Following HIS Footpath

HIS Great Faithfulness

After Jane's death I was given a box of her personal effects. While going through the box, I came across this picture of Jane walking away from the viewer while following a winding stone path. I was immediately drawn to this picture because of all I felt it symbolized: Jane following God on her winding path, and Jane/God leading us on our own winding path. The picture was taken at Mt. Gretna, in Lebanon County, Pennsylvania.

 

In 2019, my husband and I decided to drive out to Pennsylvania to find out more about the area where Jane grew up and the history around where her ancestors lived and were buried. I was curious to find out more about what shaped Jane's life into becoming a woman of such strong convictions and faith. We found the home Jane lived in when she knelt down by her bed to surrender her many accomplishments to the Lord. We found where Jane was baptized in the Swatara Creek. We found the cemetery where many of Jane's family ancestors were buried and, amazingly, we even found the grave sites of her Mother and Father. It was emotionally moving to actually be able to visually see the places and things I read about in Jane's writings. The house where Jane grew up; where she went to school; where she lived as she led the writing campaign for the men in World War II; where she went to church; where she went to college; and the city, surrounding countryside, and mountains that shaped Jane's life as a child and young woman.     

But the main reason for our trip to Pennsylvania, was to try and find a needle in a haystack. I wanted to find the path Jane was walking down in the picture I was so drawn to. I was told the picture was taken at Mt. Gretna so that is where we headed, picture in hand, hoping we could find the path. 

Mt. Gretna is a very interesting and historical area with several different small and separate boroughs. We stopped at a small four-corner area that had a post office and small eatery. We showed the picture to a local person and asked where the lake was. We thought it looked like there was a lake in the distance of the picture. She agreed that it looked like the lake was in the distance and gave us directions to the lake area. We found the lake and showed the picture to several more locals who each thought it was probably the lake in the background as well ... but no one recognized the path. There was a newer parking and access area to the lake and we all wondered if the path once went through that area, and now no longer existed.  

Feeling like the path in the picture of Jane from thirty some years ago was long gone, we left the lake area and decided to drive up the hill to explore the Camp Meeting area of Mt. Gretna. Wow! What an interesting area! There's a large and historical round tabernacle built in 1899 that is still standing. The tabernacle is the center hub and is surrounded by small and very unique summer cottages spanning out row after row in a square around the tabernacle. The cottages were literally just feet from each other with very narrow one-way road passages between the rows of homes that spanned out from the center square. Architecturally they were individually all different and very distinctive; each cottage had a large porch for gathering, visiting, and listening to the events at the tabernacle. From the front the cottages appeared similar to a normal size house, but the depth of each cottage was only about a third of what an average home of that time would have been. We were invited in to tour one of the homes. It was interesting to talk with several of the locals about the fascinating history of the area and imagine what it would have been like in bygone days. 

From Jane's writings and stories I heard from Jane's adopted sister, I knew their uncle had a cottage there and Jane had fond memories of going to the Camp Meetings and staying at her uncle's cottage. When going through the box of Jane's belongings, I had found a picture of Jane standing in front of a cottage taken at the same time as the picture of Jane walking down the path. We walked around the area and showed the picture of Jane walking down the path and the picture of what we believed to be her uncle's cottage to several people who owned homes there. We had already found the cottage in the picture, but no one recognized the path. We decided the path of thirty some years ago must truly be gone and our hope of finding the needle in the haystack wasn't going to happen. It was time to give up the dream and the hope of ever finding it.  

I was fascinated by the different architecture and narrow road ways. It was a beautiful fall day so we decided to leisurely walk around to explore more of the area. We walked back towards the cottage Jane was standing in front of in the picture, AND THERE IT WAS!! The path!! The path led from Jane's uncle's cottage down to the small four-corner area we first stopped at. The vegetation around the path had changed, but the path of native stone remained the same.  

The path!! We found the path! I stood there with tears in my eyes. I was in awe of standing on the same path Jane was on in the picture I was so drawn to. We had given up hope—and then God led us directly to it. We walked up and down the path several times and thanked God once again for giving us the incredible gift of Jane. Jane chose to live her life Walking by Faith.  We are determined to continue Walking On His Footpath no matter where it leads.

I hope our story and Jane's story—which is HIS Story—will encourage you to walk your own path with unwavering faith because of HIS great faithfulness.

Jane's Life Verse: Psalm 32:8 ~ I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go.  I will counsel you and watch over you. 

Next Entry: Jane's God-Given Words

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Welcome

     A True Story of God's Faithfulness

The Amazing Story
     The Sovereign Hand of God
Her Name Was Jane
     HIS Story Begins

A Blessed Event

     A God-Ordained Divine Appointment
Our Winding Paths
     God's Scripted Plan
For Such A Time As This
     HIS Greater Purpose
The Journey Home
     One Last Promise
A Legacy Lives On
     HIS Story Continues
A Story to Tell
     It's All About HIM
Walking by Faith
     It's All About the Journey
Following HIS Footpath
     HIS Great Faithfulness
Jane's God-Given Words
     God-Ordained and Holy Spirit Inspired
The Proof Came—AFTER
     "You Are Free to Go"
The Path to Salvation
     The Reward is Eternal Life