In the Bible, we read that the Israelites created stacks of stones or stood stones on end (standing stones) as memorials of God’s deliverance. In Joshua 4, the Israelites had reached the Jordan River when it was at full flood stage. There was absolutely no way to cross safely. But God told Joshua to have the priests carry the ark of the covenant into the river, and as soon as their feet touched the water’s edge, the water from upstream stopped flowing. The people crossed on dry ground. Afterward, Joshua told the leaders of the twelve tribes to each take a stone from the middle of the riverbed, and together they built a monument on the other side.
And Joshua set up at Gilgal the twelve stones they had taken out of the Jordan. He said to the Israelites, “In the future when your descendants ask their parents, ‘What do these stones mean?’ tell them, ‘Israel crossed the Jordan on dry ground.’ For the Lord your God dried up the Jordan before you until you had crossed over.’ — Joshua 4:21-23
I love that. A physical reminder of God’s faithfulness. Something you could point to and say, “That was the moment. That’s where God showed up.”
Because let’s be honest—it is so incredibly easy to forget the ways that God answers prayer. In the moment, I may be overwhelmed with gratitude or humbled by the way God’s plan turned out to be so much better than mine. But it doesn’t take long before I’m anxious again, worried about the next thing.
That’s why building reminders matters. They don’t have to be rock cairns (although they could be!) It could be writing in a journal, telling someone your story, or planting something in the ground.
This week, walking by the flowers blooming in our church gardens along Iowa Street, I remembered: those were planted after our Women’s Retreat in January 2024. They were meant to be a living, growing memorial to the prayers and hopes that were shared during that time—eighteen months ago. And now—this year—they’re still there, wild and beautiful. They feel like living, blooming standing stones. A reminder that God has been so present with our community, listening, guiding, answering.
As a church, it’s not always easy to keep track of how God is working. But those flowers are a snapshot in time—a glimpse of the hopes the women named together and how God has been at work in the months since.
I wanted to share those prayers again with you, 18 months later. As I read through them now, I feel such gratitude for God’s grace, love, and the incredible ways He has led us into this season together.
Hopes for Platt Park Church
(from January 2024 Women’s Retreat – “Hope in Bloom”)
- That we would know the Shepherd
- We would be a strengthened and healthy community
- To be rooted in Jesus
- Personal and communal growth
- Trust in the process
- Embrace one another through all seasons
- Open to the surprise
- Healing and respite for the staff
- Be a place where people can transform and heal
- Move forward with humility, honesty, integrity, and transparency
- Transformed relationships with God—to grow in strength
- To love Jesus more
- To find joy
- Enter the scripture with depth and growth in learning
- Be formed more in the way of Jesus
- Hope bigger
Thankful for all of you and this journey,
Holly