Miles from Somewhere.

Cat Stevens, you are a musical genius. Words that inspire and words that uplift come out of your mouth in every song. You encourage the young to pursue their dreams and adults to nurture their children. You are passionate about change and expect each generation to progress and be successful.

A question then arises as I listen to your music. What exactly is your passion? What is the fuel to drive you to compose songs inspiring a revival of America's culture? Why do you do it Cat?

The fifth track on the C.D. began to play. And it all came down on me at once. The song is titled "Miles from Nowhere." Cat Stevens speaks of the long journeys he takes in his life, and how unlike many people he knows, Cat does not end up in the same place. He never returns home, or to a similar location as he started. His ventures away from the norm allow him to see life in a different light, and he never comes back.

He is truly Miles from Nowhere though, isn't he? As he is "lost" in this "wild world" something becomes clear. Everyone needs to have a "somewhere" they belong. In this wild world, the only true home we have is in Him. Under Him we are empowered, strengthened and humbled. Even as we travel to the farthest distance from Christ, he still finds us. We seem to play hide and seek with the Lord, don't we? We may hide in shame misery, concern or because of a lack of faith. But we once again are discovered by the person searching for us: our Savior.

I am beginning to be encouraged to maybe not hide in the most discreet places from Christ. When we do, we only place ourselves nearer to sin, and farther from Him. Thankfully, as we will experience at many points in our lives, He constantly does find us. He never loses this game on Earth, and did not lose the game of eternity.

For me, having two homes can be difficult. Lugging my stuff from home to home or attending every family member's events is quite challenging. I have discovered something pretty incredible about Christ though. I sometimes find myself saying this hurtful phrase to my parents, "I am just going to go stay at _____ house then!", filling in the blank with the opposite parent I am talking to. Sometimes I just want to get away.-away from the current circumstances to experience so called peace. Once I drive my car over the other home though, only more turmoil stirs within me. Peace really only does lie in Him. Nothing here will satisfy you permanently. The experience of having divorced parents has also taught me something crucial to how I view people. With some of the most diverse parents one could ever imagine, the experiences of their lives contribute to their wisdom, which they can then teach me. They have all at some point (as we all do) ventured outside of the path God has directed for them, and learned something. As Christ found them, put them under His wing, and brought them back under the pouring out of glory and blessings, they are inspired to share the Word of God. No matter how far outside of the Lord's law and love they stood, they were saved, uplifted and transformed.

Although in our lives we may feel lost, frightened, confused or even bewildered with things of the flesh, we need to know that our way home is not too far. Although we may be miles from where we aspire or should be, we still so have a starting point, a destination, and a current home in Him. We are only miles from somewhere, never from nowhere.

Isaiah 40:31~But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew [their] strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; [and] they shall walk, and not faint.

We know that we have that somewhere. And, that Somewhere is wanting us to visit and stay there.