My Tattered Map - Marnie Pohlmann

I gaze at the map as it once again lays open on the table. It is well used, crinkled, and faded. Spills have stained it, hiding parts of the contoured landscape. Some of the folds have torn from being manipulated too many times while studying the way to go, and by constantly trying to restore it to its original state. Highlights and ink spin a web of trails across the country, circling some of the special places I have enjoyed.

I consider a starting point and my finger traces along the road to see how far I have been. Like a maze, though, I follow the path only to remember how I had turned back to find another way. I recall those trips. Sometimes I had become lost. Other times, a rabbit trail took me off the planned route.

Backing away from the table, I look at the map from further away. Overall, it seems I have not traveled to many destinations I had meant to visit. Some of my friends have shared wonderful stories of their adventures to those places; places for book releases, successful sales, or awards.

On the table beside the map is my Bible. Pen and highlights mark the pages. Corners are folded and some pages are glued together from sticky fingerprints. It is well used. Flipping through the thin sheets, I can trace the journey of my life through this map, too.

With a sigh I take a closer look at the journey of my life. Am I disappointed? A little. The map shows trails I had not been meant to travel. There were times I walked shortcuts through dangerous terrain, daring the darkness to overtake me. And there were times I followed the direction of people I should not have listened to. Yet although I have not traveled to where I had wanted, or to where I thought I wanted, I have discovered some exciting and special places I will never forget. And I have had wonderful companions on many of my adventures.

My eyes shift between my marked map and my marked Bible. I overlay some of the onion paper with highlighted Scripture onto my worn map and see how God has spoken to me throughout my journey. God’s Word has provided teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training. On the rabbit trails, He gently showed me His truth that redirected my path. In the dark times, He provided protection and comfort, encouraging me to make better choices in how and where I traveled. When I was lost, God’s light shone on the path He desired me to follow.

Both my map and my Bible look tattered but are filled with who I am, and who I desire to be.

I close my Bible and gather the map, once more folding it along the ever-thinning creases. The result is an uneven bulk of paper. It does not look like it was meant to any more than my journey looks like I meant it to look, but it is still what it is. The map reflects my past and reveals the place where I presently find myself.

I tuck the map into my Bible, ready to continue my travels, wherever the journey may take me. I try now to depend more on God’s map than my own, so I am sure to discover delightful company and destinations, all of which will provide new marks on the map - my map, that tells my story. This is the story I write about and share.

 

“Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”

(Psalm 119:105 NASB)

Read about Marnie's journey on her blog, Phosphorescent.

Where Am I? - Marnie Pohlmann

Spot the deer

My husband was an active hunter when I married him, so I learned new things. I learned how to

-          safely handle and shoot a rifle, shotgun, and pistol without injuring myself.

-          hit the target I was aiming for even if it was moving.

-          know I was shooting at an animal that was legal to take at that time and in that place.

-          gut and skin a deer, though honestly, Wally always did that messy work for me

-          take care of the meat until it could be processed.

-          cook and eat what I shot.

Probably the two most important things I learned were how to

-          drive a standard gearshift truck, and

-          find my way back out of the bush we traveled.

I enjoy riding along with Wally as we explore the wild bush, letting him concentrate on keeping the truck from hitting trees or getting stuck in mud while I enjoy the autumn warmth, the beauty of wildflowers, and scout for animals. One day early in our explorations Wally mentioned that if something happened and he was hurt, I would need to know how to get back to civilization for help. He instructed me to turn around and look back the way we had come so I would recognize the way things looked. Trees and paths look different going toward them than they do when returning from them.

Know how to return to God

Since that day, I have made it a habit to look over my shoulder to see how a fork in the road or a landmark looks after I have passed it, so I can hopefully recognize the way I had traveled. As you may know from my post “Directionally Challenged” I do easily get lost. Maybe not really lost, but I often turn the wrong way from where I intend to go, so knowing how to get back to where I came from is a valuable skill.

It is easy to imagine how Moses and the children of Israel wandered for 40 years before arriving at the Promised Land. Shifting landscapes in the desert would make it difficult to recognize what direction they had already traveled, even when they did look behind. They were not supposed to look back or lust after their former life in Egypt but were to follow the cloud and fire pillars of God’s leading.

So, are we, as Christians today, supposed to look back or not?

David writes in Psalms 143:10 “May your gracious Spirit lead me forward on a firm footing.” The apostle Paul in Philippians 3:13-14 wrote “…forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead… I press on to reach the end…” The events of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, recounted in Genesis 19, are a warning to not look back, as when Lot’s wife looked back, she was turned into a pillar of salt.

Yet many times in Scripture stones were also piled or an altar built so when others came by or the builders looked back, they could see where God had worked in their lives. Looking back gave faith to continue, knowing God was in control. Looking back to see how far we’ve come helps us not be discouraged when we see we still have a long way to go.

In the parable of the Prodigal Son told by Jesus in Luke 15, the younger son finally realizes he has wandered so far away he is worse off than when he was at home. He makes his way back to his father. There are times we may realize we have wandered far off the path on which God was leading us. Looking back to the last time we were walking with God can help us see where and maybe when we turned in the wrong direction or off the path, so we can return to our Saviour’s side.

Adventures are not easy

Joshua reminded the children of Israel to obey everything Moses wrote, not turning to the left or the right. Isaiah confirmed that when we choose to follow God, we will hear his voice telling us the way we should go. When we are at a crossroads and are wondering what to do or which way to go, we can look back in our lives to the last time God gave us direction, and we can know with confidence that if he has not told us to turn in another direction we must continue on in the way he last directed us to go.

The answer to the question then,

-          no, believers should not look back, and

-          yes, believers may need to look back.

The only way we will know which we are to do at any given time is to familiarize ourselves God’s voice and pay attention to our surroundings. When we are aware of God's presence and his work going on around us, we can be confident God is leading as we journey into uncharted territory.

Our Christian lives are not likely to be safe and certainly should not be stagnant. Walking each day with God is an adventure, and adventures are best when unexpected, unknown paths present themselves before us to be explored. Yes, even the scary paths that lead through dark forests and valleys.

Taking words to uncharted territory

 Writers, I encourage you to not remain in the comfort of your past successes, but to step into new areas. Perhaps try writing in a new genre, or maybe take the leap from writing for yourself to sharing your writing with others, or perhaps it is time to speak, to share your message in person. Then the adventure of seeing God use your words will come alive!

I know there are things I still need to learn for an adventure that includes writing. I may be able to shoot, and I may be able to identify what to shoot towards, yet I still need to learn how to navigate the path God is leading me on so I don’t get side-tracked or take a wrong turn. Or if I do find myself lost, I need to be willing to repent, to return to where God last directed me.

In my writing and in my life in general, I am on an adventure with God that often leads me into uncharted territory.

Where are you?

*photos CCO license courtesy of Pixabay.com

Marnie Pohlmann journeys with God in Northern British Columbia. She knows God holds her hand, directs her steps, and smooths the way as she joins Him in adventures through uncharted territories in writing and life.

Read more about her adventures each month on this blog, and on her own blog, Phosphorescent.

Welcome Home by Terrie Lynne

As you open the cabin door you're welcomed by the aroma of freshly baked cinnamon buns. It's like love is in the air. Your mouth begins to water as you anticipate that first bite.

You quickly remove your heavy backpack and jacket, sighing with relief from the burden that carrying all that weight has had on you. As you move to the centre of the room your eyes are captivated by the flames as they dance and flicker in the fireplace. The warmth from the glowing embers draws you closer.

You snuggle into your favourite  chair under a  soft  warm blanket. You reach over and take a  sip from a cup of steaming hot chocolate. It has never tasted so good.

Suddenly you hear that familiar voice, bringing comfort to your tired and weary heart.  The voice of love.  Your eyes fill with tears as you know you are finally in a safe place. You are home, and all is well with your soul.


I hope you enjoyed my posting. I thought I would just write the style of writing that I enjoy doing most. It's with the hope that I took you to a place that touched all of your senses and spoke into your heart. I believe it is said that if we can attach an emotion or feeling to what we are reading it settles into our heart a little easier. The Bible is filled with many scriptures that have this impact on us. My hope is that I can bring encouragement to a lost and hurting world by using this form of writing.


Pictures courtesy photostock.com