"Sturdy Shoes"

"Each of us may be sure that if God sends us over rocky paths, He will provide us with sturdy shoes. He will never send us on any journey without equipping us well." Alexander Maclaren

Have you ever had sore feet? I believe we could all answer that in the affirmative at some time in our lives both literally and figuratively speaking. I wear a size 11 narrow so for me shoes are a real issue. More than once I have suffered with shoes too small and or too wide causing considerable pain simply because I wanted to wear something stylish rather than functional! Can anyone else relate to the dejected feeling welling up inside when the store clerk responds to your question of available sizes with : "I'm sorry but we don't carry anything that large!"? But my feet "fetish" doesn't stop there. As I have "matured" I've developed bone spurs and a nerve problem on my left foot. My right foot doesn't want to be "left" out of the pain spectrum so it answers with occasional plantar fasciatis spasms. I cope with a $350 set of orthodic inserts strategically placed in my size 11 tennis shoes. Daily I thank God for these little "gifts". As "mobile missionaries" we wear tennis shoes basically every day, all day, so my feet are currently happy campers.

Now, figuratively speaking, we have been over some "rocky paths" on our retirement journey with our RV and it would be easy to complain about sore feet. Tonight I am writing this blog from the campground of Lazy Days, one of the biggest RV dealership service departments in America, located northeast of Tampa, Florida. Why are we here instead of on our way to our next project in Louisiana? A leaky roof and a malfunctioning TV antenna would begin to answer that question. Yet, both Hunter and I feel God has led us here for some other reason as of yet unrevealed. We are asking Him to give us patience with our current "feet problems" and provide us with some sturdy shoes so we can continue on the road of volunteer mission work.

I am reminded of the verse in Jeremiah 29:11- "For I know the plans I have for you...plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

If your feet hurt ask God for sturdier shoes. He is the source of all we need! (Philippians 4:19)

"Thy shoes shall be iron and brass; and as thy days, so shall thy strength be."
Deuteronomy 33:25