Where Do You Find Encouragement and Direction?

"Just because they die, she said,

doesn't mean they go away."

- Brian Andreas, Storypeople

I spent the night at my mother's and slept in Nana's bed which Nana no longer needs.

I woke up in Nana's bed next to Nana's well-worn Bible, opened it to the bookmark I made her so long ago next to the verses she vigorously underlined. And wake reminded of a grandma's love, an example I study as I am now a grandma myself.

Nana was here. 

Self-indulgently, I shed a few tears and missed my Nana so much.  Does she know how much?  Wistfully, I posted the picture and my thoughts on Facebook, using technology to uplift, encourage, share.

I soon found the following response from my third cousin -- my Nana's sister's granddaughter....

She, too, shared her Nana's Bible and said:  "Here's Nana's sister's Bible with a bookmark celebrating the ministry of their Aunt Bess and Uncle Amos Phipps. Grandma had Hebrews 12:1 & 2 underlined. You and I (and the Morse/Furman/Maslar clan) sure do have a cloud of witnesses."

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us,  fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.   - Hebrews 12:1-3

Then the lyric of Third Day's Mountain of God rolled through my speakers bringing a smile to my face to think that my God above orchestrates our lives in such a way as to minister to our individual needs in such a collective manner:

God took Mark Zuckerburg's Facebook and the Third Day guys' written and published song and my third cousin 800 miles away viewing my post, glancing at her own Nana's Bible and for our Nanas to be sisters who trusted God, led by the example of an Aunt and Uncle who boldly served God before them and I marvel that God Himself would bring them all together to massage my downtrodden heart and strengthen my weakened faith at precisely the right moment. 

...And even though the journey's long 

And I know the road is hard

Well, the one who's gone before me

He will help me carry on

And after all that I've been through

Now I realize the truth

That I must go through the valley

To stand upon the mountain of God

And as I travel on the road

That You have lead me down

You are here with me

Yes You are here with me...

~ Mountain of God

And then I realized this:

"Many there be which say of my soul,

There is no help for him in God.

But thou, O Lord, art a shield for me;

my glory, and the lifter up of mine head.

I cried unto the Lord with my voice,

and he heard me out of his holy hill." 

 ~ Psalm 3:2-4

So, of course, I had to blog the whole thing.

If you don't understand any of this, click here to see why.

If you knew Nana or her sisters, I'd love to hear your comments.

To read more about Nana, click here and follow the links.
To read more about Nana's Sister, click here.