I’m back! Actually, I’ve been back since Thursday but my brain couldn’t seem to manage getting caught up at home along with accurately depicting any written word to offer an inside picture into my Holy Land pilgrimage.
If you follow often you know that I’ve recently had something ‘rock my world’ and it has left me quite wordless. A blessing of this pilgrimage was being able to journey with one, two, no three, of my most valued and cherished confidants. My priest, my best friend and my mom. I wished Neal could be there but work and funding kept him away. 🙁
But, it’s okay because they made sure I had someone to vent to and that I didn’t obsess. Because that is an issue with me – being ‘in my head’.
One thing that gave me strength, besides the sheer power of being IN the Holy Land that Christ once lived, breathed and died…, but hearing Fr. Borski say to me “Shannon, you’ve had more situations ‘rock your world’ in your young lifetime than any one person should endure. You survived them I am certain you will survive and continue to thrive beyond this one as well.”
Fitting, isn’t it? That on the day after he says this to me we find ourselves on our first stop – the Sea of Galilee.
Then he made the disciples get into the boat and precede him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. After doing so, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When it was evening he was there alone.
Meanwhile the boat, already a few miles offshore, was being tossed about by the waves, for the wind was against it. During the fourth watch of the night, he came toward them, walking on the sea.
When the disciples saw him walking on the sea they were terrified. “It is a ghost,” they said, and they cried out in fear.
At once [Jesus] spoke to them, “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.”
Peter said to him in reply, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.”
He said, “Come.”
Peter got out of the boat and began to walk on the water toward Jesus. But when he saw how [strong] the wind was he became frightened; and, beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!”
Immediately Jesus stretched out his hand and caught him, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”
After they got into the boat, the wind died down.
Those who were in the boat did him homage, saying, “Truly, you are the Son of God.”
Matthew 14:22-33 [/box]
I know what I am going through is a very calculated attack of the enemy. I’d give him props if I weren’t his target. He’s conniving and smart and a fool. He doesn’t realize that though this hurts and pain is felt … he is forgetting who gives me my strength. Christ tells me ‘Take courage, it is I.’
And I’m stepping out of the boat to allow Him to walk with me through this nasty and wicked sea.
