when I saw them from the heights of the airplane did I see the whole picture of what the creation actually looked like. And immediately I thought of my life and Community Bible Study, it hit me that I just don’t get why God has brought me here to do this service.

Let’s back up a couple of steps here and fill you in on my perspective. I only ask that you remember this is my perspective, as narrow as it may seem to you—it’s my experience. I don’t mean any offense to anyone who has a different experience—and all our experiences are different. Just bare with me, I did learn something here that might be valuable to someone; at least it is to me.

I have been involved in CBS for many years. I have worn many hats in my service at CBS and loved each and every one. And believe me, this is an honor to be here to serve Christ. I’m so appreciative of the opportunity to serve our Lord and be in relationship with women who love Him. To be able to come together and pray for this ministry, our lives and families, and our country is a great blessing. This organization is near and dear to my heart. So as my invitation into leadership unfolded in the last few months, I must admit to you that I was sort of taken aback. I didn’t understand why God wanted me in leadership, to be with the babies in the nursery. Don’t misunderstand me it’s not that I think this is an unimportant job, because I know it is very important to CBS. The nursery is an integral part of CBS. We must provide a solid children’s program for the ladies that God has called into this ministry, and we are planting seeds for the next generation of believers as well. I just didn’t get why me? I was always the one who shied away from helping with the kids. When my family gets together they still can’t believe I’m the one with four girls, and not my sister—who spent most of her young adult life babysitting, I never had a paid babysitting job—really, not once! My greatest fear after having Nikki was that the first time I held her she would cry—just like every other baby I had ever held. I was absolutely astonished when she didn’t!

But, here I am, ready willing and I think able to be in the nursery with the children.
But, I digress, this is about perspective. So as I watched out the window of the airplane and saw the mountains passing below me, as the plane turned away from the mountains toward the plain I began to understand that I didn’t have this whole picture perspective, but God does. And that’s really all that matters. As I was pondering this, clouds were beginning to pass below us and block my view of the landscape. I wondered if this too could be a lesson. Were there times when God brought things into my life that blocked my view? That he clears away when He chooses for me to see the whole landscape? Recently I’ve been somewhat depressed about my youngest daughter Stephanie going away to college. For the first time in 30 years I have not had to care for a child at home. I felt that my primary purpose of caring for children was over. Perhaps instead, God has prepared me for a new role of nurturing some of His other children here at CBS. This made me think about the sovereignty of God.

Ecclesiastes 2:11
He has made everything beautiful in its time. He had also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end.

I also thought about when we were at street level, I didn’t always know what was around the next curve. If there would be a gentle hill or a steep climb. Life is like that too—we never know what is coming, if we will experience a time of trial or blessing. But God is sovereign in everything—he knows what is coming for us.

Jeremiah 29:11
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

I am so excited about this year and CBS. I’m excited about experiencing all the hills, plains and mountains God has planned for this ministry. I pray that He will reveal His plan and perspective to us all.