Adventures In Odyssey Podcast » Blog Archive » Passages: Darien’s Rise, Part 9 Devotional: Back to Normal

Passages: Darien’s Rise, Part 9 Devotional: Back to Normal

November 12th, 2009

After you’ve heard “Passages: Darien’s Rise, Part 9,” check out this devotional thought. (If you haven’t heard Part 9, check out the Media Player starting November 14. You can also find a station in your area.)

Hear a preview of Part 9:

Click to play

By Elizabeth Goldsmith

“We were chosen for one thing in Marus. We must be chosen for something else here.” -Anna

On the Mountaintop

Have you ever had an experience where you felt really close to God? Maybe at church or at summer camp? Those are called “mountaintop experiences,” probably because the top of a mountain seems like it’s closer to God. But they are called mountaintops for a good reason. You can’t stay on them forever! When you get back home from church or summer camp, sometimes it’s hard to hold on to that closeness you felt. Everything goes back to normal and it’s easy to wonder why you felt the closeness in the first place.

Mountaintop experiences are wonderful and they can be great times of growth in our relationship with God. But it’s important to remember that we won’t always feel that excitement that comes along with being on the mountaintop. Our feelings can change, but God doesn’t. We need to learn how to stay strong in our faith even when everything’s normal and the feelings of closeness aren’t necessarily there.

Anna and Kyle’s time in Marus was sort of like a mountaintop experience. The Unseen One gave Anna dreams and visions, and used Kyle to protect Darien. Even though their experiences were a little scary at times, The Unseen One became very real to them. When things changed, however, and the Unseen One stopped using them in those ways, Kyle began to doubt and even turned away from the Unseen One. Anna, however, stayed on the right track: she still trusted and followed Him even if she didn’t always feel His presence.

It’s easier to have faith when the feelings are there, and when God reveals Himself to you in big ways. Holding on to that faith when you’re back in your day-to-day life, however, is harder to do. Because we’re human, we won’t always feel like reading our Bibles or praying or going to church. It’s important, however, to do those things, to have a faith that’s strong in times of excitement and quiet. God calls us to be obedient in the exciting times and in the boring ones.

Have you ever had an experience where you felt really close to God? What did you do when things went back to normal? Tell us about it in the comments section below.

Get a summary and discussion questions for Passages: Darien’s Rise, Part 9.
Check out the Passages website and submit your entry for the art contest!

Tags: Darien's Rise, Devotional, Passages

rOCK-O-AGES on November 12th, 2009 - 1:52pm

I don’t want passages to end! It’s actually kidn of sad that we won’t hear from Rachel Fox and “whoever played Kyle” again.

mitch on November 12th, 2009 - 3:55pm

Dear Everybody,
Part nine was great! Thanks Odyssey!

Anonymous on November 12th, 2009 - 8:55pm

i absolutly luv passages and odyssey

abbie on November 13th, 2009 - 9:07am

Since it isn’t egzactly nov 14, i guess i’ll have to wait to find out what this devotional is about. Why do they put the devotional out before the new episode?

lukerman on November 13th, 2009 - 9:45am

This looks Cool! I’ll check it out!

kelsey on November 13th, 2009 - 11:16am

Hey, looks like I’m first to post a comment! Awsome.

Brianna on November 13th, 2009 - 4:59pm

i love passages and i love the book. this is so cool!i love this

Brianna on November 13th, 2009 - 5:01pm

looooooooovvvvvvvvveeeeeeeeee iiiiiiiiittttttt. adventures in oddessey rocks!!!!

Original joe on November 13th, 2009 - 5:10pm

Rock-O-Ages, it may not matter, but somebody might care. The actor who plays Kyle is Shane Baumel. He was also the voice of Everett, Eugene’s long-lost brother.

celtin on November 13th, 2009 - 10:30pm

wow am so sad i loved passages i miss keyl and anna

Kirstie on November 14th, 2009 - 12:52am

HELP!!!!
What does I SLAP FLOOR MEAN?
I have been trying to figure it out a longgg time.
Islap floor the episode you know and then brenard said I slap Floor……the hints dont help!

waaa

M.J. on November 14th, 2009 - 7:36am

More Passage Please! they’re awesome!!!

amelia on November 14th, 2009 - 7:47am

THE RAT WAS WEIRD AND CREEPY

amelia on November 14th, 2009 - 7:53am

MY MOST TWO FAVERITE CHARACTERS ARE SISTER-LEE-ANN

amelia on November 14th, 2009 - 7:56am

AND ANNA

Liv on November 14th, 2009 - 9:34am

What they’re talking about here is called subjectivism – basing your relationship with God on your feelings and emotions. You really have to watch out for it and beware you don’t get caught up in it. Oh and Darien’s Rise was pretty cool! Sad about the new Whit though. Anyways, thanks Odyssey!

Jeff on November 14th, 2009 - 10:01am

Part 9 isn’t working for me–the link plays Grand Opening II.

Katy on November 14th, 2009 - 12:28pm

i almost cried at the end of part nine–Darien’s Rise has been soooooooooooooo exciting!

Jeff on November 14th, 2009 - 12:45pm

Alright–worked now! Thanks.

cc on November 14th, 2009 - 1:08pm

AWSOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!! DARIEN’S RISE IS COOL!!!!!!!!!!

The Wolf on November 14th, 2009 - 1:12pm

Wow, that’s kinda cool.

tiana-breeze on November 14th, 2009 - 5:05pm

i love your raido thing i try and listen to it every day bye 4 now

Victoria on November 14th, 2009 - 6:55pm

Passages rox! thx oddessy!

abbie on November 14th, 2009 - 6:56pm

i just finished listening to Darien’s Rise IX. It’s awesome! At the end i found myself chewing on my blanket! I can’t get enough of it. i could lay on my bed all day and listen to odyssey after odyssey and never get tired! Darien’s Rise was a great audio! Make more AIO! Never, ever, ever, EVER! stop!

amy on November 14th, 2009 - 8:00pm

Awesome! I loved Darien’s Rise! I like the lessons that came with it. Who did write the manuscript that Whit read, anyway?

ASHLEY on November 14th, 2009 - 8:36pm

I have listened to Adventures in Odyssey since I was a little kid, and I still love it. “Darien’s Rise” was excellent, and I can’t wait to here more of the “Passages” series. Great job, AIO!

jo on November 14th, 2009 - 9:02pm

i liked it you did a good job in dramtising it you need to make the rest of them

lucy on November 15th, 2009 - 9:03am

i think the passages was based on the story of david and saul….hmmmm

Brian on November 15th, 2009 - 11:21am

Cool! I enjoyed Darien’s Rise a lot! Thanks Odyssey.

anna on November 15th, 2009 - 2:10pm

i love darien’s rise i usualy don’t ask but i’m going to ask for darien’s rise for a christmas present it really reminds me of of david

kelsey on November 15th, 2009 - 2:37pm

I thought that Rachael Fox also played Kelly.

Anonymous on November 15th, 2009 - 3:28pm

Wow. . . good show. It’s sad that this string of new Odysseys is finished, but now we can look forward to the new Album! Exciting!

Jd on November 16th, 2009 - 8:52am

When are you going to do the rest of the passages series.

marcos on November 16th, 2009 - 11:02am

no your not

mike on November 16th, 2009 - 11:54am

darians rise is so cool

chuck on November 16th, 2009 - 1:02pm

Kristie, “I Slap Floor” means “APRIL FOOLS!”

JESUS IS MY HERO!

chuck on November 16th, 2009 - 1:05pm

h on November 16th, 2009 - 1:49pm

I love Dariens Rise! Oh, and I Slap Floor means April Fools!!

rachel on November 16th, 2009 - 3:03pm

Dariens Rise is really cool I like it, it was interesting.

Connie on November 17th, 2009 - 4:07pm

Dariens Rise was awesome! Are you going to make an audio drama out of the next Passages book “Arin’s Judgement”?
I love Adventures in Odyssey and can’t wait till new stuff comes out!

Connie on November 17th, 2009 - 4:09pm

Haha Chuck, I never knew that! I always thought it was
“I fool pals”

Daniel on November 17th, 2009 - 4:54pm

Can the guy who made these make more.
PLEASE:) PLEASE:).
If not:(.

Daniel on November 17th, 2009 - 4:58pm

On I SLAP FLOOR I SLAP FLOOR means……….
april fools

Elsa on November 17th, 2009 - 10:39pm

Darien’s Rise was great!
It’s going to take me a while to get used to the new Whit…
Who wrote the manuscript, anyway? (Anna, maybe? It was her house, right?)
Will there be AIO episode(s) about how Jack and Whit find the author of the manuscript? That could be an exciting episode!

Thanks Odyssey Team! This series was great.
~ Elsa

mike on November 18th, 2009 - 8:07pm

i like the new whit

mike on November 18th, 2009 - 8:12pm

but it still stinks the old whit is gone

mike on November 18th, 2009 - 8:27pm

im so excited for album 51 to come out!:)

Kirstie on November 21st, 2009 - 12:12am

Thanks guys!
I had no idea I slap floor was april fools day!
I liked the old whit

hannah on November 22nd, 2009 - 2:49pm

hey i realy want the old whit to come back please bring him back please .

lovepeace on November 23rd, 2009 - 6:33pm

I LOVED THE SERIES! Im so excited that they are playing novacoms again

connie on November 23rd, 2009 - 8:47pm

Hannah
we cant bring back old whit cause he died!

Rebekah on November 23rd, 2009 - 8:51pm

COOL WITH A CAPITAL C.

Original joe on November 24th, 2009 - 3:27pm

Hey Connie, Paul Herlinger, the actor who played Whit, isn’t dead. He retired. The Whit actor who you are thinking of is Hal Smith, which Paul Herlinger replaced. Then Andre Stolkja recently replace Paul Herlinger.

Anonymous on November 25th, 2009 - 2:08pm

connie

there has been 3 Whits on the show. The 1st one is Hal Smith he died a long time ago. The 2nd one is Paul Herlinger. He didnt die but retired. The #rd one is the new one and his name is Andre Stojka

hayley on November 26th, 2009 - 9:16am

Yes, I love Dariens Rise!COOL WITH A CAPITAL C!
Hannah and Connie,
He is not dead, he just retired!Paul Herlinger was the BEST, VERY BEST Whit!
Novacom series is THE VERY BEST!:)

molly on November 26th, 2009 - 7:08pm

My family and I love passages!

connie on November 27th, 2009 - 3:49pm

original Joe and Anonymous
i know. i meant the Hal Smith, i got a tape from my 30 year old sister, Toni with him in it
Connie

connie on November 27th, 2009 - 3:50pm

i come from New Zealand!

R.M on November 27th, 2009 - 4:00pm

i agree with Connie!

sam on December 2nd, 2009 - 10:35pm

same here

R.M on December 3rd, 2009 - 9:14pm

Did you know that my real name is Rebekah, R.M is my full name, Rebekah M. (I’m not allowed to say my last name)
and i love Connie, so Connie, Rebekah and R.M are all my user names!
LOL
#R.M#

R.M on December 3rd, 2009 - 9:16pm

so when i was agreeing with Connie, i was Agreeing with myself!
LOL
#R.M#

alex on December 5th, 2009 - 7:18pm

What chapter is part nine because I have the book. Its book one in the series. It is in the series called Passages.

sam on December 6th, 2009 - 3:41pm

whats everyones best episodes

ne on December 6th, 2009 - 3:48pm

I love the album Counter moves and well all adventures in odyssey > That looks AWSOME! Ill try to look it up.

me on December 7th, 2009 - 2:21pm

hi peeps how is every one! love you all so much may God bless you all in some way or another! you will always be in my prayers!

sam on December 7th, 2009 - 7:50pm

i agree with ne

Abigail on December 8th, 2009 - 1:54pm

Hey Connie is that really you?

sam on December 9th, 2009 - 2:57pm

it would be nice if it is

madi on December 11th, 2009 - 1:41pm

I wonder what is going to happen next in Adventures in Odyssey! Can’t wait! Oh, I aboslutely love these episodes. All of them.