Stones of Remembrance
Years ago I had a dream, that I believe was a message from God. In the dream, my husband and I were standing in front of the most beautiful lake. Across the lake, was the silhouette of a mountain range. The sun was setting beyond the mountains as my husband and I admired the beauty of God’s creation. I asked, “Do you think God made the mountains to remind us of how big He is?” My husband replied, “No, I think He made the mountains to show us how small we really are.”
The imagery and wisdom of this humbling dream, come to mind, as I think about the mountain we are currently tackling, in our daughter’s home education journey. She has been working with a reading tutor, for over a year now, to help remediate her dyslexia. See the Dyslexia is a Superpower blog post and the Dyslexia Support page to learn more about our experience. Around the same time she began working with her tutor, she also started taking horseback riding lessons.
When she first learned how to get a horse ready to ride, she would ask for help finding each horse’s bridle and reins, because she could not read the name tags that labeled each set. Over time, she learned to memorize the placement of the reins, for the horses she was regularly assigned. It was a good strategy that worked well for her most of the time, but was not a long-term solution. Every time she came across an unfamiliar name or word, she was again faced with the realization that she could not independently read.
We decided to take a break from horse lessons over the summer months, but we did continue to pursue reading, with weekly tutoring and daily practice, during that time. When we returned to the barn in September, she excitedly walked over to grab the reins of her favorite horse. She looked up at the name tag to make sure she had gone to the correct hook and nonchalantly said, “Cooper.” After a brief pause, she looked at the name tag again, and repeated herself with more confidence, “Cooper!” As she said his name the second time, she turned to look at me, with eyes wide and the biggest smile on her face. We both realized that she was actually reading his name with ease. My heart swelled with gratitude to God, as I marveled at this milestone!
When I shared this story with a friend of mine, she encouraged me to set this moment as a stone of remembrance. If you are unfamiliar with this expression, it comes from the Word of God. Stones hold significance, all throughout the Bible. In the Old Testament, Jacob anointed a stone at Bethel, where he had a vision in Genesis 28. David declared the LORD as his rock of refuge, referenced in Psalm 18 and 2 Samuel 22:2. In the New Testament, Jesus Christ himself, “the chief cornerstone and foundation in whom the church is built” (Ephesians 2:20-21), told a group of hypocrites who were about to stone a woman to death, that the person who was “without sin" could “cast the first stone” (John 8:7).
The stones of remembrance were twelve memorial stones set up to represent the twelve tribes of Israel, who had passed over the Jordan River, in Joshua 4. This memorial was made to forever remind the people that the LORD stopped the flow of water, to make a way for them to enter into the Promised Land. Similarly, those same twelve tribes had been able to escape slavery, by crossing through the Red Sea on dry ground, as they fled the Egyptian army in Exodus 14. These memorial stones represented God’s rescue, preservation, and provision.
As believers, we too are called to glorify God by remembering all the good things He has done for us. When I look at this mountain that was once fully blocking our daughter’s path to reading, I can see how God has been providing a way through it. There are weeks that we see exponential improvement as giant boulders of confusion miraculously roll out of our way. There are also periods of frustration where we trudge through reading difficulties, merely chipping away one small stone at a time.
Whether progress is fast or excruciatingly slow, I know God will continue to make a way for our daughter. When we see glimmers of light shine through this dark tunnel, it strengthens our resolve to keep working with all our might, for the glory of our Way Maker (Isaiah 43:16), the Rock of our Salvation (Psalm 95:1). Even if this mountain isn’t “thrown into the sea” as referenced in Mark 11:13, or “moved from here to there" as stated in Matthew 17:20, I know we will be moved through it to the other side. I can say this with confidence, because when I look behind me, there is a trail of stones along the way, as a reminder of what the LORD has already done.
Therefore, “straining toward what is ahead, [we] press on toward the goal” (Philippians 3:13-14), knowing that it is not by our strength, but “God who is effectively at work in [us] (2:13).” We rightfully feel small when we face the mountains of life, but we can put our trust in the One who is big enough to hold those mountains in the palm of His hand. In our weakness, He is strong, and His grace is sufficient (2 Corinthians 12:9).
Scripture quotations taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used with permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com
