Photo Credit: Kat Stokes
As I work on this project, collating my findings, fitting the puzzle pieces, and building a trail from the 40s uptil the 90s, I encounter many roadblocks. Too many gaps in my big picture. My frustrations strangle me, threatening to snuff the sanity out of my reasoning. I’m weighed down. Feeling stuck in a tight corner with my enclosing deadline encroaching on my patience. I’m tempted to give up but I couldn’t even if I tried. But I could give in…give in to the pressure and neglect excellence for average. I shrug my shoulders, I can only do so much. I cannot manufacture facts I cannot find nor can I craft tales that weren’t told. I’ll work with the pieces I have and fill up the spaces with nothing of course. At least that is what I tell myself.
But the moment I get back onto the trail of this fiery individual, whose life literally lit up the places he went and kindled the people he met, I too would be ignited by the same flames that consumed him. Quickly I discard my thoughts about average and get down on all fours, seeking the face of the Storyteller of all time – Yahweh. The God that tells stories… I tell Him about his servant, and about the story I’m telling, and about the puzzle pieces and how they don’t fit. I ask Him for help. Help to navigate the past, seek out the facts and bring to fore a map. So that those who read his-story will find hope to navigate their own destinies.
So I go on. I keep searching out and working towards excellence. All the while morphing into something better, tougher, purer, greater…into something bearing good report!
This man that I write about, though his footprints would sometime seem to wander off course, meandering mole hills and gorges of questions, conflicts and hardships, still I find the grace to press on. I find grace to be in pursuit of what he was in pursuit of… and courage to remain on course while being pursued by the same thing that got him running… and the faith to be consumed by the flames that set him on fire.
I stay the course. Like a good soldier of Christ. I bear my cross. Till I finish the race. Just like he too finished strong.
Comments