“Shurtape. Hold Strong”–A “stone” from the journey!!
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“Why a picture of tape?” you might ask. Great question. So glad you asked! This roll of tape is a “stone of remembrance”–a “souvenir” from the journey I have been on in the last year and a half. It’s part of a story I want to share with you….
I left our family foundation, Master Works Foundation (MWF), in June of 2010, after 12 wonderful years of serving alongside friends, family, and co-workers that I dearly love both in Fort Wayne and from ministries and foundations all around the world.
Through times of prayer, counsel of friends and mentors, circumstances and just a sense in my own heart, the Lord was very clear in His direction that the season at MWF was coming to a close, but that did not make the “death” process any easier to walk through. I was leaving people that were “family” to me and a world that I knew well with no clear picture of my future.
The first 4-5 months after leaving MWF were an incredibly valuable time of reflection and rest, and as that time came to a close, I started asking the Lord about the future–that’s where the “En Gedi” journey began.
That’s where this picture of tape comes in! As the process continued, it became clearer and clearer that the Lord had a new ministry for me to be a part of, though it didn’t feel as “new” because it included many people and passions that were part of my life for the last 12 years. However, one of the new aspects was that, instead of giving financial resources away to help people fulfill their God-given calling, I was now going to be in the position of raising my own personal support to fulfill mine–a TOTALLY new and unfamiliar place for me to be!
In this new season, I started asking the Lord alot of questions about His provision for me, especially being a single woman now in ministry. One specific day all my questions and fears about His provision capabilities came to a head.
I had been recycling used books in a desire to save money, and in the process needed to mail a book. As I went to package it up, I realized I had run out of packing tape. I went to the post office and, by the time I had what was needed to mail it, the savings I had hoped for had been eaten up in expenses. I determined this would not happen again, and I went next door to the dollar store to buy packing tape. The dollar store didn’t HAVE packing tape, as it costs MORE than $1. That’s when it all came to a head–the proverbial straw that broke the camel’s back! I complained to the Lord all the way to the lake about His provision, expenses, fears of homelessness, dying alone penniless, (you know how our fears always snowball!! 🙂 etc. The irony of it all is that I was going to the lake to pray with a girl about some areas of need in her life, while I was obviously demonstrating some serious needs of my own!
When I got to the lake, I asked the girl to go on a walk one direction around the lake with some specific questions to ask the Lord while I went around the other direction. I had some questions of my own to ask the Lord, as you can imagine at this point!!
Right before I got back to the house that we were borrowing for our time together, I looked down, and along the side of the road I see–A BRAND NEW ROLL OF PACKING TAPE!!! I mean, really. In the middle of March, as the snow had just melted, there it was. I stood stock still for a moment and then just started laughing!! I so love His sense of humor!! He knew!! I think He was laughing too! The brand name of the tape?? “Shur tape. Hold Strong.” (you can see it in the picture)
I just felt the Lord say to my heart, “I’ve got this, Laurie. My name IS Jehovah-Jireh. I have this under control, but you are going to have to trust me.”
This is the journey of faith He has called me to, and I can say, “I have tasted and seen that the Lord is good.” I want to share His faithfulness with another generation and tell the stories of His goodness. This is one of my “stones of remembrance” along my En Gedi journey–one I will never forget.
Do you have some “stones of remembrance?” Who might need to hear your story?