The Supreme Enigmatologist

An enigmatologist is defined as "someone who studies, and writes mathematical, word or logic puzzles." No, I didn't know what that meant before writing this. I looked up a person who solves puzzles. Google told me the answer. It fits for what I want to blog about today.

The Supreme Enigmatologist is God. Sometimes I think heaven has this huge space like a gymnasium or airport where God has millions of card tables set up with a puzzle of each of our lives on a table. Angels stand at each table helping him move the pieces of our lives into place. For some of us, it takes multiple angels to manage all the pieces of our "life puzzle." Yes, please Lord let me be one of the ones that has multiple angels! I need all the help I can get!

Recently, God has been repeating the same theme over and over in my life. I know that this theme has to do with a piece of my puzzle or maybe more than one piece. This theme is not just showing up for me, but for my two best friends too. Over and over for the last few months, God has used some form of reference to a ship and a storm, which is funny because my love of the ocean runs deep. It's the one place on earth that I feel closest to God. It is the balm for my soul. I know that God is trying to show me a piece of my puzzle that I need for my life.

Here's what I am talking about as references in my "life puzzle." Last fall when Melissa and I went to the Love Life Conference, the reference began with "Get out of the boat, Peter!" Our toes are still sore from that thought which has continued to show up over and over again for the past few months. Sometimes we step out of the boat, but other times we still say, "No thank you, God."

I'm reading Find Your Brave by Holly Wagner. As I am reading about the storms of life and how Peter was on a boat where a hurricane was a blowin' and tossing everyone and everything on board about, Holly uses an anchor reference. She talks about how when you are going through a storm and you feel like you are going to be tossed overboard throw out your four basic anchors. I'm thinking how funny that I wear a bracelet called "Christ is my anchor!" (If you want to know what those anchors are- buy Holly's book- I'm sure she would appreciate it!) Hmm... I think as I read through this and understand the four anchors she describes-God is trying to tell me something again about my ship and my storm.

Then my church that I grew up in places on Facebook a simple quote, but it was another nudge from God for me. "Having God in your boat doesn't mean that you'll not face any storms. It means that no storm can sink your boat! Walk in faith and you will never walk alone." Hmm... I think again- another reference from God.

Researching other novels as a comparison to what I have written is part of the learning process of trying to become a published author. One of the books that seems like a close match to my novel is called, Never Say Never by Lisa Wingate (BTW- it's a great read!). I laugh as I start to read it because I randomly selected it off the shelf at Barnes and Noble. I was drawn to Lisa Wingate because of her award winning book, The Prayer Box, which is what I really wanted to purchase. The first line in the summary on the back of the book reads, "Kai Miller floats through life like driftwood tossed by waves." I couldn't help but laugh out loud in the store when I read it. Don't you know it fits into my writing world perfectly?

At church today, Pastor Jim was preaching on the Names of Jesus. Today he was speaking about "Everlasting Father and Mighty God." Certainly I would be safe from ship and storm references. WRONG!!! He used Matthew 8:24 as a reference today. Jesus calmed the storm. Hmm...I think again as Christy turns around in her seat to look at Melissa and I because they are struck by the same thing I am. Then he uses the 1 Peter 5:7 scripture,"Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you." Cast- as in a net or a fishing pole which you would use on a boat! Hmm...here I go again...what are you trying to tell me God? What am I missing? I feel like my storm has passed. Is there more health issues on the horizon? Is our cruise that we are going on this summer going to sink? Seriously, God- what is it I am supposed to be learning?

In all honesty, I can't answer any of those questions. That's why I need so many angels looking out for me. My stubborn dunderhead-ed self just doesn't get it. YET!!! Keep showing me God. I know I will get it and that puzzle piece of my life will fit into place perfectly! Then, I can look back and say, "Isn't it amazing that God made all that work and come together for the betterment of my being?" He really is the Supreme Enigmatologist!