During one Christmas break, my family visited Garden of Hope in the tiny city of Covington, Kentucky, which overlooks the Cincinnati skyline. This small, yet lovely garden, features artifacts and replicas of sites in the Holy Land. My daughter happened upon a stone raised on a plaque that stated it was from the Jordan River in Israel. She remembered the Jordan River as the place where our Savior was baptized. I was pleased and proud that she remembered this detail. I was also awed by the connection between Christ and us in this small moment over two thousand years later. We talked about our Savior and prayed together.
However, what I had forgotten is that the Jordan River and the connections in the Bible go much further back. As I read Joshua 4, I found that the Israelite priests carried the Ark of the Covenant across the Jordan River on their way into the Promised Land. God stopped the flow of the Jordan to allow the priests and the Ark to cross safely, much as He parted the Red Sea to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. After Israel crossed the Jordan, they removed twelve stones and built a monument to remember what the Lord had done for them. They used these stones to follow the Deuteronomy directive to teach the next generation about the Lord.
How amazing it is that God can use simple stones to help us do the works He prepares for us (Ephesians 2:10). God used the stones of the Jordan to help the new Israelite generations learn of His goodness and power, and God used a stone from the same river to help me teach my daughter about His goodness and power. The same God who spoke to the void and created galaxies prepared this work for me, teaching my child in a garden. This seemingly small connection to God’s chosen people reminds me that we, too, are chosen by God.
The God who can create galaxies and open bodies of water to protect His people has decided that we are important and has placed us here for a purpose. He created you to perform His works in the world. Never forget how important you are to God.
Kaitlyn Ramos writes literary creative nonfiction, blending personal narrative with reflection. As a reading intervention teacher, army wife, and homeschool mom in Kentucky, she enjoys travel, museums, and walks with her dog. Her MS in psychology from Southern New Hampshire University deeply informs her writing, which explores faith, personal growth, and life’s challenges. Kaitlyn runs a personal blog called Dream Fulfilled Life.