Tag: Michigan

Set Apart

Posted on by Staci Mauney

Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God . . . (Rom. 1:1)

On a recent trip to Michigan to visit my brother, my family and I wanted to find one of the excellent roadside produce stands the area is known for. We had almost given up on finding one when a trip to a nearby state park took us by an Amish farm with a roadside stand. The stand was set so far back from the road that we weren’t sure it really was one, so after exploring the state park, we decided to see if we could find it again.

We did, and what a fun experience it was. Items were placed on shelves and tables and inside a cooler that wasn’t turned on (no electricity!), with price tags attached or on signs in front of the items. A bucket to collect payment sat on one of the tables. No one manned the stand—it was completely on the honor system. The stand was just a few feet from the house, and while we shopped, we could hear the women inside chattering away in a language we couldn’t understand, most likely preparing supper based on the time of day. Continue reading “Set Apart” →

The Anchor of Our Souls

Posted on by Staci Mauney

We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. (Heb. 6:19)

My parents and I visited my brother and his wife in western Michigan this June, and on our first full day there, we took a day trip to Grand Haven, where we visited Lake Michigan and the Grand Haven South Pierhead Outer and Inner Lighthouses. Last summer, I wrote a blog post about my fascination with lighthouses and all they represent for me as a Christian, and these lighthouses were no exception.

Painted bright red, they are located on the south pier where the Grand River enters Lake Michigan. The inner lighthouse is tall and cylindrical and what we picture when we think of a lighthouse. The outer lighthouse looks like a little square barn and sits right at the end of the pier. Originally, the outer lighthouse contained a foghorn to warn sailors they were approaching land when the fog was so heavy the light could not be seen. Continue reading “The Anchor of Our Souls” →

The Lighthouse

Posted on by Staci Mauney

The people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned. (Matt. 4:13)

My family and I recently visited two lighthouses on Lake Michigan. The history behind the beautifully restored lighthouses on Lake Michigan fascinates me. The lighthouse keepers and their families were isolated in a way that we can’t imagine today, even with the isolation caused by the pandemic. Imagine you’re the lighthouse keeper at Point Betsie Lighthouse, or his wife or child. The nearest road was 40 miles away, and it could be reached only by boat, which severely restricted access in and out. The lighthouse had been in operation for decades before the townspeople of nearby Frankfort, Michigan, banded together and raised money to create a road directly to the lighthouse for delivering supplies. Continue reading “The Lighthouse” →