Stones of Remembrance

Memorials leave, not just a trail of bread crumbs, but a significant representation of the way it was as we made our way through a particularly difficult season. I was encouraged early in my grief to look for memorial stones that would identify my crossing over, much as the Israelites did when they crossed over the Jordan into the Promised Land. When the suggestion was first made, I couldn't see beyond the immediate moment of pain, much less get a glimpse of any future. But the words I heard that day, when you cross over, dropped into my heart and a tiny seed of hope was planted. It was close to 18 months later before I was able to bring together those stones of remembrance; before I was able to see all that God had provided, just as He had for the Israelites in their wilderness.

There are many lessons in the wilderness ... wherever that wilderness may be. I have also discovered that once I crossed over out of the wilderness of grief, that I had landed in a brand new wilderness! It seems much of life is about the wilderness experience. Are you going through something right now? Begin to look for the provision. Begin to notice who encourages you. Begin to watch for unexpected coincidences. In the midst of things going wrong, what went right? As we begin to look with new eyes it's amazing what we see. And when something catches your eye, take note. These will become your stones of remembrance. When you are asked how you made it through that difficult time, you will be able to point to the stones and tell others how you were helped.

The first stones that I identified were family and friends. It always comes back to the special people in our lives who are there with us through thick and thin. There were many prayers said on my behalf and I believe those helped sustain me. My faith deepened during this season. Music lifted my spirits. My journals contain all I poured out - the pain, the anger, the fears, the anguish. I learned deeper lessons about the transitions in life and how they move us from where we are into the new places we're meant to be. I have 12 small painted stones as reminders of the way the Lord has brought me. I have a vision for the future and confidence that it will come to pass. Look how far I've come!