Before the Wedding, We Walked Through the Gospel

Before our hearts became wrapped up in wedding-day joy, Carl, his daughter Veronica, and I had a few hours for sightseeing around Lubbock.

Friends in Austin had highly recommended the short drive to Ransom Canyon Memorial Chapel -- and they were right!

Before we even reached the chapel, we discovered the Life of Christ Memorial, a breathtaking walk through the Gospel surrounded by native stones, flowers, waterfalls, benches, and a peaceful spring-fed pond.

What began in 2012 as an erosion-control project became something far greater. Isn’t that just like God? We see damaged ground -- He sees holy possibilities!

Along the winding brick pathway, scenes portray the birth, ministry, crucifixion, resurrection, and promised return of Jesus. There is a manger, three crosses on Calvary, an empty tomb, and Scripture plaques telling the greatest story ever told.

Even the details seem to preach!

Wildflowers push through the rocks, reminding us that hope can bloom in hard places. A surviving thornbush grows behind the cross of Jesus. And a stairway built to stabilize the hillside has exactly thirty-three steps -- the age traditionally associated with Jesus at His crucifixion.

At certain times of the year, sunlight reflected from a distant window illuminates the cross and the tomb -- a beautiful reminder that Jesus declared, “I am the light of the world.” (John 8:12)

Perhaps the most touching picture is the land itself. What was once wounded by erosion is now being restored and used to point hearts toward Christ.

God still does that! He takes the worn, broken, and washed-away places in our lives and rebuilds them into testimonies of His grace.

The manger says, “He came.”
The cross says, “He gave His life.”
The empty tomb says, “He is risen!”
And the upward light says, “He is coming again!”

We arrived expecting a lovely sightseeing stop. Instead, we walked through the beautiful story of our Savior -- surrounded by creation, peace, and reminders that with God, even damaged places can become sacred ground.

To God be all the glory!