99 Found, Looking for the Lost One.

Hi all.

If you've been watching the news at all the past week you're probably well aware of the little boy scout who was lost in the Carolina mountains...

Lost. I've been there.

Lost. I've been lost in a lot of different ways. There isn't just one kind of lost - well, at least not how I see it. I've been geographically lost (Just ask my dad about this one. He's become a pro at interstate-mapquesting, ha). I've been mentally lost (I find myself in this kind of lost a little all too often, ha ha). Sometimes I'm lost in day-dreams (love this kind of lost). Sometimes I'm lost in myself (oops!). I can get lost in others (no comment on this), and I can get lost in the beauty of things (deep relaxation in this kind of lost).

At times, I'm lost for only a moment but at other times, I'm lost for a season...there have been times where I have wandered away from God. These are the prideful times where I think on my own I can make my life better. I'm lost in pride. Lost in foolishness. Lost in ignorance, and lost in guilt. It takes the loving hand of my gracious Savior, His oh-so-loving voice beckoning me back, to draw me away from my distorted path and gently place me on a path that is straight.

Then there are times when I wake up from a hard fall...and I'm lost. The fall can be relationally, spiritually, physically...however it is I may fall... the point is I'm fallen. It tends to take me a while to realize I've fallen. I tend to get angry that I wasn't kept from falling, confused as to why the tumble and trip was allowed. Eventually, I'll come to realize that I feel a bit lost. I wish I could say I'm like a Daniel Boone or a Lewis and Clark who would most likely consider it a great adventure to be lost somewhere and have to find your way out...I wish that was me...but it's not. My typical reaction is a weary spirit that's usually near close to giving up on being found. Rather pathetic attitude, I must admit.

If you stayed up to date on the story of the lost little boy. He was found.

When my mom told me this I just about burst into tears of joy. I remained just as excited about it all as I continued to watch news reports on it. I can't help put think of our Heavenly Father. I know...I've heard it over and over again how He seeks the lost and loves us and...and...But to realize how excited I was over this lost boy being found, only brought into light how much more our Father rejoices when we are found.

I think it's fair to say that each of our hearts went out to this lost boy. You may not have ever been lost just as he, but you've been lost. You know how it feels to some extent. And it was almost too much to bear to think about all that he was going through...So too, God must mourn with us and for us while we're lost.

Are you lost? Maybe not "off the path" lost but I mean lost. Are you lost? Whatever lost may mean in your life today. Are you lost? Lost as to where to go next in life? Are you at a loss as to how to fix your relationship? Lost on what you truly think of this God of ours? Lost in your emotions? or simply lost...are you lost?

Good news. You will be found. A season of being lost, and at a loss, certainly does not label you as a failure, a fallen Christian. We come from the nation Israel, which means, one who struggles with God. Yes, we struggle with being lost. We don't particularly like (which is understandable) all the different emotions that being lost invokes; feelings of fear, loneliness, anger, assault...But we will always be found. He will always make straight our paths. He will lead us home.

They interviewed a boy scout on one of the news reports. He said the three things you learn as a boy scout are one, stick with someone. Two, stay on the path...and three...three? I don't remember (it was probably something like don't eat girl scout cookies, ha ha...just kidding. I don't remember three) But I find point one and two to be very interesting...

If you're lost today...cling on to community, and to the life and direction it brings, stay on the path as best as you can, and remember, you will be found. And oh how incredibly great our Father rejoices when we are found. Tears to His eyes, warmth to His heart, and some sweet-sweet honey to His soul.

Cheering you on in whatever season of lost you may be in today.

May you trust that you will be found.

Kaylee