Let me walk upon your waters

Song for the day: Hillsong – Oceans (close your eyes, lay back and listen to the beauty of it!)

Hey y’all, (gotta speak the lingo or you won’t be understood)

Currently writing from somewhere in Texas while on the drive to Dallas. We’re about six and a half hours in from Memphis. 102F outside, that’s 36C! Melting!! But to pick up where we left off…

When we last wrote to you we had stopped in Johnson City with the lovely T. family. We were hooked up with them through Mr T’s parents as they live in our hometown and go to our mother church. The family were so generous and kind to us. Three of their five kids were at home during the summer and they taught us how to catch fireflies in the garden, the sons wore Jimmy out with football and cricket and I chatted Jane Austin with the mum and daughter – women after my own heart!

Pancakes at Cracker Barrel

On our second day with them they took us out for breakfast to Cracker Barrel which has the best pancakes around! Then to Sam’s which is like super market but all the products are supersized. That afternoon Jimmy and I took a quick trip out to Jonesbourgh which is the oldest town in Tennessee. It was beautifully quaint and historic. But we didn’t stop long as we wanted to get back for Jimmy to practise his sermon for the afternoon. He had been invited to speak at H. Church youth group and the pastor decided to bring his community group to hear him as well so it turned out to be quite a crowd. We think it went well and felt very blessed by the people we spoke to afterwards. We’ve since listened to some of H. Church’s sermons and feel sure we will say in touch with the Pastor and T. Family.

Once the serious stuff was over the Youth Leader, who was perfectly suited to his role, invited us to stay and play some games. We played Sockie, with a soft ball and sponge ended hockey sticks. You could use the stick or your feet to move the ball but no hands. We had three teams that rotated each time a goal was scored and it got pretty competitive between the Hills! It was so much fun and good exercise! The kids we’re all amazing, it was sad not to stay longer in the area. We went home and chatted into the evening with the family about all kinds of things.

The next morning we bid farewell to the T. family and they loaded us up with supplies for our

Whaaaat?

journey. Nashville was our next stop with a drop into Pigeon Forge on the way. I thought Pigeon Forge looked interesting and much smaller and cuter than it was. Turns out it was a tourist trap with really busy road. So we stopped, saw an upside down Wonder Works house and got back in the car!

By time we arrived at Nashville KOA it was dusk so we popped up the tent and had a quick pasta dinner. About 90% of the Americans we’ve met so far have been really friendly (excluding when they drive and most appear to be fools…) and as soon as they hear our accents they are even nicer. Our new tent

Free dessert!

neighbours were no exception and when we arrived they had a full banquet cooking. As we sat eating dinner having said our ‘hello’s the Dad of the family came over with a plate of melon, strawberries and cake with whipped cream for us to have for dessert! It was delicious. And they had the cutest little dog called Diesel who always wanted to play with us.

A couple of our days or mornings in Nashville were spent just relaxing; reading, writing, swimming, sleeping – we are on holiday after all. But in between the quiet there was adventure.

Post Fireworks Face

4^th July we caught the shuttle downtown and were dropped in Honky Tonk central on Broadway. Bar after bar live music poured out onto the streets and people dressed in red, white and blue sprawled out as far as the eye could see. At the end of the road a huge stage had been erected with more famous bands playing all day. We stopped for dinner and watched a band then headed to the waterfront to get a spot for the fireworks. Nashville is heralded as the 2^nd greatest firework display in the country for 4^th July – and it was true. We sat and waited for three hours with some odd characters around us until night fell and there was no room left to move. The display lasted twenty-seven minutes and received multiple rounds of applause and “USA! USA!” chants. It was pretty spectacular.  And so was the two hour wait for the shuttle home with about one hundred other campers on a sidewalk. Fortunately we did have some entertainment as we bumped into our new young and excitable neighbours, all three fresh out of high school with not a care in the world – but surprisingly intelligent.

The 5^th July was a chill day with free BBQ, ice creams and a ‘dive in’ movie around the pool at the campsite. I quite liked The Croods!

Sunday 6^th we visited two churches and enjoyed both. In the morning we went to CHURCH. A self-titled church plant and individual in every way. Jimmy’s sister linked us up with her friend in Nashville who was kind enough to give us all kinds of sightseeing advice and met us at CHURCH that morning. Unusually for a Bible belt church they have a congregation of only thirty or so and don’t own their own building. But we felt at home here because of what we’re used to back in the UK and it has been the only place we have known one of the songs! And we love it so much it’s the song of the day!

For the afternoon service we visited Crosspoint which was similar to Elevation but with a slightly less intense welcome team and Jimmy and I both disliked opposite things about it. I wasn’t a fan of the worship (all sounded a bit samey and forced to me) and he wasn’t a fan of the preaching method so much. It was their youth pastor preaching so they can sometimes be a little OTT because they are used to talking to a different audience. I found his message helpful though and gained a new perspective on how and why I was lost before God opened my heart to Him.

Monday 7^th we had a very interesting meeting with the pastor of CHURCH at a great café/market

Blue Bird Cafe Monday Blues gig

called the Turnip Truck. We discussed church planting and the religious culture of the USA and came away with a lot to think about and a new friend and contact in Nashville. The afternoon was filled with a trip to the Parthenon replica, The Ryman Auditorium (which was fantastic!) and more live music and food at the Honky Tonks. In the evening we had an extra special treat by getting into the famous Blue Bird Café for a blues gig. Some of you may have seen it and the Ryman on a little show called ‘Nashville’.

Finally we reach yesterday, Tuesday 8^th. We checked out of the amazing campsite and had a quick

Opreyland Hotel Riverboat Ride

drive around the corner to the Opryland Hotel which is just mind blowing. They have three thousand rooms, yes I said THREE THOUSAND. And just to top it off, an indoor botanical garden and river with riverboat ride. Just check the website for your own peace of mind…

LifeWay Publishing was our very last stop in Nashville. As I said before about Jimmy’s sister putting us in touch with a friend of hers, E happens to work at LifeWay and offered us a tour of the place. They do so much more than books and it set our imaginations on fire with all the options of Christian media, marketing and literature. She was even able to get us into the live filming of The Exchange, which is an online show where Ed Stetzer plays host to Christian pastors, authors and leaders and discusses such topics as evangelism,church planting and much more.  Here’s the link to The Exchange website, the show we were in the room for was discussing Church Planting. We got to meet some more great characters and learned some of the history of LifeWay, all starting with a man seeing the need for better Sunday School Resources in the 1800’s.

Outside LifeWay

After this lovely day I really must rush through our drive through Memphis and the horrible hotel 

we stayed in last night. Fortunately we don’t care that much about Elvis because even if we did I wouldn’t have hung around any longer this morning to drive past Sun Studios or Graceland before getting on the road to Dallas. Just yuck.

A side note to this that we also experienced at least a seven hour storm last night that started while we were on the road and continued on as we went to sleep. While I took a nap during the journey to Memphis the thunder and lightning started. Jimmy carried on driving and as I woke up the rain came down. We got through the worst part of it and only after this did Jimmy tell me that while I was sleeping a fork of lightning came down and struck the grass verge between the two sides of the highway just in front of him. Pri-teee terrifying. This unsettled us just a tad but at the same time what a blessing that it didn’t hit us. If He takes care of the sparrow, he’ll take care of us. J

I was also saved from observing the bust up car with slashed tires in the corner of our hotel car park until we were leaving and our car is fine. Altogether not a great night, but all is fine and God is good.

Better go as we are almost at our new home for the week and I need to psych

Hi & Bye from Jimmy in the pool - as usual!

myself up to leave the gloriously air conditioned car to put up our tent in 35C heat…

Love to you all as always, stay in touch!

J&J xx

P.S. Jimmy has worn his Elevation Church shirt 3 times and every time someone has said ‘hi’ and introduced themselves as a brother or sister in Christ! Once in Walmart, once in Carowinds theme park, and the last one was while we we’re eating dinner in Nashville! Love this place!

snippet of Oceans lyrics:

Your grace abounds in deepest waters

Your sovereign hand will be my guide

Where feet may fail and fear surround me

You’ve never failed and You won’t start now

So I will call upon your name

And keep my eyes above the waves

When oceans rise

My soul will rest in Your embrace

For I am Yours and You are mine

Spirit lead me where my trust is without boarders

Let me walk upon your waters

Wherever You would call me

Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander

And my faith will be made stronger

In the presence of my Saviour