Solid Ground
" I waited patiently for the Lord ; he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me up out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet upon a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear the Lord and put their trust in him." Psalm 40:1-3 On a mission trip to the coast of Panama, I found an unexpected physical, mental, emotional and spiritual challenger. Mud. The ground upon which we were building homes and a school was saturated with rain. After the first day of hauling lumber and supplies over the construction site, we had turned the ground into a deep, thick, and slimy mess. Each step, day after day, was a fierce fight to keep possession of our boots. When the week came to an end, we left our boots, loaded up the boats, and headed for solid ground. The first step on dry ground was like a sweet reunion with a dear friend. The joy of rediscover...