D.L.

So, today is not Sunday, but Saturday. I am not in La Casa; instead, I am in Carrigart Main Hotel, which is the only one.
Carrigart is a lovely place and our Church is very close to the main road, and that is it, a main road. From here, it connects you to different towns and villages, including Downings! It is a summer place with one of the best beaches in Donegal.
This morning I was with the Windsor Baptist Church as they led the Fun Day and the Bible Week in Dunfanaghy. Tomorrow they are going to lead both church services. These guys are amazing. Last week, they were doing the same in their own Church, and this week, they brought all the gear necessary to set up a Bible Kids Club! – Thank you!
This afternoon, I visited a small coffee shop in Downings, Fiffy’s Coffee Shop, and, again, just like La Casa in Dunfanaghy, the coffee was excellent! So, now I know where to go every time I am in Downings.
As the Project Manager of the Bewglas Centre in Carrigart, I am currently observing, taking notes, and understanding the Centre’s dynamics. The vision for the Centre is to become a place where Jesus is encountered and to offer not just a refuge for those who need a rest but also a Centre of spirituality, where people can meet the Lord.
We all go through tough times, we all go through times where it feels that the well has dried and we are relying on the small strength that we have, and ever we have gone beyond that, our reserves, the short pockets of energy that we have saved we are now using it and we don’t know when it will finish.
Today, once the coffee was finished and it was time to head on, I decided to take the road that many years ago, when we decided to come to Donegal, to Rosshill caravan park, one of the most remote caravan parks in Donegal. We got lost, and once I realized I couldn’t make a U-turn because the road was too narrow, I kept going.
Sometimes it is easier to stop and make a U-turn than keep going. Well, I’m not sure how I managed to get to the caravan site. The road I found today was incredibly narrow, with sharp turns and no place to stop. You could even see the cliffs right from the passenger windows! I was towing a seven-meter caravan and a car full of things, four kids, my wife and I. What was I thinking! Well, I was not!
I remember stopping and pulling the caravan near the gates of a house. I got out of the car and walked to the front door. I was lost and feeling low as a consequence of my actions. A lovely lady opened the door and explained our situation. We also asked if the kids were able to use the toilet. She was so kind and gentle, and that reassured me. Then, she told me that I was not lost but that I had taken the most challenging road with a caravan and a family. She assured me that the turn for the caravan site was no more than five minutes away, and she was right.
I was so relieved when we found the turn and I was able to relax a little bit.
Looking back now, I know that there are roads worth following and there are others that are not, yet when we find ourselves in a place where no U-turn is possible, we need to trust that the Lord will carry us through.
Today, I went back to that road in a different car. I was on my own, and I didn’t have to carry a heavy caravan or family. I was stress-free, and even though this time was much easier, the scenery reminds you of how unforgiving the terrain is if you make a mistake.
That day I experienced the kindness of a stranger, today I experienced safety and assurance of our Lord.

This feels like the boy I saw jumping high on the bouncy castle. His mother was watching him. He looked at his mother and jumped as high as he could and landed close, almost outside the bouncy castle. His mother was ready to run, but he got up, smiled, looked at her mother and off he went. That look was one of assurance but also her mother’s approval.
Do a U-turn if that is the safest option, or take the risk, God will not change his mind over you. You will grow deeper by turning back or moving forward. One must know and experience the care and protection of our Lord; He is our faithful Shepherd. The other, you will grow in faith to trust Him in things that are not yet seen.