A blogger friend (I've never met!) recently recommended I read Hinds Feet on High Places - so - I did. Rather - I devoured(!) it. In the end, I felt I could have written it myself:The book: The main character's name is Much-Afraid. She's on a spiritual journey thru' difficult places w/ her two companions, Sorrow & Suffering - & overcomes her fears as she passes thru many dangers (desert, deep valley, cliff's, etc.) & at last reaches the high places - and after being transformed on the journey by her union w/ the loving Shepherd she gets a new name!
My Story: About 5 years ago The LORD/Great Shepherd took me on a similar journey where I had NO (nada! NONE! not one!) other choice but to trust him COMPLETELY which, I wasn't sure was even possible.
The Book: At the end the author explains more how the story is really an allegory of her personal testimony. She shares how she was led to commit her life to Christ & from there writes:
" ... at last in an extremity of despair & misery of heart I cried out aloud, "O God, if there is a God anywhere, you must make yourself real to me..."My Story: I reached a very similar place & prayed "Please! Make Yourself real to me!" From there so much of how He made himself real to me was in & thru His creation as it seemed to provide pictures/illustrations of His Word/The Bible that made "it all" so much easier to understand ... SO hard to explain(!) but I likely could not explain it any better than the author did here:
I seized my Bible ... and cried again, "O God, if there is a God, your followers say that you speak to them through the Bible. If you are real, speak to me through this book too."
"I have been brought to a place where all God's creation appears to be uttering things in a language which only becomes clearly audible and understood by hearts that have been learning in the school of suffering. It is the language which one begins to spell out in one's inner-most soul when one is on a cross to which self is being transfixed by nails of pain and anguish of heart."The Book: In the end, Much Afraid was transformed - as were her companions & all were given new names & she was then able to serve the Great Shepherd/King! effectively (a new beginning!)... and for me, the story served as an incredible source of personal encouragement!
My Story: I can relate! I'll never be the same. In fact, I grew up believing my name meant "Joy" based on what my mom told me ...but only after "ALL of this", and when it finally fit like a glove, was I stunned (you have no idea!) to look it up & learn that it means "Experienced in Battle".
and... My Story was given a new name too ... as it became an incredible MyStory of HiStory! - from which I attempt to share... to personally encourage others.
4 comments:
It's been over twenty years since I've read this! You've inspired me to read it again. There were a group of us in college who read it and wrote passages to each other for encouragement, basically carried it around with us. I think I still have notes in my Bible, referencing the book. I like your new name!
I, too, read about 20 years ago and loved it. Now I might read it again.
I like your new name!
So cool! I'm glad you read it. I even named my blog from Much Afraid's habit of picking up pebbles as a reminder of the lessons she learned. :)
Actually I did find this book on another blogger's post but she's not written on it in over a month. But it was my first time ever hearing about it! I will have to get the book. Wow. Thanks for sharing this! I love how HE works so many intricate details for us to see and share.
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