Ashley Fyle is finishing up her YAGM year in Australia. You can read the rest of her posts here:
https://ashleyyagmaustralia.wordpress.com/author/ashleyyagmaustralia/
“Labyrinth: a complicated irregular network of passages or paths in which it is difficult to find one’s way; a maze,” (Google dictionary).
I have walked on a journey with Jesus this year. The entrance was welcoming. The path seemed straightforward. Easy enough.
I walk slowly and lightly; getting comfortable with the path. We walk a short distance, and the road curves to the left.
And then, curves to the right. All of a sudden, we hit a stop. Homesickness sets in. What do I do? Where do I go? God, show me the way.
We find the continuation of the path. It appears to go back in the direction we started. A total U-turn. Is this the right way? We continue on the path, and come across another U-turn. And then, another. I realize these sharp corners, which seem like U-turns, are just a part of the journey.
I move much more naturally and briskly now. I have become comfortable.
We come across a rock in the path. My mom calls me to tell me my dog has passed away. I come to a stop and stare at the rock.
Finally, I decide to slowly side-step around the rock.
We continue down the path, weaving and winding around corners. Some a little faster; some a little slower.
Thanksgiving and Christmas away from my family; traveling, YAGM visits, and summer camps. We pass a few more rocks in the middle of the path.
My backpack is stolen. I catch a stomach bug.
Unlike the first rock, I’ve learned that we are capable of moving the rocks. I can push them to either side of the path using our strength.
They end up building a sturdy, strong wall around us.
We’ve come to the end of the path.
These past few months, I have been marching. Boldly and loudly stepping.
We have covered lots of ground, and each step has brought confidence and comfort. The end is not an outlet away from the path; rather, it is in the center.
From the end, we can turn 360 degrees and see every part of the path. While walking, the path seemed random, windy, and chaotic. Now that every angle can be seen, it is obvious that the layout is a pattern. Every sharp corner or long straight stretch had a purpose. It was perfectly plotted. As we stand in the middle, I am overwhelmed by how intricately and beautifully designed this path was. What once seemed like a maze, difficult to navigate, is now clear.
It is a labyrinth.
