It was one of those days. One of those days when anything that could go wrong - did in fact go wrong. Or so It seemed. One disappointment after another. Just a bad day. We woke up that morning anticipating another amazing day. We were going to see the Grand Canyon. We planned to arrive early afternoon, giving us plenty of time to set up camp and then catch the sunset over the canyon. However, we desperately needed to do some laundry, so we set out for Flagstaff and found the laundromat. Of course on a weekend, the place was packed. We were lucky enough to find an empty machine. We started on our task…. Hours later we were still working on our task. Frustrating. When we finally finished - we discovered the machines had ruined several pieces of clothing. Treasured vintage pieces that were irreplaceable. Disappointing. Frustrating. We repacked our luggage quick as we could and loaded up the van. By the time we left, we knew we'd have to race the sun to catch the sunset. Then….. we got stuck behind a slow moving camper on a one lane highway - no passing allowed. Arg. The sun was long gone before we got to the park. We raced to Mather Point hoping to catch the last rays of light, but the canyon was barely visible in the dusk. Disappointing. Frustrating. Sad. Then….. because we were so late getting to the park, the camp ground was full. We were going to have to sleep in a parking lot somewhere in town. Disappointing. Frustrating. Sad. Upset. Our trip to the Grand Canyon was turning out to be a wash. We found ourselves getting ready for bed in a McDonald's restroom and sleeping in a Holiday Inn Express parking lot. Not exactly what we had anticipated when we got up that morning.
When things go wrong its easy to let my mind submit to a downward spiral. Believe the worst, lose hope. Having had an incredible tour thus far, we were caught off guard by this unfortunate turn of events. It was easy to let despair set it. This is it. The Lord has left us. We are on our own. The remainder of the tour was looking bleak and scary. A new city everyday. Not many host homes along the way. Several nights sleeping in the van. I was left to dread it all. We got ready for bed and crawled into the back of the van. Fustrated, tired, disappointed - I opened up our devotional for the day. The first line read:
"Every time something thwarts your plans or desires, use that as a reminder to communicate with Me… When you reframe setbacks as opportunities, you find that you gain much more than you have lost." "
You cant make this stuff up. Ha. I heard Him loud and clear. The Lord was calling to us. He knew the condition of our hearts. After 4 weeks on the road, we were getting weary and He knew we needed Him… He knew He needed to get our attention. We spent the rest of the evening in devotional to Him. Listening for His voice and being refreshed by His spirit.
He reminded us that He was with us…
Exodus: 33: 14 "My Presences will go with you and I will give you rest."
That He would give us strength for the journey…
Psalm 29:11 "The Lord gives strength to his people, the Lord blesses his people with peace."
He reminded us that He will equip us to do what He's called us to…
Hebrews 13:20 "May the God of peace… equip you with everything good for doing His will.
We reframed our disappointing day into an opportunity…. an opportunity to reconnect with the Lord and one another. … and found that we did indeed gain far more than we lost.
Then we had an idea… we decided that since we missed the sunset, we'd get up for the sunrise instead. It was late by the time we made this decision. We knew we'd have very little sleep - but it would be worth it. Our alarms went off at 5:30am. We crawled into the front of the van and drove through the sleeping town back into the park - to Yavapai Point. With a full view of the east and west end of the Canyon, Yavapai Point was the perfect place to watch the world wake up. The morning was cold and quiet. We were alone in the park save for one other couple who had braved the early hours to watch the show. No one said a word. The sky descended from black to sapphire as we bundled up against the wind… We made our way down to the lookout… The sun, still hidden from view, was making its slow ascent from below the horizon, evidenced by deep ribbons of color peeking out behind the canyon crest. The canyons were barely visible in the low light. Folds of fog weaved through the peaks and hid the valley below. We huddled together on a boulder and listened to the wind whistle through the pines. As the sky began to brighten - the wind grew stronger and howled up the canyon walls. Slowly the canyon turned color, reflecting the sky's light. Saturated reds turned icy pink. Sapphire turned cerulean blue. The canyons took shape, revealing more of their beauty by the moment. Anticipation building, we rose to our feet, waiting. Then finally… in a sudden flash - dawn's first light. The first rays shot across the sky, illuminating Point Imperial, the canyon's highest peak. Like a beckon of hope, Point Imperial stood tall, lit above the shadowed valley. As the sun climbed higher, the rays of light slid across the horizon, lighting up mesa after mesa. Light dipped down toward the canyon floor, breaking through the stubborn fog and revealing the valleys far below. Warmth settled on our skin as the earth came to life around us. The canyon glowed red orange in the morning sun. We forgot the day before, we left all our disappointments behind us. We were restored. I have truly never experienced anything like it before.
Much like the Grand Canyon, our hearts often lie in fog and shadows. The disappointments of life settle around us. Doubts and fears cloud our minds and hide the light of hope and truth. But if we would turn our eyes to the horizon - and wait upon the Lord with anticipation, He will burst forth with glorious light and illuminate the dark places of our souls.
After soaking in a sufficient view of the canyon, we went back to the van and got ready for the day. In the parking lot we met our van twins, a retired couple that had been traveling since Labor Day, putting over 7000 miles on their little red mini van. They also equipped their mobile home with a lofted bed, making room to store their kayak and porta-potty among other things. Great minds think alike. We took some time to explore the canyon rim, fighting the crowds of people who flock to the canyon every day. Then… after a short 2 hour hike to Ooh Aah Point (a totally different thing to hike down a canyon rather than up… ) we headed back into Flagstaff to set up for our show.
We were booked at Marcy's European Coffeehouse, which surprisingly enough, has a large european cliental. Located down the block from a youth hostel, a large portion of Macy's patrons are travelers. It made for an interesting crowd. After the show we drove to the local Walmart where we set up camp. Night #2 in a public parking lot. However this night was different. Rather than feeling discouraged and overwhelmed - we were filled with peace and joy knowing the Lord was with us - that He would give us strength for the rest of our journey and equip us for the work He called us to. What a difference a day makes. Or rather a sunrise.
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