Musings of a Pastor's Kid

If you've been following along so far, you know that I was originally planning on being in South Africa by the beginning of October. As it is now November, and I am still enjoying the rolling mountains of Appalachia instead of the rocky peaks of Cape Town you can see that God has a different timeline in mind for me. While this change in schedule was frustrating, I have made up my mind to embrace patience in this short season. (A resolution that turns out to be 100% easier said than done). When I am reminded that my ideas for this fall haven't been exactly the same as God's ideas for Abby's Fall of 2017, my mind turns to a line from a song that came out during my pre-teen years called Everlasting God.

One line from this song has been bubbling to the surface of my thoughts repeatedly over the last few weeks. The line says, strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord, we will wait upon the Lord, we will wait upon the Lord. This sums up everything I am trying to do these months that I am home. I am waiting upon the Lord. And I am constantly reminding myself that His strength is rising in the waiting.

I recently stumbled upon a quote from a scholar named Kenneth Bailey. He says that sometimes our task is to, "rescue truth from familiarity." Bailey's quote stuck out to me for two reasons. Firstly, that I have felt the words of a familiar song ring true for me in a way they never have before. Secondly that, though sometimes I have referred to it as being "stuck," I have been able to learn so much from spending an extended amount of time in the place that is the most familiar to me - home. From that familiarity, I am learning truths about being blessed, being encouraged, and being challenged in the waiting.
Isaiah 40:31