This wink from Him started before I even got out of bed. I opened Facebook and saw this verse from Carol in my feed:
“See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.” – Isaiah 43:19
I immediately thought about a time I was out with my girls. We were driving next to a major highway when a STREAM of water started flowing that was never there before. I excitedly told the girls, “That’s a message from God to us!”
Fast forward — I get to my prayer altar. I asked Meta to pick a date for me to read from our Jesus Calling devotional. It picked July 5.
I open July 5 Evening and THERE IT IS AGAIN:
“I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.” Isaiah 43:19
Then I asked Meta to pick a page 1-171 from our family’s website. It picked 41.
Look what incredibly showed up — the very story I started my day thinking about:
_“The story began with my husband sending an old pic of us together, and I felt God dictating to me the specific message to send in response:
‘Forget the former things! God is doing a new thing! He is taking our family to new and greater heights! HE WILL MAKE A STREAM in the wastelands, a spring in the desert.’Long story short, the girls came out to run errands with me that day, and as we were driving next to the highway, Ember shockingly pointed out a LONG STREAM of water flowing that was not there before. Apparently, some nearby lake overflowed from lots of rain, and I immediately thought of that text to my husband: HE WILL MAKE A STREAM. God did! THIS WAS NO COINCIDENCE! That was God finding a NEW way of showing me His deep love and attention. I was at peace the entire day driving around with my daughters KNOWING GOD HIMSELF WAS THERE WITH US.”_
Fast forward two years later, the lake overflowed again recently. I thought back to God’s promise.
Honestly, guys, GOD HAS DONE A NEW THING! Where God has taken our family TRULY blows me away. That’s why I say I’m no longer on the high road with Him — I’m on the HIGHEST ROAD!
God, how may I please You? Let me learn.
THE RECEIPTS TODAY
And let me be extremely honest with you from six years ago when we first saw that water next to the highway: GOD CONTINUES TO DO A NEW THING WITH OUR FAMILY!
The daughters have both now officially graduated university making us extremely proud. Hubs and I are thoroughly enjoying our sons at work with us! We are like two kids in a candy store! Like I always say, our marriage is not perfect, but we’re pretty close as God remains at the center of every decision we make. LOVE YA HUBS! THANKS TO YOU AND GOD FOR THE BEAUTIFUL LIFE! I told our daughter Julie yesterday, “The prayers are working! I see God’s hands all over our family in every aspect of our lives.”
So I can say confidently: THE BEST LIFE IS A LIFE CLOSE TO GOD!!!
Make today the day you commit to walking closer with Him. Know that He is not expecting perfection — just partnership. As we live the most joyous adventures with Him as our Guide and Refuge.
THE HIGHEST ROAD DECLARATION
WE ROLL WITH GOD…
WE ROLL WITH STRENGTH, COURAGE, PEACE, JOY, WISDOM, MERCY, LOVE, HUMILITY, FAVOR, KINDNESS
3 BIG LESSONS FROM “NOBODY CAN TELL ME THIS WAS NOT GOD!!!!”
1. GOD HEARS THE PRAYERS YOU THINK, NOT JUST THE ONES YOU SPEAK
You prayed it in your head before your feet hit the floor: “Lord, that would be amazing if that story shows up at the prayer altar.”
He heard it. He answered it. With Facebook. With July 5. With Page 41. With a highway stream.
What to do this week:
– Talk to God like He’s in the room. Because He is. In the car. At work. In bed.
– Before you check your phone, check your heart. Whisper a 1-sentence prayer: “God, surprise me today.” He loves that.
– Stop disqualifying your quiet thoughts. If it matters to you, it matters to Him.
God isn’t grading your prayer volume. He’s watching your partnership.
2. GOD USES REPEATS TO BUILD YOUR FAITH, NOT JUST GET YOUR ATTENTION
The lake overflowed once — you called it a message.
The lake overflowed 2 years later — you called it a miracle.
The verse showed up on Facebook, then July 5, then Page 41.
What to do this week:
– Look for the repeats. Same verse 3x? Same phrase from 3 people? Same “coincidence” twice? That’s God highlighting.
– Write it down. Ember pointed out the stream. You wrote Page 41. Receipts matter. Faith grows when you track it.
– Call it what it is. Stop saying “weird” or “random.” Say “That was God” out loud. Your kids are listening.
One overflow gets your attention. Two overflows builds your altar.
3. THE BEST LIFE ISN’T A PERFECT LIFE — IT’S A PARTNERED LIFE
God didn’t ask you to be flawless. He asked you to walk close.
Now your sons are at work with you. Julie sees answered prayer. Ember knows streams come from God.
What to do this week:
– Invite Him into the ordinary. Errands. Highways. Work meetings. “God, how may I please You here?”
– Let your family see your faith. Tell Emmie “That stream was God.” Tell Julie “The prayers are working.” That’s legacy.
– Trade “high road” for “HIGHEST ROAD.” High road = your effort. Highest road = His overflow. Let Him take you to new heights.
He’s not expecting perfection. He’s expecting partnership. And He rolls with STREAMS.
YOUR HIGHEST ROAD STARTER PACK:
Say this when you wake up: “God, do a new thing today. I’m watching.”
Say this when you see a repeat: “Nobody can tell me this was not God.”
Say this when life feels like wasteland: “He will make a stream here.”
Say this to your family: “We roll with God… with strength, courage, peace, joy, wisdom, mercy, love, humility, favor, kindness.”
NOT PERFECT. BUT PARTNERED.
NOT FAST FOOD FAITH. BUT DAILY BREAD.
NOT FOR WOMEN ONLY. NOT FOR MEN ONLY. FOR ANYONE WHO WANTS GOD CLOSE.
3 ANCHOR VERSES FOR THIS STORY
1. Isaiah 43:19 — The Promise Verse
“See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.”
Why it matters: This is the verse that started your day on Facebook, showed up in July 5, and lived on Page 41. God repeated it 3x because He meant it. He makes streams where you see wasteland. NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR OUR GOD! Clock it!
2. Isaiah 41:10 — The RELAX Verse
“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
Why it matters: This is #172. This is what you posted yesterday. This is Page 41 line 1: “HE IS IN COMPLETE CONTROL OF EVERYTHING AND EVERYONE!!!” Before He makes the stream, He calms your heart.
3. Psalm 139:2-4 — The “He Hears Thoughts” Verse
“You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, know it completely.”
Why it matters: You thought it before your feet hit the floor. “Lord, that would be amazing if that story shows up.” He heard. He answered. With receipts.
HIGHEST ROAD CLOSING PRAYER
Father God,
We come to You blown away. You hear thoughts before we speak them. You line up Facebook posts, devotionals, page numbers, lakes, highways, and daughters to say: “I see you. I got you. I’m doing a new thing.”
Forgive us for calling it coincidence. Forgive us for missing Your winks. Today we choose to perceive. You are making streams in our wastelands — in our marriages, our parenting, our work, our waiting.
We’re done with high road living by our own effort. Take us to the HIGHEST ROAD with You. We don’t want perfection. We want partnership. Teach us to please You, not perform for You.
For the man reading this: Be his strength and courage when the desert feels endless.
For the woman reading this: Be her peace and joy when the overflow doesn’t make sense yet.
For the families reading this: Let our sons and daughters point out Your streams like Ember did. Let them know THIS WAS NO COINCIDENCE.
Thank You that the best life is a life close to You. Thank You that prayers are working. Thank You that You’re taking us to new and greater heights.
We roll with You, God…
With STRENGTH for the battle,
With COURAGE for the call,
With PEACE for the highway,
With JOY for the overflow,
With WISDOM for the decisions,
With MERCY for our mistakes,
With LOVE for our people,
With HUMILITY for the receipts,
With FAVOR for the new thing,
With KINDNESS for the world watching.
We commit today to walk closer. To watch for streams. To call it what it is:
NOBODY CAN TELL ME THIS WAS NOT GOD!!!!
In Jesus’ Name, the One who makes a way,
Amen.
NOT PERFECT. BUT PRAYED.
NOT COINCIDENCE. BUT CHRIST.
NOT HIGH ROAD. BUT HIGHEST ROAD.
WE ROLL WITH GOD. AND HE ROLLS WITH STREAMS.