On Fellowship and the Dangerous Road

Photo: Captivated Color

Column Post by Lakin Easterling

“There is a seed of courage hidden (often deeply, it is true) in the heart of the fattest and most timid hobbit, waiting for some final and desperate danger to make it grow.” ~ The Lord of the Rings, The Fellowship of the Ring {Chapter Fog on the Barrow-Downs}

Few stories have moved me like the Lord of the Rings trilogy by J.R.R. Tolkien. If you haven’t read it, stop reading this right now, go find the nearest copy, and start reading. Or you can do so after you read this, but please go read it! We won’t be allowed to be friends if you don’t. Call it tough love. You’ll thank me for it later. {You’ll have to imagine my emphatic nod and wink.}

Okay, really. There is a reason this trilogy resonates with me so, and has done the same for many others over the years since The Fellowship’s first publication: it is a fictional story based on true life. You can make the connections between Tolkien’s world and Christianity as you read, paralleling his characters with those of the Bible, their tribulations with spiritual opposition, and their morals and beliefs match those found in the Bible.

But there is a more intricate reason I like these books and the story they contain. On the whole it is a mirror for the story of Christianity, yes, but when you look deeper, you’ll find that the one story is made up of multiple individual stories, all woven together in one way or another to create the big picture. And it is the little stories that become the most important.

There’s the young hobbit Frodo, who volunteers to destroy the ring of power by taking it straight into enemy territory; his faithful companion Sam, who is Frodo’s rock and support throughout their journey; the reluctant king of the Free Peoples of Middle Earth, Aragorn; the wise and solid wizard, Gandalf, who always ends up making a timely appearance; along with several other small characters whom you learn to love and appreciate, like Tom Bombadil, Galadriel, and the creature Gollum.

Without all the little stories, no bigger story could take place. Without all the cohesion and unity of the “little” people, there would be no trilogy. You see, each of us is written into our own page, our own paragraph, our own chapter in the story God is writing.

You are as vital a character in the kingdom of  God as Peter or Paul or Moses. We all fit together in ways we can’t even imagine; what would it look like if your story was placed elsewhere? Would an event happen differently that needed to happen at a specific time? Would something be omitted completely? What do you think would be different if you weren’t a part of this story at all?

Things would be so much different…and empty.

God has placed each and every one of us in the places, among the people, at the jobs and schools and in the families we have for a purpose.

There is a big picture we can’t see entirely, because we are one part of the story. When we meet people who are in other parts of the story, we get a clearer picture of how the story is unfolding. For this reason, we gather together on Sunday mornings, at Bible studies, in each other’s homes, or at coffee shops—so we can encourage and uplift one another, to better understand our place in the Book of Life.

There is danger on the road ahead. There is tragedy, there is change, there is fear and difficult times.

But there is also hope. There is success, there is laughter, and there is camaraderie. When we are banded together, we create a solid wall of movement against everything that tells us we can’t, and force it back with a resounding yes, we can!

Just like a pair of hobbits walking into the fire of the enemy’s mountain, we have the ability to face our desperate dangers… and overcome.

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P.S. We’d love to know your thoughts; be sure to share in the comments section below. This month we will draw TEN winners from our commenters and the winners will receive one of these two  books, Hope for a Hurting Heart or To Let You Know I Care by our featured author this month, Cheryl Karpen

Lakin Easterling is a wife, mother, writer, and avid reader. She spends her days chasing her toddler, Belle, and conversing with the elderly who are afflicted by Alzheimer’s disease or Dementia. She loves surprise coffee dates with her husband Luke, texting novels to her best friend, Laura Hyers, and being a college student. She dreams about being brave enough to get a tattoo, and believes in the healing power of a good cup of coffee. Her favorite nail polish is Sail Away by Milani. She blogs at http://threadingsymphonies.wordpress.com.

Read more encouraging stories from brave-hearted women here. Be sure to grab your free copy of inspirational quotes and writing prompts while you’re there. (Look over on the right hand side!)

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