A new journey begins…

In June of 2017 I posted about a journey I was embarking upon. That journey landed me in San Diego where I spent the last four years with my CA family, enduring Covid and quarantine. I arrived here in October, ironically, I leave here in September on a road trip across county with my best friend and will end the trip in Georgia in October. Imagine that…October. A month with great significance for me (see earlier posts). But that is not the focus of this post. As mentioned, I am now embarking upon a road trip in September with my best friend entitled “Purple Roadtrippers—Praying Across America”.

The idea started with a desire to spend the holidays with my Georgia family. Because it would be an extended stay, I wanted my car so I could have my own transportation while there. I seriously in a joking tone asked my BFF to fly out and drive back home with me. To my astonishment she said YES, and the planning began. It started as a pleasure trip visiting the National Parks along the way, but God in His infinite wisdom has given us a bigger vision for the trip; full details will be disclosed to us as we travel. We knew from the beginning discussions that He was in this trip. We had many confirmations in the unity of our spirits. That included the month of September being our time of departure. Our spirits have been in sync throughout the planning process. While we have a proposed itinerary, where we stop and how long we stay is in the God’s hands. We want this trip to be a Holy Spirit led journey so we will be flexible in our plans and directed by His guidance. As we tour different parks, we will be in search of the secret places most people miss. In those places we will pray. We will not travel the interstates we are in search of scenic highways and byways—the roads less traveled. On those roads we will pray. Everywhere our feet and tires tread will be claimed for the Kingdom of God! Hence, Praying Across America.

Why is our trip titled Purple Roadtrippers—Praying Across America? My BFF (aka Lana) and I met in 1990 at a church outside of Atlanta, Georgia; a racially mixed church, approximately 50% Black and 50% White. Lana was married at the time; she says God brought me into her life because He knew she would need the support of a single female friend when her husband passed away in 1994. God blessed us to see beyond our color, which was not the first thing mentioned when describing someone in our congregation. The description was usually something like, “the tall thin lady with twin boys that works in the children’s ministry”, etc. My mother however, always wanted to know what color someone was when I talked about the people at church, which annoyed me…my clever response was, “they’re purple”. When I introduced Lana to her I said, “this is my purple friend Lana, and by the way I’m purple too”. Therefore, Lana is not White, and I’m not Black—we are purple. Hence, “The Purple Roadtrippers”.

As mentioned, we will be praying where we stop and led by God in the direction we will travel and where we make our stops. We are so grateful God is in this journey. Where He leads, we will follow. He has given each of us a scripture verse: 

Isaiah 40:3 “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the Lord; Make straight in the desert a highway for our God.” (Lana)

Proverbs 16:9 “A man’s heart plans his way, But the Lord directs his steps.” (Vanessa) 

Isaiah 30:21 “Your own ears will hear Him. Right behind you a voice will say, “This is the way you should go,” whether to the right or to the left.” (to both of us)

 

As we travel, I will be posting updates on our journey and what God is doing through us in the places we visit.

Peace be the journey…God bless 

 

From Blue to Blue

 

From blue to blue I travel

Harboring a silent yearning

To feel a touch that won’t unravel

Silencing a desire that’s continually burning

 

In shifting shades I travel

From blue to blue

Seeking signs that will lead me to you

Displaying a love that’s faithful and true

 

Following a divine voice

From blue to blue I travel

Resting in solvent shades of green

Waiting for my lover to appear on the scene

 

In the midst of disappointments

There’s a traveling light

Shining on my darkest night

 

There…in the far distance

 

I see my shining knight

Glimmering in shades of glory

Bringing into my life a whole new story

 

All praises to the creator of the light

 

 

With You—Without You

Once again, I find myself in the same place

You were gone and I couldn’t feel

How could I have sent You away

How could I have spent so much time without You

Knowing how much we always connect

Knowing it’s You that keeps me in touch

You connect my mind, my body, my soul, and my spirit

Your power makes me want to live

With You, rejection no longer matters

Your acceptance makes me better

You make me feel

You give me a comforting place to heal

Without You I float in and out of Your space

Diving into the depths of a dark place

With You I soar

With You I reign

With You my confidence I regain

I can never live without You

In my life You will always exist

In those moments when I step away

You nudge me and I begin to pray

You permeate my mind, my body, my soul, and my spirit

Your omnipotent presence increasing my faith

And once again...I rejoice

Christmas...

Sometimes when I think about it

I start to feel sad

Then I remember

"Christmas is Jesus"

That thought makes my heart smile

Then I start to feel glad

Confessions of A Believer

I believe that Jesus is the Son of God

I believe the Father the Son and the Holy Spirit are one

I believe the inerrant word of God is true

I believe your errant lifestyle choices will one day haunt you

I believe the sin in this world is at war with God

I believe your sin makes you an enemy of God

I believe God does not hold people guilty of their sins

I believe God makes peace between Him and the world through Christ

I believe God makes His enemies His friends

I believe as His friends we should stand firm in what is morally right

Rather than accepting what is politically correct

I believe we should once again exalt God as the one and only God of our nation

Why...

Because I believe a double-minded man will falter

On the day he stands before God at the altar

I believe the day will come when you must account…

For what you believe—or don’t believe

A Moment That Stays

I remember the moment

When I knew the life went out of you

Still warm to my touch

Your body collapsed in my arms

Your eyes glazed

Into staring glass

Your breath shallow

Your voice no longer yours

White coats

And rushing feet

Turned our moments into 

Sounds that beep

One minute

Two minutes

Twelve hours

Holding your hand

Singing you songs

Watching your chest

Slowly rise then fall

Grasping empty hope

Pleading--stay with me

Feeling your surrendering salutation

When your heart said__silent night

The beeps cease

And life turns out the light

You're gone

The moment lingers on...

Feeling

I’m feeling arms I don’t see

I’m feeling a force embracing me

I’m feeling warmth I can’t explain

I’m feeling sensations stimulating my brain

I, am feeling love

October...again

Yesterday marked the third year of my mom’s new home in heaven. I approached the day with trepidation but made it through with grace. 

This morning however, not so much. The thought of her not being here struck my heart with stinging pain that brought tears to my eyes. It still hurts, that hurt brought back memories of losing my dad and standing in court telling the judge how I felt about the man that took his life. I wonder how my heart will feel on October 24^th, the day heaven became his home. 

This I do know—the pain decreases but it doesn’t go away.


Lord, this day started with praising You in songs, then drifted into thoughts of losing my parents. I’m still in the beginning stages of my day and I place the remainder of it in Your hands to bring forth Your will for how it ends. May I walk into it with joy.


~Vanessa~

The Preacher's Voice

Talking to a friend the other day I was reminded of a childhood memory and how the preacher has two voices. (confession time)


There’s this distinct voice mode *southern Baptist preachers go into at a certain point in their message (or sermon) … as a child when he hit the genesis of that sound he was heading into the highway of preaching, which meant it was my time to travel the roadway of mental imagery and enter into daydream mode. I always made sure I had a hand-fan with beautiful scenery conducive to allowing my imagination to soar. Staring into the scene on that fan my world would transform. The visions of my mind’s eye took me to variant places, adventures and experiences I hoped to one day fulfill.


I lived for the moment when that sound came; it meant my body would still be in church, but my mind was teleported into a conscious state of excitement traveling the world over; being the character in my latest book or creating one I wanted to be. Now as an adult when I hear that sound I tend to zone out, no longer daydreaming but wondering—what is the purpose for that sound. It would excite the church people into all kinds of amen noises, some would even rise to their feet and commence into the spirit mode known as "shouting". I half-watched in amused curiosity but was more drawn to my fantasy and never really heard or understood the point the message or the emotions that voice evoked from the congregants.


However, before the preacher reached that mode he would introduce his topic and give scriptural and/or personal examples; he would talk—and I would hear him, I listened and was interested; that was the voice mode that held my focus on the preacher and what he was saying; it is the voice I would now call—the teaching voice. I’ve already confessed what happens when he goes into the other mode; which I call—the preaching voice. Growing up I liked both voices, they afforded me the opportunity to do two things in church—to learn, and to daydream.


As I matured in my walk with the Lord, I realized I gained more from a teaching voice than a preaching voice.


What about you...



*I say “southern Baptist preacher” because I grew up in the south and it is the basis of my experience.

The Light

Where are you when the light shines on you

Are you standing in the shadows so only a portion of you captures the light

Are you standing full blown so all of you displays the light

How are you capturing the light

Where are you

Are you like the lampstand that’s hidden under a bushel

Are you a mighty tower shining on a hill

So in the face of darkness you know how to stand strong and still