"They say the truest beauty is found in the harshest land and God can be found there by those with open eyes"- Alice Hoffman, The Dovekeeper
Its difficult to explain what jumping from a semi dry year in the city into a deep well of community really feels like. Like the cool blue water of shoal lake, this place draws you to it, it begs you to take the risk and jump in, to completely surrender to the depths but to trust that lessons learned long ago will allow you to be pulled to the surface. Little feet patter on the board walk and bigger hands find smaller ones. The soft but yet powerful sound of a paddle pushing water, and the mournful call of the loon becomes the part of the song of our hearts and the deep longing of our heart for God and to know his voice.
Everything is bigger here, relationships are more powerful. We come to this island with wounds, badly stitched by time. But gently and slowly, this place opens them, letting the infection bleed out and then soothes it with love and patience until God closes the wound and only a scar is left in its place.
