Close Encounters…

And so I am on DAY SIX of my experiment in "adventuring in prayer" and have come upon some very interesting experiences along this amazing road. The first being… I am not alone here! There are others on this road for various purposes, and most of them I have met are amazing people.

The first thing is, that you know them instantly. Maybe it is a recognition thing. Some spiritual sensitivity that sends a direct signal between your heart and theirs that tells you they, too, are prayer adventurers. Some are just starting out for their own reasons, and some of them are full-fledged "prayer warriors" with lots of experience. I find these people refreshing just to stand next to. When they start popping into your life in unusual circumstances, with increasing regularity… well, then you know for certain that the Lord is truly, "ordering your steps." (Psalm 37:23) A thrill all by itself.

The other people on this road are those that simply pop into your mind at the oddest times. Maybe you know them, and maybe you don't. Maybe they're someone you haven't seen in years, but suddenly, you are thinking about them. I find that is my cue to pray for them. So I do. I have made a mental list of these people I have been impressed to pray for. I feel a connection with them, somehow, so I maintain my prayers until -- for whatever reason -- they no longer need to be there.

Yes, I see it as a road, and being on this road has added an interesting new dimension to my life. You can get onto it from anywhere at any time, because time and distance are not applicable here. That makes three dimensions, now, I have encountered in the human experience.

Makes one wonder if there is a fourth.

This is DAY SIX.

Serious stuff…

When one commits to a serious stint of praying (for any reason) it seems that "requests" begin to filter in from the strangest places. But this is a good thing. When unusual little circumstances accompany the explanations of how they found you, then you know you are on the right track.

Today, four things are on my mind (or should I say heart?). One is a young woman with children who has been informed that she only has a few months to live. Still, she continues to take care of her children, and even drag herself to impossible events. I pray that she will have a miraculous healing, and that every desire of her heart (and she has a strong one) will be granted to her by a loving heavenly father. That same one of whom it is said, "All the promises of God in him (Jesus?) are yes, and… amen." (2 Corinthians 1:20) Oh, my goodness… if that is true enough for us to actually take hold of, it would change… absolutely everything.

The next is a man -- a wonderful man -- who has lived quite the long life already, but he isn't finished, yet. So, he is having some surgery on his tired heart, and even though he has never personally asked for anything from God… I pray that he will encounter the "peace that passes all understanding" (Philippians 4:7) That he will come face to face with our loving God and discover that his heart (and his heart's desires) have been just (no, more so!) important to the Lord all along. Best of all, that the best years of his life are still ahead of him.

The third is for healing that needs to come for one of the worst things that can happen to a family. This one I shall have to listen very carefully about, for at the moment, I can only murmur their names before God every time they come to mind… which is oh, so many times during the day. Something important, here, but I can't see quite clearly, yet, so will have to leave it "unspoken" at this time.

Fourth is a town in Nigeria that is having war waged on all the Christians there. Their homes, businesses and churches have been burned, and those that have escaped are not welcome to go back. But where do they go from here? The little remnant is seeking the Lord on a twenty-one day fast to see what they should do…

These are the things that have come to my attention on the second day of my "spiritual traveling adventure." While I don't know exactly what to do with them, yet, there is one thing that has become perfectly clear. In looking at these four incredible, serious, life and death needs… most of my own suddenly seem unimportant. Especially if -- even for a moment -- I imagine myself in any one of their shoes. Which I feel is clear evidence that I have at least taken the first step on my journey and found myself standing… outside myself.

This is DAY TWO.

A Daring Idea…

And so we come to one of my favorite subjects of all: adventures in prayer. I've had a few. And like any form of adventuring, once you have had an experience (any experience at all), you mysteriously want to try it, again. The difference between being a mental traveler and a spiritual one, is that you are "stepping out into the world" as opposed to taking it in.

I've been told it is quite possible to have an impact on people and situations around the globe simply by praying for them. But what if… it REALLY is? Well, if that was true, then I think my prayer list would have very different things listed on it. Don't you suppose if a "prayer warrior" was really a warrior, he or she would go about vanquishing enemies and setting prisoners free, instead of letting things go with only a couple of "God blesses?" Hmmm...

Perhaps I will make an experiment of the next two weeks, and record my results right here. I shall picture myself some modern-day Joan of Arc and set off to fight some battles. And if I get "backup from heaven" I'll let you know. Meanwhile, if anyone has anything specific they would like me to add to my list, let me hear about it.

Or, better yet, why don't you join me?

Two weeks. For heaven sake,we can almost hold our breath for that long. And what could it hurt? Things certainly couldn't be any worse for it than they are today. In fact, it just might be the most exciting adventure we've ever been on. Like I say, I'll let you know how it goes.

This will be DAY ONE…

Looking through the eyes of others...

Isak Dinesen once made mention of the fact that she was a "mental traveler," meaning she had gained most of her knowledge of foreign places by looking through the eyes of those who had been there, and written their experiences down. Not only is that a more ideal way to go to places which would be difficult to get to, it is also the way to avoid certain traveler's pitfalls that seem to hamper every vacation. Things like the price of gas or tickets, foreign languages, and petty thievery. It is also the only way to experience places that are no longer there.

In looking through the eyes of others, you do not have the sort of emotional stakes you can't back out of if things get too rough. For while it is true that having an emotional experience during reading has been proven to be almost identical to physically experiencing the thing yourself, we can still move in and out of the difficult places more easily. Such as taking breaks from Admiral Byrd's vivid images of being alone in the arctic, to turn up the heat and put the kettle on for a warm cup of tea. The same can be said of being stranded the two hundred-odd days during the siege of Mafeking, when the common citizens had to dig small rooms underground to remain safe from the constant shelling. But -- oh -- the bravery and fortitude of those people who not only had the ability to express their thoughts, but were honest about them at the same time. Truly, my idea of inspirational reading. The best I can think of, in fact.

The other interesting thing about looking through the eyes of others, is that there is no time element. For a mental traveler, it is possible to take part in exploring the jungles of Africa, travel west with the pioneers, and visit an archaeological dig all in the same week. With more intensity than watching a state-of-the-art movie. Because it is not simply that the authors have painted such a vivid canvas of their surroundings, but they have managed to give us a connection to their own emotions that acts as some sort of catalyst to another place and time. What's more, we come away knowing them more intimately than some of our own closest friends. Somehow (I don't know how, it's a mystery) they have managed to impact us with their insights and touch our lives even if they have already been dead for a hundred years. They have actually reached out -- traveled beyond their own life-spans -- and given us something of value that we can use for today.

Which is almost unbelievable.

Maybe mental traveling is more "impressive" than physical travel because our mental capacities are so much greater than our physical ones. And if that's true, then it stands to reason that our spiritual capacities must be even greater than those. If only we would take the time to go adventuring around in those areas, as well. Hmm... rather an exciting idea, actually.

Maybe I'll look into that more tomorrow.

The Adventure Begins...

Well, we're off. A bit slower than I expected, but en route nevertheless. A good deal of time has passed since I last traveled in the Puget Sound area, but how I love it. When one can take in mountains, forest, and sea in the same glance. It just doesn't get any better. That's how I feel today, anyway, as I sit typing this entry with a cool breeze wafting through and no time constraints. Which is what I like best about adventuring: nothing but the "now" to live in.

So, the topic is adventure and, in my quieter moments, I'm reading a biography of Eudora Welty. A bit dry starting off, but when I came across one of her definitions of adventure (yes-- and I wasn't even looking for it) and went on a search for a scrap of paper to write it down on... Well, I was taken back to a time many years ago, when I read her autobiography. That volume was so beautifully written, that I underlined or highlighted half the book... Ah, yes... that's what I found so exceptional about Eudora Welty.

Here's what I wrote down today. "All serious daring starts from within." You know, I think that's true. When it comes to adventure, anyway. I am also finding there are adventures other than the physical ones, that are as exciting (if not more) than just visiting new places and seeing new things.

Maybe I'll look into that topic tomorrow.

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Advice and consent...

     As usual, the Professor has helped me to get right to the heart of things. We had a wonderful visit, during which I took him to my study and showed him the many interesting curiosities I brought back from my West African travels. It was there that he pointed out the necessity for me to return to what I do best and leave technical problems to the experts. Of course I had to remind him that was all fine and good if a person could afford them, but...

     "Widen your horizons, Lilly," he said to me. "There are other ways to get things besides using money. More and more people are resorting to the barter system every day. During times like these, they have to. Just take something you don't need and trade it for something you do."

     A thought which so intrigued me that I quite agreed. After that, we had a wonderful bit of lunch on the veranda and finished off the visit by talking about his latest research project. Something he calls the "Polarity Theory" that he feels might very well provide us all with an inexpensive alternative fuel. That and a vehicle that is such a marvel of simplicity that even I could drive it. Another reminder of why I consider him one of my dearest friends.

     He has such a great capacity for entertaining.

Current work-in-progress: An unexpected mystery has suddenly taken a grip on me I can't wrestle away from. It is titled Dreadful Sorry. Mysterious? Yes. Adventure? Of course.  Luring me to the north country and a cold, chilling sea...

 

But how do you drive it?

So, it has been a bit more difficult than I planned getting this trip under way. Not like buying tickets for planes, trains, or buses. And certainly nothing like charting a course for one's yacht. Even a valid passport doesn't do much good here in cyberspace. 

Hmmm... you know I think that phrase is actually outdated already? That's how fast things change around here. But -- like any other foreign country -- one must take a good deal of time learning the language. I have also found it helpful to ask for assistance.

Which is why I have invited my good friend, the Professor to pay a visit tomorrow and explain some of these technical things to me in a language I can better understand. Things like "servers" who don't serve tea, "hosts" one has to tip at the door even though you've been invited to come in, and "pointers" who are so invisible they can't possibly be of any use to bewildered travelers such as myself.

In the meantime, I'll just get back to my study and the current work-in-progress, which is heating up quite nicely. The leading lady has come home unexpectedly during the workday only to discover a man in her house...

Now, that, I can deal with.

Current work-in-progress: The Pandora Box. Romantic? Yes. Adventure? Of course.