God is my River Boat Guide (Part II)

As I was planning to come back to the US, my friend Jody kept telling me she had a present she was really excited to give me.  I am a weirdo.  I don't really like to receive presents.  It actually makes me really uncomfortable.  So I kept thinking to myself, 'Oh no.  Jody is really excited about this gift.  What could it possibly be?  There's nothing I really want or need very much.  I hope that I can act as excited as she is when she gives me this thing.'  I was kind of dreading it.

When I got to Salt Lake we picked up my friend's Jeep, which he kindly allowed me to drive for the week.  Then we headed to Jody's.  One of the first things she said when we got there was that she wanted to give me the gift.  I braced myself.  Her husband was busy with something and said, "Wait!  I want to dry off my hands and be ready to see her expression!"  Nothing like pressure!

Jody had me close my eyes.  Then she put something into my hands.  I was afraid to open my eyes.  I felt the thing, but I had no idea what it was.  So I opened my eyes and looked:

It didn't register immediately and I felt a little panicked.  But they say it was literally only seconds. Finally it came to me - the image was me!  Jody had created and framed the image of God As My River Boat Guide, which I wrote about in my blog:

"Today God gave me the best gift of all.

I was in a quiet time of prayer.  I could feel that God was trying to speak to me, so I quieted my minds and asked what He would like to share.

The first thing that came was a word - GUIDE.  So I prayed to God, asking Him what this word meant.  At first I saw only the word, over and over.  That is how God communicates with me often, so I knew to wait.

Finally I saw an image of God on a wooden raft.  He stood on the raft with a long pole to steer or push like a river rafting guide.  I was sitting on the raft.  He was guiding us down the river.  There were rapids, and He guided us through the rough waters.  It was such a peaceful image.  I only had to sit on the raft.  He showed me that He alone is in charge of exactly where we were going.  No human or organization can control our direction.  He will keep me safe in dangerous times where the waters get rough.  He is my guide and the One who chooses my path, watching over me through it all.

I wish I were an artist.  I would love to paint the image of God as my river guide.  As crazy as it sounds, it is something I need to remember every day." - May 18, 2015

Jody gave those words to an artist and this is what he came up with.  The coolest part to me, was that he got it exactly right.  The first thing out of my mouth was "Colorado!"  I don't know why, of all things, I said that.

Jody said, "It was supposed to be Honduras.  But this is what he drew.  I was going to ask him to change it to trees and water that are typical of Honduras.  But I decided not to."

"No!" I told her.  "This is exactly where it is supposed to be.  The image God gave me was a specific place in Colorado."  But I had never written that in my blog.

The only difference between the image in the frame and the image in my mind was minuscule.  In my mind God was standing a foot more to his right.

I loved my gift!  It is one of the most thoughtful gifts anyone has ever given me.  I will cherish it. It's bubbled wrapped, packed and ready to hang on my wall in Honduras.

God is my guide.