Previous Challenge Entry (Level 1 – Beginner)
Topic: Write a Travelogue (11/06/14)
-
TITLE: A Journey to Appalachia | Previous Challenge Entry
By John Esposito
11/10/14 -
LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE
SEND A PRIVATE COMMENT
ADD TO MY FAVORITES
Luke 11:9 NIV says, “Knock and the door will be opened to you.” Instead I heard the knock and I opened the door. Guess who was standing there? Yup, the bearded holy One. With a smile and a soft voice He says, “Please follow me, I want to show you something.” And out the door I went.
It’s funny how nervous and scared I was. I am so blessed that Jesus asked me to go to the mountains with Him. As beautiful as they are, the Appalachia Mountains can sometimes be a tough place to live and tough place to navigate through.
So now whenever I’m back there and when I sometimes get frustrated, I just turn back and look at that door. It’s still open, but I’ll never go back through it again. There a way too many other doors ahead of me that I want to go through now. Doors that have a brighter light shining through them, doors that will make me a better servant.
Wearing the full armor of God we arrived there safely. The week was full of excitement, joy, love, laughter, peace, grace, and more love. For one week I lived Galatians 5:22. I wish everyone could experience this. For everyone to be able to be the hands and feet of Christ, to be able to walk and serve like Jesus did. And to have that little taste of heaven that we all hunger for.
As soon as we arrived I was over taken with emotions. It was like I was there before even though I hadn’t. I felt very comfortable and very relaxed. Everyone else was a little apprehensive and really didn’t know what to expect. I didn’t feel that way. I was at peace with myself and at peace with the mountains, I felt like I was at home.
This journey for me was bitter sweet. We have families and individuals living here with no electricity, no running water, and no plumbing. An outhouse should be a thing of the past not a necessity. Seeing this kept me humble. The fellowship kept me focused. The grace of God gave me peace. And the love of Christ kept a smile on my face to encourage the others in my group that we were somehow making a difference.
It was weird, all week I felt like a fish staring at the worm. And every time I went to bite the hook, it moved. God taught me about patience and how important it was. God showed me and let me feel a new and different kind of love.
He taught me how to see through someone else's eyes. I was taught not to judge and to see both sides of the coin. He made my senses come alive, and for the rest of my life I will see, taste and hear things differently than others. And to this day I still do.
It was a beautiful evening that Friday night when the Lord finally let the fish bite the hook. But the best part about that night was the fisherman wasn’t going to eat the fish. He had no intention of gutting the fish and tossing it onto the fire. He gently held the fish in his hands and caressed it while he removed the hook.
He then placed it back into the water and chuckled as it splashed around like a new born being baptized. Then watched it swim away as it breathed in new life. Talk about making, “Fishers of men.”
I have made 23 trips to Appalachia in 15 years. I’m not boasting, I’m just asking you to serve how ever you can. It will change your life which in turn will change someone else’s.
This is just one story on my journey and I pray there will be many more travelogues to write. Wednesday morning at 4am I left for Appalachia again. As you read this I am putting a tin roof on woman’s home. Please pray that I do good job and that she never has to worry about her roof ever leaking again. Amen!
The opinions expressed by authors may not necessarily reflect the opinion of FaithWriters.com.
If you died today, are you absolutely certain that you would go to heaven? You can be right now. CLICK HERE
JOIN US at FaithWriters for Free. Grow as a Writer and Spread the Gospel.
God bless~
Wonderful piece!
God bless~