Cindy Powell

“Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls…” —Jeremiah 6:16

Over the past year or two this scripture has popped up just about everywhere. I knew Jesus was highlighting it for a reason. One of those reasons became clear in an unexpected way on an overseas trip that had me LITERALLY walking in ancient paths. 

Although I’ve traveled a fair amount, I don’t take a lot of “vacations.”  But recently I had the opportunity to go on a 10-day Greek Isle cruise with a few extra days in Rome thrown in at the end. Life is tough, right?!

I knew it was a God thing from the beginning, and I also knew there would be some prayer assignments along the way, but make no mistake, this was a VACATION—not a ministry trip.

And you know what?  It was probably one of the most spiritually significant trips of my life. I will be unpacking a lot of what He revealed for awhile, but before too much time goes by I wanted to jot down some of the gems and themes that became apparent along the ancient way:

Live opposite the season. 

When we left, the world was on fire. Literally. In my hometown wildfires were raging. In other areas there were devastating hurricanes and floods. Throw in a few earthquakes, the ongoing political and economic shaking, and, as always, the weight of our own unresolved challenges. There was no shortage of turmoil in the world. Yet there we were, cruising along in a fabulous fantasy world on the sea, being absurdly pampered with glorious views and nothing but blue skies for days. 

I can’t tell you how deeply that spoke to me. “The thief comes  to kill steal and destroy but I have come that they might have life and have it to the full.”  There is a lot of “killing, stealing and destroying” going on to be sure, but Jesus says our portion in Him is abundance. Always. We really can choose to live there and not in the chaos.

There is no doubt that in this world we WILL have tribulation. It’s unavoidable. But we are NOT of this world. That is the reality He invites us to learn to live from and I got a little taste in real time.

Follow His quiet whispers—not the crowd. 

We had an amazing time but that doesn’t mean everything was exactly as we hoped or wished it would be. One day In particular we had signed up for what looked like a fascinating tour. It wasn’t. It was hot. It was crowded. And everything shared was from a perspective  quite opposite our Christ-filled worldview.

We were in Ephesus at the time, and along the way I noticed some signs pointing to an ancient church that I knew was significant. But it clearly wasn’t on the agenda for our tour. When it we were almost done at the site, they gave us 30 minutes to browse the shops or get a cold drink before driving on. I knew the time was short, but I felt a strong pull to go find that church! I honestly didn’t know if I would have enough time to get there but I couldn’t ignore the invitation of the Spirit, so off I went while everyone else went to cool down.

The minute I set my foot on the path leading to the church, His presence apprehended me. I started weeping and praying as He allowed me to share His heart for a specific people and region in a way I hadn’t in quite some time.

I made it to the church site—barely. But that wasn’t the point. Following was the point. Take the road less traveled. Go out of your way. Even when it seems like there isn’t enough time. God can do more in a moment fully surrendered to Him than we can do in a lifetime. 

Look for treasure.

Five smooth stones. That’s what He told me He was giving me on this trip. A “giant-killer” tool bag specifically tailored to what He knows I will need in the season ahead.

Each “treasure” was from a specific place with a specific meaning. For now, the backstory of these smooth stones is between me and Jesus, but the broader point is this … there is treasure EVERYWHERE.  It doesn’t have to look super special or be meaningful to anyone else. Keep your eyes open for those special markers—rocks of remembrance—that are unique to your journey with Him. Become a treasure hunter in every season and you’ll never be empty-handed!

Don’t let fear or embarrassment keep you from adventure and fun.

I haven’t ridden a bike other than a beach cruiser in well over ten years. Yet somehow I thought it was a great idea to take a ride on a ten-speed electric bike. On major city streets … and narrow roads … and cobblestone paths … and steep rocky trails (up and down) … for FOUR hours … with a whole five minutes or so of instruction.

It wasn’t pretty. (Hint: do NOT attempt to go up a steep hill without any momentum or electric assist in the highest gear. I can conclusively confirm it is not an effective strategy.) It would have been easy to allow embarrassment or awkwardness to diminish the adventure of it all.

But you know what? Awkward is okay!  Just show up. There is unfathomable beauty (and a lot of fun) waiting to be discovered in uncomfortable places. 

Trust He IS  leading—even when you have no idea where you’re going.

One of the things I was most looking forward to during our time in Rome was hopping on a train to visit Florence for a day. But that didn’t happen. Turns out it wasn’t supposed to happen.

Our time was short and it would have been a very long day. After wrestling with what I “wanted” to do versus what seemed to be the wisest stewardship of our time and bodies, I let that desire go. Instead we had a leisurely morning and then explored some closer sites in the afternoon.

We ended up at Saint Paul’s Basilica which was not in our original plans. But it was definitely on God’s calendar. In that “unplanned” stop, I had one of the most significant encounters I’ve had with the Lord in a very long time. It was one of those moments where you know He is doing something far beyond your current understanding. But even in the mystery, there were things I did understand—including some much needed clarity regarding my focus for the days ahead.

The perfection and specificity of His leadership—especially when I don’t have a clue—never ceases to astound me. He WILL get me where I need to be, when I need to be there,  regardless of how dialed in I am or am not. My trust is in His faithfulness, not my own. 

And THAT is what the ancient path is all about—trust. Always has been, always will be. Could the “good way” be found in simply taking His hand each day and enjoying the journey—wherever it leads?

So these are just a few of the jots and gems from my recent journey along the ancient path. The invitation is open to you as well. May our desire be to find joy and rest “following the Lamb wherever He goes” all the days of our lives!