Hey friends and family,
After a few weeks of very careful and prayer-filled deliberation, Lindsie and I have made a decision.
Since the beginning, our plan was to walk across the country throughout most of the winter (minus a month-long break in December when we’d return to stay with family in South Dakota). We purchased/gathered extra winter gear as the weather got colder, and we knew we were planning to just grit it out and continue the journey, rain or shine (or snow).
Unfortunately, after getting snowed on last week and trying to walk the next few days as the temperature continued to drop, we realized something really, really important: we had lost the joy of this journey.
Even though we were physically capable of walking through the snowy, increasingly-cold Colorado mountains, we discovered that neither one of us seemed to be enjoying it as much as we were before. There’s something about waking up inside a snow and ice-covered tent and knowing you’ll be walking 15+ miles in 18 degree weather that just isn’t as fun/adventurous/exhilarating.
The point of this walk isn’t to just “get” across the country. It’s to do it in a way that strengthens our relationship with God, connects us with people along the road we can share our (and God’s) story with, and making memories that will last for the rest of our lives.
Beyond that, Linds and I have spent the past few weeks and months really focusing on learning how to discern God’s will. While we’re certainly not experts (and maybe never will be), this was a wonderful experience for us to strengthen and grow in that sense. Although we didn’t realize it initially, we both were beginning to feel like God was encouraging us to make a decision that we hadn’t once felt called to make on this entire journey until very recently.
As a result of all this, we’ve decided to temporarily (note: temporarily) postpone our journey until spring rolls around. We fully intend to pick back up exactly where we left off once the weather’s a little warmer and we can continue walking without the risk of losing our extremities to frostbite or waking up on the side of the road as cross-country popsicles.
We’ll spend the next few months in South Dakota (which, really, only adds about 2 extra months of resting in SD, since we were going back for all of December in the first place), and we look forward to reconnecting with our friends and family in SD once we’re back.
To be clear, we will continue posting on the blog throughout the next few months. Many of the posts will be more of the “spiritual insights” and cool/inspiring things we’ve come across rather than updates on our progress, but we hope you’ll continue following along with the blog and our updates anyway. We’ve really enjoyed connecting with so many people through the blog and Facebook and would hate to see that slip away while we waited to restart our journey.
Thanks to everyone who has been so helpful and encouraging as we’ve walked up to this point. One of the main reasons we’ve made it this far is because we’re so motivated by the conversations and comments we’ve shared with you all on and offline. We can’t wait to fire that back up in the spring and start Storming Jericho again when the time is right.
Our only request is that, during this break, you continue encouraging us as you have encouraged us so much already. We’ll still need your help over these next few months to keep us focused on our goal and, more importantly, focused on the Lord and what He wants for us as we go. That encouragement will help keep us fired up to hit the road again when March rolls around.
Thanks so much, everyone, and we hope you all have a fantastic Thanksgiving if we don’t get another post up before then!
-Mike and Lindsie (and Jaeda)
P.S. – 1) HUGE thanks to our friend Cheryl (from our stop in Ridgway http://stormingjericho.com/showing-true-grit-to-reach-ridgway-co/) and Kellie from Ridgway Community Church for rescuing us from a random stretch of Highway 50 and bringing us back to civilization so we could figure all of this out. 2) EXTRA HUGE thanks to Lindsie’s uncle, Charlie Page, for driving 8 hours down from Casper, Wyoming, to pick us up in Montrose, Colorado, and bring us back to Casper so we could drive home to South Dakota from Casper using his extra car. All kinds of generosity, to say the least.
P.P.S. – All of these gorgeous pictures were taken by my beautiful wife. She’s awesome.
November 19, 2012 at 2:09 am
We are so blessed by you two! Ps. 121:8 says “the Lord will guard your going out and your COMING IN, from this time forth and forever.” (my memory verse for yesterday. Isn’t that rich?)
November 19, 2012 at 2:49 am
So…..you’ll get a head start on organizing your pictures and notes for the book! Wa-hoooooo! I think you’re making the right choice. Besides, if you hadn’t stopped, I was on my way to CO to pick up Jaeda so she could winter with us, in sunny California, and have a buddy (Molly) to sort of play with, well, okay…maybe just stare at. Love you guys! Will definitely keep your pic as my cellphone wallpaper (it’s my reminder to pray for you). Please let us know when you get home. What’s your mailing address?
Love you! God’s blessings! Your Ohter Mom (‘n for Terry who has no idea I’ve written this)
November 22, 2012 at 7:03 pm
Happy Thanksgiving, Jacki! Thank you for your encouragement and your prayers. We just cannot believe how good you’ve been to us over the last several months. Our meeting was such a God-ordained moment. I am glad we decided to go home though — Jaeda is NOT leaving us! LOVE YOU!
November 19, 2012 at 2:50 am
Oops…I have no idea what an “Ohter” Mom is. I’m your OTHER mom!
November 19, 2012 at 2:00 pm
You two are such a blessing!
Psalm 121:8 “The Lord will guard your going out and your COMING IN, from this time forth and forever.”
(That was a memory verse from yesterday. Isn’t that rich?)
November 22, 2012 at 6:57 pm
We are so blessed to have you in our lives. We’ve agreed we want to come see you guys for a holiday… or really any day… in the next year or so. I can’t stand that Mike hasn’t met you!
How perfect is that verse?? When God does those kinds of things, I am always blown away. I love that He just knows exactly what we need to hear. Thank you for sharing that and thank you for your continued support over the last several months. We are just so blessed.
LOVE YOU TO THE MOON AND BACK!
November 19, 2012 at 3:56 pm
High guys
My prayer has been answered , i have been praying that as winter approaches, that he show a purpose to keep you safe over the winter. I feel that he wants you take off until spring and also i feel that he wants you to learn from what you have allready accomplished .
This will give you a great experience. You know what you can do the walk and when you begin in the spring, you will be a lot stronger.
Learn from this and don’t be disappointed. I had to do the same thing this year when did my walk.
You can call me if you would you shouldhave my phone number.
God bless
Happy Thanksgiving
November 22, 2012 at 6:54 pm
We so appreciate your encouragement. I cannot tell you enough how much your words have meant. We want to yield to God’s leading, so you’re prayers are so appreciated. And I agree that this is a great opportunity to reflect on what we’ve learned so far. I’m grateful for that opportunity.
I can’t find your other comment, but I think you asked about our carts? We have SolvIt carts. They’re made for dogs actually, so they don’t have the kid seats in them — we loved that. And they’re cheaper than others, which is also a huge asset. I will say though they haven’t help up well. The material faded and began ripping really quickly. We’ve also had an issue with the front stroller wheel — we’ve had that break off quite a few times. As a result, we’ve contacted the company several times to have parts sent. We’ve also struggled with that. They’re almost always willing to send us parts, but they seem to be pretty forgetful and not organized. We’ve received wrong parts several times and also had to remind them several times to send things — we’ve waited for new parts and they never come. So they’re nice because they’re open and their weight limit is 115 lbs, but I’m not sure I’d recommend them.
Happy Thanksgiving!! We hope/pray things are going well for you. Thank you for continually staying in contact with us. Like I said before, your words of encouragement mean so much 🙂
November 23, 2012 at 10:01 pm
Do you have photos of them? Do you have a phone number i can call and keep in touch with you.
When i did my walk this summer, i had to do it two different times, due to weather. We had temperatures in 102 and the heat index 98, i am not able to handle that.
In 1995, i had stage one thyroid cancer, and now i don’t have a thryoid, i am not able to stand that type of heat.
But God has showed me how to overcome those. conditions. I will let you know next email.
God bless
November 20, 2012 at 4:38 pm
Hello Mike and Lindsie,
I am glad you won’t be roadside popsicles this winter too! Just in time for turkey. When you start back up in the spring, you would be best to wait until at least mid-April there in Gunnison. We usually get quite a few spring storms March & April. It looks like you made it to Blue Mesa Reservoir? Congratulations on your adventure so far and have a wonderful winter. Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family.
From Sam in Norwood
November 22, 2012 at 11:37 pm
Thanks so much, Sam. We are quite glad we won’t be roadside popsicles ourselves (as are our parents). We definitely appreciate the heads up on the time frame and we’ll for sure we’ll keep that in mind as we’re strategizing things. Hope you guys have a fantastic winter as well, and maybe we’ll see you when we’re back in the spring!
November 21, 2012 at 4:39 pm
Dear Lindsie and Mike,
I’m glad you will be safe and get a chance to refresh yourselves and spend time with your family during the Holidays. I was worried about you with the harsh weather I knew you would be encountering. Just consider this a pit stop in a long race.
Could I ask you to pray for my stepmom who is undergoing surgery after a fall. My dad passed away in September and I know she misses him a lot. Thank you for your generous spirit and the inspiration that you have brought to me and many others.
Thank you and God Bless you
November 22, 2012 at 6:42 pm
Thank you so much for your comment! I know my parents so feel the same way 🙂 It is such a blessing to be home.
We will definitely pray for your step-mom and your family. I can only imagine what the last few months have been like for her. Praise the Lord for his comfort in struggle. While I don’t know what it’s like to lose a spouse, I lost one of my very best friends a month ago to cancer and I know what that’s done to me. But God is faithful — I always cling to Isaiah 43:1-3. When is the surgery? What is her name? We are so honored you’d ask us to pray for her — thank you. We are believing for a successful surgery and a quick recovery.
Blessings to your and your family. Happy Thanksgiving!!