…is the spiritual journey of a lifetime!
It is one of the great questions of life to wonder how you can get from here to there; to wonder how you can find a path to face the challenges, overcome the opposition and capture the moments to finish life well. The journey metaphor is a very common theme in literature with spiritual parallels. Allegorical characters like Odysseus in Homer’s, “Odyssey,” Pilgrim in John Bunyan’s, “Pilgrim’s Progress” and Frodo in J.R. Tolkien’s, “Lord of the Rings” all embarked on an incredible journey that pointed to real life truths. As a reader, we put ourselves in the adventures of the characters and connect our own journey through life with their opportunities, perils, fears and hope.
The power of story changes people’s lives because it gives them the big picture of their own life. We recognize that the challenges we face can build positive character just as it does for people in the story. We see that our failures are not the end but a new direction and that even the smallest hope can inspire many other people in their journey to end well.
I invite you to take a journey that was inspired by the vision of an ancient author named, Ezekiel. Ezekiel was a Jewish prophet who began getting wild, creative visions about the future of his people around 591 B.C.. He wrote the visions down to help his people enter the story and get the big picture of how they were going to get from here to there. These visions came at a time in history when the Jewish people were particularly discouraged about current events and they were afraid of an uncertain future.
I have attempted in this book to use the framework of the vision in Ezekiel 47:1-12 and put it in a story context for today. My hope is that you will see parallels to your own spiritual journey and will determine in your heart to follow the River home.
Your companion,
Rick Carlson
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