He Holds Everyone On Earth

Today I am sitting in my backyard (they don’t have those in the cities I visited) in Sherman, TX listening to the hum of the air conditioner, the birds chirping, and the leaves ruffling together when a light breeze hits. I am thankful and resting and reflecting. I left the States 18 years old. I’m back, but now I’m 19 with a lot of knowledge and a whole lot of perspective.

I’ve learned how to explore and to look around and see what is right in front of me. This world is HUGE y’all and the Lord created it. He made the trees and the birds and the waters and the hills and the people. I’ve seen SO many people this summer.

I’ve been to Spain and France and Portugal and Italy!! So many people in Spain, in France, in Portugal, and in Italy.  I saw just a small fraction of the people in these 4 countries and an even smaller fraction of the 7 billion people as I traveled on multiple planes, a train, and buses. I people watched a lot. People with all sorts of different backgrounds, people that speak different languages, and people that I never even spoke to. I wandered what their lives are like and how cool it was that the Lord made them.

He knows how many hairs we each have, He knows our every thought, when we sit and when we rise, He created us all in our mother’s womb. Every breath we take is given to us by Him. He sees us all. (Psalm 33:13) Just sitting and meditating on that leaves me in awe.

In awe because I saw the works of architects like Gaudi, artists like Michelangelo, Picasso, and many others. I learned about composers and musicians from Spain as well. How cool the Lord made them and gave them their talents! They all point to the Lord.

Spain

In Barcelona, La Sagrada Familia amazed me. It’s the Gospel displayed in stone on the outside of the church in three facades-- the nativity, the passion, and the glory facade. Construction began in 1882, and it’s still not complete. When it’s finished, the tallest spire will be 560 FEET. It’s already massive, so I cannot imagine how big it will be when it is finished. It blew my mind, and I definitely want to go back in 2026 when they hope to have it completed.

France

In Paris, I climbed 674 steps of the Eiffel Tower to the second floor (379 FEET) and saw cars that looked like ants and people that looked like dots. I saw the Eiffel Tower at night. Oh and we were in Paris the day of the Euro cup final Portugal vs. France. There were people everywhere. I saw THE Mona Lisa in the Louvre. Across from that there was a painting by Lorenzo Lotto “Christ Carrying the Cross.” It was definitely moving. This beautiful painting displaying how much God loves the world and so many people see it when they walk through the Louvre. 

Portugal

In Lagos, we went to the beach. The ocean was beautiful. I always get that shrinking feeling inside when I look out and can’t see where the water ends—If His grace is an ocean we’re all sinking. “95% of the ocean is undiscovered.” How cool that the Lord created it, and He knows every detail about the entire ocean.

Italy

In Rome, I saw the Sistine Chapel. It was filled with people craning their necks to see nine scenes from Genesis. People from all over the world listening to audio guided tours that tell them about Creation and the Creator. I walked into St. Peter’s Basilica. Talk about MASSIVE (430 FEET). It was under construction from 1506-1626 and it was built without modern technology. This time the tour talked about Peter and how he went to Rome to spread the Gospel. Peter who got out of the boat and walked on water with Jesus, Peter who cut off the ear of the guard when they came to arrest Jesus, Peter who was crucified upside down for his faith. In Latin every quote from Jesus to Peter found in the Bible is written in seven-foot tall letters around the church. It said “Tu es Petrus..” You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” Matthew 16:18

Tu es Petrus

The WHOLE WIDE World

I am so thankful for the six weeks I got to spend in Europe. Thankful for everything I learned. This is just a small glimpse of the many things I saw and learned this summer. I have seen so many places with my own two eyes. I traveled 5,000 plus miles. I walked a lot of miles. Every day my feet were dirty and every day they hurt—so worth it. I had so many different foods and heard many languages. Even after all of the people and places I saw, I still haven’t been everywhere or seen everything. There’s always more to learn. I’m so amazed and so thankful. Thankful to get to wander and learn about this world. Thankful that I have found that I love traveling and being lost (a lot).  I saw just a glimpse of how big the world is. It all pointed back to the Creator and has left me even more in awe. The earth is FULL of the steadfast love of the Lord. It’s a great big world we live in, and He’s got it ALL in His hands.

“Let ALL the Earth fear the Lord; let ALL the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him! For He spoke, and it came to be; He commanded, and it stood firm.” Psalm 33: 8-9