Driving on back roads nourishes my soul—tooling along, taking in open fields, winter trees, a marsh, a deer, a crane, a bald eagle.
Traveling through rural Wisconsin affords me the opportunity to look at the work and lives of people, people connected to the land—Amish farmers, deserted deer hunting cabins, the place we call the “drug lord mansion,” and, often, the homes of people living in poverty.
The signs are clear. A yard littered with junk cars, a roof caving in, shingles that haven’t been painted in 50 years.
But I’ve noticed something. Often—not always—but often, amid the chaos of their lives, something stands out. It might be a chair on a porch. It might be flowers along a walkway. It might be the pleasing way in which the house sits on the land.
It’s like a human voice is speaking to me and saying, “Yeah, I’m struggling. But I’m not defined by my struggle. There’s something beautiful here that most people don’t see.”
In my mind, I call this an outpost of beauty.
I smile when I see these. It makes me happy inside. I think it’s because it reminds me of God. As he travels through humanity, he looks at our lives—and, yeah, He sees the wreckage. But He also sees something beautiful—that outpost of beauty that most people miss.
He sees it in us. And He smiles. And He says to Himself, “Yeah. I’ll start with that. There’s something there I want to redeem.”
Be encouraged!
Dwight
PS. Thanks for your warm thoughts and prayer regarding our car situation. We were able to get Alan’s car fixed without replacing the transmission. (Thank You, God!) And, I think we have the oil leak fixed in Kim’s car. My car continues to function miraculously. And it looks like we’ll be able to purchase a car from a friend for an affordable amount. The adventure isn’t completely over, but things are definitely looking up.
P.P.S. Here are some recent videos from my YouTube channel you or someone you know might find helpful … Why would a loving God send anyone to hell? (Great question by the way) and Why are so many Christian marriages falling apart? Is there something about marriage that Christians don’t know?
