Charted

What is Charted?

Like a master surveyor, Jesus gives us clear directions to find a fulfilling, purpose-filled relationship with Himself - a map to the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Charted is a daily devotional written by the junior class at Fountainview Academy (Class of 2019). Based on the book Steps to Christ, this book explores the path to the Originator and Provider of Genuine Joy. We don't have to be confused about the way. The certainty is in the journey: divinely Charted.

Strength and grace have been provided through Christ to be brought
by ministering angels to every believing soul. – Steps to Christ, pg. 53
Immediately, my mom dove for the door handle and pulled
with all the strength she had, but the door was locked. Finally, my
sister was able to free us from the inside. We jumped out of the car
and swiftly ran into the arms of my mother. My dad was gone; he had
been taken away from us and led into the darkness of the woods.
All of a sudden, the commotion within the gang intensified.
They were now in a great hurry to leave. They led us to the edge
of the road, and we stood in a line, facing away from them, holding
hands. While I held onto my mom and my sister, fear shot through me
as I grew senseless. As a frozen statue, I glared into the dark forest
in front of me, imagining the bullets shooting us down at the speed
of light. “No mires para atrás!” (“Don’t look back!”) they shouted over
and over again. These gangs don’t need reasons to kill. These men
murder because they can, and I knew that. So, standing at the side
of the road, I waited for the sound of firing machine guns to go off
and end the story of my life. Then I heard them yell again: “Vamonos!
Vamonos!” (“Let’s go! Let’s go!”) Car doors slammed behind us as the
gang jumped into both vehicles and sped off down the desolate, long
road, leaving us utterly speechless.
Are we free? I still wasn’t completely sure. Turning around,
we saw my dad walking toward us from the opposite side of the road.
He wasn’t hurt. His life was spared and so was ours. Standing in the
middle of the road, we held onto each other and prayed, thanking God
that my parents were alive and that my sister and I weren’t taken away
like so many other girls. We still couldn’t completely comprehend why
we’d just been spared. Trembling from shock, fear, and the cold night,
we all started to walk down the dark road looking for help to get home.
With only the light from the moon to guide me, my legs wobbled as I
took each shaky step away from tragedy. Still shuddering, a nervous
smile appeared on my face for a moment. I had never heard a story of
“Los Zetas” where not one person was hurt or taken away. I had never
felt so free in such a dark place. I knew exactly what God had done for
me.