It's just dawning on us that we have done so much in the last few days. Time to relax and reflect. 🙏
The fourth evening on the open road. The Benimar on the EN 2 — the famous national road through the heart of Portugal — in Santa Comba Dão. The whirlwind is settling: apartment signed, car sold, Caldas left behind, Lavos, Pedreiras, the olive trees, and now the interior. So much. So fast. So light.
And tonight — relaxation and reflection. Paul gives the perfect passage for reflection — Ephesians 2 is not a command. It is a looking back at what God already did. Past tense. Accomplished. Done. The pilgrim can rest — because the work was never hers to begin with.
"But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved)."
"Mais Dieu, qui est riche en miséricorde, à cause du grand amour dont il nous a aimés, nous qui étions morts par nos offenses, nous a rendus à la vie avec Christ (c'est par grâce que vous êtes sauvés)."
Éphésiens 2:4-5 · Louis SegondTwo words change everything: But God. Mais Dieu. Everything before is the human condition — dead in trespasses. Everything after is grace. Rich in mercy. Riche en miséricorde. Not measured. Not adequate. Rich.
The reason: His great love. À cause du grand amour. Not because we were worthy. Because of His love. Le said it: He washed my feet and because He did, I love. He loved first. He acted first. The "But God" was always His initiative.
The result: made us alive together with Christ. Nous a rendus à la vie. From death to life. Not improved — resurrected. The life came from outside. The life came from Him.
"And raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus."
"Il nous a ressuscités ensemble, et nous a fait asseoir ensemble dans les lieux célestes, en Jésus-Christ, afin de montrer dans les siècles à venir l'infinie richesse de sa grâce par sa bonté envers nous en Jésus-Christ."
Éphésiens 2:6-7 · Louis SegondThe progression: dead → alive → raised → seated. Four steps — all done by God. Not four commands. Four gifts.
Seated in heavenly places. Nous a fait asseoir dans les lieux célestes. Not standing. Not striving. Seated. The position of rest. Le said it tonight: time to relax and reflect. That is the seated position. The pilgrim who has been made alive, raised up, and seated — can rest.
And the purpose: the exceeding riches of His grace. L'infinie richesse de sa grâce. The riches are infinite. The showing is not finished. The ages to come will keep revealing what the present cannot contain.
"For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast."
"Car c'est par la grâce que vous êtes sauvés, par le moyen de la foi. Et cela ne vient pas de vous, c'est le don de Dieu. Ce n'est point par les œuvres, afin que personne ne se glorifie."
Éphésiens 2:8-9 · Louis SegondLe's testimony across the entire journal — in one verse: not of yourselves; it is the gift of God. Cela ne vient pas de vous, c'est le don de Dieu.
Not of yourselves. Absolutely nothing came from me. Not the faith — a gift. Not the salvation — by grace. Not the works — prepared beforehand. The whole thing — from first to last — is God's.
Not of works, lest anyone should boast. Afin que personne ne se glorifie. The grace eliminates the boasting. The gift eliminates the pride. And the pilgrim resting in Santa Comba Dão reflects not on what she accomplished but on what He gave.
"For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them."
"Car nous sommes son ouvrage, ayant été créés en Jésus-Christ pour de bonnes œuvres, que Dieu a préparées d'avance, afin que nous les pratiquions."
Éphésiens 2:10 · Louis SegondThis verse appeared nine days ago — entry 157 — when Le testified about correction from the Lord. Tonight it returns in its full context — and the context is grace.
We are His workmanship. Nous sommes son ouvrage. His masterwork. His poem — the Greek is poiēma. Le is God's poem. Not self-made. His work. His art. His making.
Created for good works prepared beforehand. Préparées d'avance. The shiny apartment — prepared. The Golden Rule lived — prepared. The move to France — prepared. The road through Santa Comba Dão — prepared beforehand. The pilgrim walks in what was already laid out. Psalm 16: You will show me the path — because You already prepared it.
Le reflects tonight on how much has been done. Ephesians 2:10 answers: it was prepared beforehand. Every step was walked in. Every work was ready before Le and Roger arrived at it. The dawning — is the realization that it was all prepared. By Him. Before they began. 🙏
"It's just dawning on us that we have done so much in the last few days. Time to relax and reflect."
Le · Santa Comba Dão · August 23, 2026 · But God — the work was His, the gift was His, the path was preparedBut God
Two words that change everything. We were dead. But God — rich in mercy, great in love. Made us alive. The initiative was always His.
Seated
Dead → alive → raised → seated. Four gifts. The position of rest. Time to relax and reflect.
The Gift
Not of yourselves. Not of works. The gift of God. Absolutely nothing came from me — Paul's version.
Prepared Beforehand
His workmanship. His poem. Created for good works prepared d'avance. The road was ready before the pilgrim walked it.