Part 72: Where All Journeys Grow

Chapter 8: Overburdened

V2.0 – 10/03/2025

I pushed my way down the interstate in the pouring rain and dimness of the morning light. I walked past the line of stopped cars and trucks holding the jacket tightly to myself, grateful for its warmth.

I reached the off-ramp of the interstate that led towards the gas station and walked up it then down the road crosswalk that would lead me over to the gas station’s parking lot. I could barely see anything but lights through the sheets of pouring rain. I pulled my backpack tighter to my back and waited for the crosswalk light to change. I crossed the road and walked across the gas station parking lot dodging the cars and trucks that were coming and going.

This was a truck stop, one of the ones that had a restaurant attached to it. It looked to be some sort of obscurely named diner. I didn’t recognize the name. I entered the gas station store and headed for the counter.

The woman greeted me with a smile and asked, “How can I help you?”

“Can I get a shower please?” I asked.

She smiled at me and replied, “Sure.”

She touched a few buttons on her screen and the price of $18 for a shower flashed on my display. I handed her some of the money Herald had given me. She handed me my change.

“Thank you.” I told her smiling.

She handed me a printed ticket and said, “Listen for your number to be called. You can wait down the hall over there.”

I walked down the hall and waited in a small room with a large TV on the wall. There were truckers going here and there. Some waited alongside me in the tiny room. All considered me then ignored me. One man in the corner of the room was carrying on a vigorous conversation with someone on the phone in a language that I didn’t understand.

My number was called over the loudspeakers and I entered the small shower room. I showered and changed into a clean set of clothes from my backpack. I put my wet clothes in a plastic bag and returned them to my pack. I shook the jacket out to dry it and put it back on. My shoes were drenched but there was nothing I could do about that right now.

I stood for a long time staring at myself in the mirror. That verse came to mind, the one that spoke about seeing yourself in a mirror and then walking away and forgetting what you looked like, but I couldn’t clearly recall what it was talking about at that moment.

I looked tired to myself, despite having slept some in the semi-truck. I brushed my wet but clean hair back away from my face. I took a deep breath and left the shower room. I dropped my dirty towels in the tub outside the shower room and walked back out into the store of the truck stop.

I wondered if Herald, Mildred, and Marty had made it through the traffic yet. I glanced outside the large glass windows of the store but couldn’t see anything but the pounding rain and glow of the outside lights.

I walked into the restaurant and selected a corner booth for myself. I walked over to it, removed my backpack from my back and slung it onto the far side, then sat down. I shivered and hunched over.

What now? I had the overwhelming feeling that I was right where God wanted me to be. All there was to do now was to wait for the Holy Spirit’s next move.

I looked around the restaurant and noticed an ill-dressed man sitting in one of the opposite booths. He was wet from head to foot. His white hair was matted to his head dirty and unkempt. His clothes were mismatched and baggy on him. He stared at the plastic bag sitting on the table in front of him. I turned my attention away from him.

I was homeless too; I reminded myself and then felt selfish for that thought. I had far more than him, even without anything.

I shook off those thoughts.

I closed my eyes, turning my attention to the spiritual world around me, and listened. All was quiet. I felt God’s presence around me, but He wasn’t saying anything. He was just with me there.

I waited.

In the natural world I listened to the conversations around me in the restaurant. A mother was scolding her daughter for eating too fast behind me somewhere. A couple spoke quietly to each other of their travel plans being ruined by the storm outside to my right. I felt a familiar nudge from the Holy Spirit and returned my attention to Him and listened.

“You have far too much.” The Holy Spirit whispered softly to my spirit.

“Far too much?” I asked Him.

“Yes, far too much. Too many things. To many possessions. You are overburdened.” He explained.

“I don’t have anything but this backpack and the jacket on my back.” I protested, then remember who I was speaking to. “Sorry.”

“Yes,” The Holy Spirit said again, “Far too much. You don’t need those things.” There was a quiet pause, then He instructed me, “Give them away.”

I took a deep breath and opened my eyes.

I had come this far; there was no turning back now.

I made my choice.

I turned to my backpack and unzipped it. I considered its contents. There were two more changes of clothes, my dirty and wet set of clothes in the plastic bag, my Bible, a flashlight, my phone charger, and my passport. I took my passport and phone charger from it and put them into the pocket of my pants next to my wallet. I re-zipped the backpack and stood up from the table.

I walked over to the old man staring at the plastic bag and said, “May I join you?”

He looked up at me, confusion on his face. He looked around then asked, “Who me?”

“Yes, you.” I replied.

He nodded slowly and offered me the other side of the booth. I sat down and set my backpack on the table. I slid it toward him and said, “I want to give this to you. There are some clothes in it and a Bible. You could change out of your wet clothes and get dry.”

He considered me suspiciously then reached across to take the backpack. He opened it next to him, rummaged around in it, then closed it again. He looked up at me and without saying anything stood up. He put the backpack on his back, picked up his plastic sack, and walked away.

“Ok then,” I said quietly to myself, “That’s done.”

The Holy Spirit nudged me and whispered, “The jacket?”

“Oh,” I said standing quickly to my feet. I chased after the old man and caught up with him while taking off the jacket.

“Here, take this too.” I said and handed it to him.

He stared at me for a moment then took the jacket from me and walked away. I watched him go.

Now I really didn’t have anything.

“You have Me.” The Holy Spirit whispered to me in amusement.

“I do.” I said aloud, “I do.”

I returned to my booth and sat down. I took out my phone and unlocked it. I checked the weather and saw that the storm would pass in a couple hours. I checked my bank account and saw that I had just under two thousand dollars remaining in it. I counted the money Herald had given me and learned that I had one hundred and twenty-one dollars in cash remaining.

“What now?” I asked the Holy Spirit.

I was answered with silence.

Whenever God wasn’t speaking it was usual a sign to wait, so I would wait now. I stood up and walked over to the counter and ordered a simple breakfast. I returned to my booth and waited for my food.

I watched the storm outside rage. It pounded the glass of the restaurant. I loved storms. I marveled at my Creator as I watched the water falling down the windows in sheets. I worshiped Him for all He had made in that moment. Life was beautiful, with or without things. I knew God would provide whatever I needed. I laughed to myself at how often I forgot that truth.

The server brought me my food. I thanked her and then ate silently as I watched the people around me come and go. The food was delicious and filling. I cleaned my plate and pushed it away. I sat back in the booth and waited.

The storm outside was passing. The rain and wind were starting to die down. The sun was beginning to peek through the clouds. People who had been waiting out the storm were leaving the restaurant. I watched them go out to their cars and drive away. I thought of my car and missed it. I wondered if that was like lot’s wife who looked back, but figured this was a different situation entirely.

The woman returned to gather my plates and hand me my bill. I glanced at it and paid her with the cash Herald had given me making sure to include a generous tip. I smiled as I handed it to her and said, “Thank you, the rest is for you.”

She took the money and bill from me, gathered the empty plates from the table, and walked away.

I had showered. I had eaten. The storm was passing. I had to somehow climb a mountain somewhere and get to a place called Meribah. I had no clue where either were yet, but that really didn’t matter. I was no longer in control of this journey. I would only climb the mountain if God took me to it. I would only get to Meribah if God took me there. I had a piece of paper with the name of a man at the Port of Virginia in my pocket. I guessed that was my next destination.

Would I be taking some sort of sea voyage? I imagined the many modes of sea travel and pictured myself some sea-faring adventurer setting sail to some distant port. I was terrified of open water, but I could go on ships just fine. Fear was a strange thing. It thought of the similarities of that fear with my fear of heights; I could fly in airplanes with no fear, but if you took me 10 feet up I froze and felt as if I would fall to my death. Fear was truly strange.

“How do I get to Virginia?” I asked God aloud.

“You wait.” The Holy Spirit replied in a whisper so faint I could barely hear it within my spirit.

And so, I waited.

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