“Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”― Ferris Bueller
I’m a wildlife photographer. Very much an amateur. In order to catch an animal in their natural habitat, one must stop, become completely still, quiet your breathing, focus your attention, and notice every flicker of a leaf and tiny flash of color. Then…respond.
Photography has become very much a spiritual practice for me, as I also learn to quiet my soul and become attentive to the whispers and movements of God. We live in a world of CPA: Continuous Partial Attention, in which we become incapable to giving all our attention to one person or one thing. "In repentance and rest you will be saved, in quietness and trust is your strength." –Isaiah 30:15
My wise and insightful friend David shared this, and it really resonated with me.
“It is worth our while to think of the way God is always directing our movements, so as to bring us to the places at which He wants us to be - and to the people He wants us to touch and to help. There are no 'chance' meetings in this world. Jesus met the woman at the well, at the right moment. When we are doing God's will - He guides our movements, orders our steps, and there is a sacred meaning in our crossing of other's paths...”
“Much of our life's best work - is produced in wayside ministries; things we did not plan to do when we set out in the morning: little helpfulnesses which we render as we pass on the way; words of cheer which we speak as we move along the common paths. Often these bits of wayside service mean more than the things in our lives which seem greater, which we plan for with care.” --James Russell Miller
If we are willing to pay attention to God and the people around us, He has endless divine appointments, meaningful connections, and joyful surprises all along our path. Attentiveness leads to wonder, wonder leads to worship, worship leads to love, love leads to acts of kindness, meaningful interactions, unexpected blessings, and maybe even behaving a bit more like Jesus.
I’ve been on the other side of the globe from Ohio for the last few months, trying to be attentive enough to allow God to guide my movements and order my steps.
What have I experienced?
Swimming with whale sharks (a Bucket List item that did not disappoint)
Life-giving time with great friends
Open homes
Open hearts
Being back home again in Australia
Amazing provision
Great food from friendly, warm kitchens
Close encounters of the wildlife kind
Alpacas, sheep, fish, birds, whales, sharks, kangaroos, koalas, kookaburras, and other friends
Being back in a mermaid’s natural habitat, my beloved ocean
Ministry with people face-to-face and up to 10,000 miles away
Rest, prayer, Scripture, worship, study, reading, teaching, leading, fellowship
Endless divine appointments
Dogs Across Australia, and now Dogs Across New Zealand
God holding me in His palm
Lots of Monopoly Deal
Tremendous laughter
Leaves me thinking…
For years my mother wanted me to get married, have three kids, and live in the suburbs, but the trajectory of my life of my life didn't seem to be headed in that direction. I’ve dated wonderful men and certainly been in love, but wedding bells were apparently not in the cards. Mom kept saying, “I can't rest until someone is taking care of you” One day she said, “You could have been married, but you didn't want to just settle for just any man.” Yes! Then she paused and said, “You have the best life of all of us.” Darn tootin’! “And Someone is obviously taking care of you.” So you’ve noticed that, eh? From that day on, she championed the life God is giving me.
I have never forgotten an older missionary who spoke at my church. Someone asked her (one of those incredibly inappropriate questions from people who ask incredibly inappropriate questions of single people), “Does it upset you that God never allowed you to get married?” She didn't miss a beat. She instantly replied, with a huge smile on her face, “Oh no! No man would ever allow me to do everything God has let me do!”
Lucy Swindoll wrote a wonderful book called I Married Adventure, about how everyone expected her to get married, but God led her to a full, rewarding life of career, ministry, speaking, friendship, travel, photography, and an insatiable thirst to experience new cultures, places, food, people, colors, music, animals, and life!
Some people may need to hear: There are a lot worse things than being single. Sure, it’s hard sometimes, but marriage is not the "the be-all and end-all" and glorious culmination of ultimate happiness for everyone. I actually really like my life. And I thank God for how He has led and loved me.
I’m still wrestling with two out of the three questions God has been asking me and I have been asking God since my 2022 sabbatical:
What’s my voice? In this hurting, cruel, splintered world (and Church), how is God calling ME to serve Him and others? I don’t think that has changed.
Open the Word
Point people to Jesus
Help them learn to walk with Him
Love people
Who’s my family? It’s been so good to be with friends around the world who are very much family. We all need family, whether our connection is by blood or friendship or adoption.
Who comprises my clan?
Who is my tribe?
Who is truly family?
Where’s my home? I know I will never be completely at home until eternity, but in the meantime, where’s home? Ohio? Australia? Canada? England? Scotland? Ireland? Kenya? New Zealand?
You will never be completely at home again, because part of your heart always will be elsewhere. That is the price you pay for the richness of loving and knowing people in more than one place. --Miriam Adeney
For now, this Indiana Hoosier keeps bouncing around…
Many thanks to those of you traveling along with me via the WhatsApp “Adventure Lies Ahead” Team. You pray for me as I follow God around the world. You lift up my ministry as I continue to serve. You appreciate (I hope) my zillion photos. You laugh at my wacky encounters with animals and people. You ooh and ahh over the beauty of Creation. You keep me company when I feel alone. You give me space to process my days. You come along in my carry-on. Thank you, dear friends.
Some of you have asked to join the “Adventure Lies Ahead” Team, but haven’t yet connected with me. If you would like to come along in my carry-on and receive photos, videos, whispers from God, and wacky stories from the road for whatever God has in store as He keeps saying “Adventure Lies Ahead”…
Download WhatsApp if you do not already have it.
Connect with me and say hello. Email me if you need my QR code again.
I’ll add you to the “Adventure Lies Ahead’ string and you can travel the world from the comfort of home. As of now, we are scheduled to be in New Zealand, Tennessee, Maui, Oahu, Kenya, England, Ireland, Scotland, Newfoundland, and wherever else He flings me. How is this possible??? Absolute miracles from God. No other explanation.
Please pray for me next weekend: I will be speaking at a U.S. conference for ministry wives from Puhoi, New Zealand. Please pray for:
God’s words, God’s agenda, God’s direction, God’s power
To be able to narrow down everything I would love to share with these wonderful women
Clear communication
No technology glitches
He’s got the whole world in His hands. And I am so grateful!
Much love,
Linda
Reminder: While I am overseas, I can only be reached via email and WhatsApp. I will not see any regular texts or receive any phone messages.