“It is good to give thanks to the Lord, to sing praises to your name, O Most High; to declare your steadfast love in the morning, and your faithfulness by night.”
Psalm 92:1-2
My commute on a rainy day.
My alarm goes off… It’s 6 o’clock in the morning. Time to start my day! I hurry to get dressed, brush my teeth, read my Bible & devotions (and always my Great Aunt Sheri’s Jesus Calling devo she sends every morning) and, if I have time, watch and respond to my friends and sisters Marco Polos before I make my way to the house. Then I start my walk up, using my time to talk to God, telling Him of everything I’m thankful for, praising His glorious name. I stop often to pet the goats, making sure Nibbles isn’t stuck in the fence. Continuing on with every step I take, I ask Him to prepare my heart for the day, to fill me with the patience, grace and strength I’ll need to make it through the day. I’m getting closer to the house now, as I can smell the coffee my host mom has made already with fresh Kona Java beans. So one last prayer for the land and the people I come across here. Prayer for peace and hope. Finally, I’m greeted by the dogs awaiting scratches and cuddles.
Throughout the day, I make multiple trips up and down. Going to explore the river, swim in the waterfall, feed the goats, get my swimsuit for the beach, say hi to the guests staying at the Waterfall House, or collect passion fruit along the fence. But it’s normally such a busy day that only in the morning and evening I can take time to watch the stars, look at the flowers growing on the fence post, pet the goat kids with their mommas, or feel the breeze coming off the ocean each slow step of my commute. God has continually blessed me here in Hawaii, from the big things, such as the new friends I made who invite me to church, Bible study or the beach, my two boys I nanny who teach me Pokémon and fishing, hold my hand on our walks, and make sure I know everything about Hawaii, to the little things like watching the clouds, friends the boys play with at the beach, the dogs that cuddle with me, and so many other things!
Now it’s night time… 7 or 8 o’clock in the evening by time I head back down to my cabin. By this time, either I can hear the coqui frogs while it rains or I look up to the sky to see the stars. It’s peaceful. When I see the stars, I think of Ellie Holcomb’s song “Constellations.” The chorus goes like this, “Out here in the dark
Underneath a canopy of stars
Constellations falling from Your heart
They tell me that I’m not alone
I know that I’m never alone
‘Cause You find me and bring me back home.”
I know that God is with me, in everything. So on my walk back down, I spend it thanking Him for the immense blessings He has given me.
One of my favorite parts of my day is my daily commute, which consists of walking, up the driveway in the morning and back down in the evening, from my cabin to my host family’s farmhouse. It’s just a short walk, maybe a quarter mile or so, but it’s the time of the day I get to talk to God and admire his creations. In rain or shine, light or dark, I walk up and down the hill. Today, I challenge you to find a time during your day to talk to God, declare your love for Him and to thank Him for the blessings in your life. At the church I attend here in Hilo, the pastor empathized that it’s not about being religious, it’s about the relationship you create with Him. I guarantee you will find peace in Him as you grow closer with Him.
Thanks for following my journey, and I pray that you can see God’s blessings in your life,
Clara 🙂
