I’ve spent the past eight years up and down IH-35. A typical year has been 40,000 plus miles, and I’m so over it! For those who don’t know already, I began working part-time… oh my goodness, but I love the sound of that… at the end of March. March 28 to be exact. On what would’ve been my Granny’s 98th. There could not have been a more perfect date, especially since my Granny’s death was the tipping point in my surrender to God’s calling on my life. That’s quite a story, and you can read it here, but that’s not the story for today.

Today’s story is about Kingsland and Kingdom…

You see, this past Monday, I traveled to Marble Falls, and I was determined to leave the big roads behind. My route took me from Crawford to Gatesville, then down FM 116 and then to FM 580. The drive was b-e-a-utiful. I drove in complete silence for the entire trip, and I literally just soaked in the beauty and the very breath of God.

FM 580 actually comes to a stop sign, and you have to turn right to continue on FM 580. No clue where you go if you turn left, primarily because I got distracted with this.

An adorable little house, nestled behind a huge oak tree. The porch just screamed welcome, and the screen door begged to be slammed by kids with sticky fingers from the popsicles they just ate. See, I told you I got distracted.

Because I was on a time schedule… or more like the real truth… because I was actually running a tad late for the appointed time to be in Marble Falls, I didn’t stop to take a picture, but I was determined to snap one on the way back home on Wednesday… which is when I actually took the picture above. The return trip home. And that’s what today’s story is about. The return trip.

I’d been looking forward to being in Marble Falls for weeks. It had nothing to do with the reason for going to Marble Falls, but everything to do with what I planned to do on my way home… have lunch with one of my girls who just got out of prison. She now lives in Kingsland, Texas, and although I didn’t really have a clue where that was when she first told me, a quick Google confirmed it was just 15 minutes outside of Marble Falls.

To protect her privacy, I won’t share all the details, but let me just say this. God is faithful. I treasured every single minute of my time with her, and I left understanding the commonly tossed around phrase “there is nothing God can’t redeem”  in a whole new way. Sweetest mercy. There. Is. Nothing. God. Can’t. Redeem. I pulled out of her driveway with tears streaming down my face, knowing I’d witnessed God at His finest. Doing what He does best. Doing what only He can do. Redeeming our broken lives.

My mind was a whirl as I took the backroads home, and I drove right past the little white house on FM 580 that just two days earlier had captured my attention. When I realized I’d completely forgotten all about getting the picture, I giggled out loud. God has this amazing way of redirecting even the most ADD disciple like me. And because I’m so grateful He loves me enough to get all in my business, I turned around and went back and snapped the picture just so the next time distractions threaten my discipleship, I’d have a reminder.

A reminder of Kingsland and Kingdom.
A reminder that my choices matter… for His Kingdom.
A reminder that the way I spend my time makes a difference… for His Kingdom.
A reminder that my blessings should be regifted… for His Kingdom.
A reminder that my talents and gifts are to be put to work… for His Kingdom.
A reminder that my very breath and existence on this earth is… for His Kingdom.

And most importantly, a reminder that the sweetest joy I’ll ever know this side of Heaven is when I am fully surrendered… for His Kingdom.

It blows my mind that God can use me, but He shows me in the most beautiful ways that He can. And He can use YOU, too… for His Kingdom.