It was an AMAZING visit to Berkeley Plantation Virginia, I just “randomly” picked it off Google maps, wow…

And the tour guide so amazing. The historical significance is remarkable but the scenic views are the most breathtaking. The proximity of the wide river, the weather favorable to crops, the now grown-up trees, the careful caretakering… and then the history, from the natives in the area, to the “first recorded” thanksgiving to God, thankful for safe passage by ship in 1600’s, to the revolutionary war resources of the wealthy Harrison people who also took the heat for separation by the turncoat Benedict Arnold destroying the place, to the revamping and restoration by next generations. Lincoln visited the 140,000 troops camped here. The writer and bugle-est penned TAPS here. Wow…

And then there’s the current resident, George the cat, so welcoming…

A wealth of history and artifacts and place of pondering. And that thanksgiving to God for safe passage. Yeah, me too…

The tour guide did talk about the indentured slaves, how they themselves did gardens and create items of value to trade with the household. She told us that the slaves stayed near where they worked, so separate groups, we’re working hours away in the thousands of acres of tobacco or corn, etc… she said that all this labor for a big place made the wealth for these inhabitants. It’s an anniversary today for Junteenth, to celebrate freedom from slavery, it’s a continuation of realizing many thanksgivings for safe passage in life.

Safe passage, how interesting for us to have our modern conveniences, do we realize we’ve had safe passage to this era? I think we need to thank the Lord and count on Him that we continue to have safe passage in His arms even through hostile times.

All of history, back to Adam and Eve to Cain and Abel, all of history has had incidents of strife as well as amazing safe passage forward. 

Let us thank the Lord today for everything He’s done for us and will do. Let us learn perseverance from Him. James 1 talks about the testing of faith producing endurance.

Amen 

And prayers for safe passage forward…

James 1
New King James Version

Greeting to the Twelve Tribes
James, a bondservant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad: Greetings.

Profiting from Trials
2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. 4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. 6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

The Perspective of Rich and Poor
9 Let the lowly brother glory in his exaltation, 10 but the rich in his humiliation, because as a flower of the field he will pass away. 11 For no sooner has the sun risen with a burning heat than it withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beautiful appearance perishes. So the rich man also will fade away in his pursuits.

Loving God Under Trials
12 Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. 13 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. 14 But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. 15 Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.

16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. 17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. 18 Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures.

Qualities Needed in Trials
19 So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; 20 for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.

Doers—Not Hearers Only
21 Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. 22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; 24 for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. 25 But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.

26 If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one’s religion is useless. 27 Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.