Sunflowers

After only four and a half hours on the road, I arrived in a tiny hamlet today called "Ages."  I knew in my heart that I needed to stop to give my blisters and the rest of my body a break.  So, I said good-bye to more friends and settled in early at a small but clean and pleasant hostel in this small village.  I showered, washed my clothes and then slept for over three hours!  I guess I needed the rest!  I am feeling much refreshed now.  Though I said good-bye to several friends this early afternoon, two other friends who were behind me have just arrived at this hostel, Monique from Australia and Melanie from Germany.  We have actually been crossing paths since Day 2!  They are lovely ladies and it is good to have friendly faces here.

Yesterday, as I was entering Villafranca, after a very long day, I saw a field of sunflowers in the distance.  Then, as I drew closer to the town, there were more fields of sunflowers!  As you see from the photo above, these flowers not at the height of their beauty! But that was okay with me.  Just before I departed to come on this Camino, God spoke to me using the image of sunflowers.  He told me "Stand tall like the sunflower.  Be beautiful, bold and bright like the sunflower.  Remember that the face of the sunflower always looks towards the sun.  The oil from the seeds of the sunflower are a symbol to you of my anointing.  And even when the seeds begin to die, remember that the birds of the air are nourished by these seeds. It is THEN, during the dying process, that the seeds are able to provide life, not death."  Yesterday, when I saw those fields, as black and ugly as they seemed to be, I was reminded of God´s promise to me and greatly encouraged. I hope this can encourage you too.