Jefferson Pools
I recently experienced for the first time a hot-mineral spring.
The Jefferson Pools, also known as Warm Springs Pools, is located in Hot Springs, Virginia, and was the first spa structure in America; it was built in 1761. It is presently owned by The Homestead (Omni Resort) and just recently went through a multi-million dollar renovation and is now open to the public. Although it’s owned by The Homestead, you do not have to stay at the resort in order to enjoy a 50-minute soak for $30. The 50 minutes just flies by, and, believe me, you will not want to get out of this pool!
The experience is very relaxing, and it is not a lap-swimming pool by any means. This pool is fed by four natural warm springs, stays at a constant temperature of 98 degrees Fahrenheit, and flows at a rate of 1,700,000 gallons per day. It contains 12 minerals – calcium, sulfur, magnesium, iron, silicon, potassium, sodium, boron, lithium, chloride, manganese, and zinc. When getting in, I noticed that the water does not feel any different, but it was neat to experience the bubbles coming out of the ground and seeing the gravel bottom through the crystal clear waters which were about 5-6 feet deep. In order to get the full health benefits the minerals provide, you are encouraged not to shower until three hours after getting out of the pool. After enjoying the Jefferson Pools that morning, I felt very rejuvenated throughout the day, and that evening I felt wiped out and slept very good that night. I had a wonderful first experience of the natural hot springs and plan to explore other hot springs throughout the United States.
So, what does this have to do with my relationship with my Heavenly Father?
In every blog post, I always tie it back to my invisible relationship with Him, and this one is no different. I thought about the history behind this landmark and how it has stood the test of time. I mean, I soaked in the same springs as European Americans such as Thomas Jefferson and Native Americans such as the Nottoway Tribe. This makes me think of a similar story in the Bible in which the same landmark stood the test of time and was enjoyed by people of the Old and New Testaments – Jacob’s Well.
Jacob’s Well is referenced in the New Testament story of the Samaritan woman at the well in John 4. In this snapshot of this woman’s life, we are given the detailed dialogue that takes place at this well, the same well that Jacob and his sons from the Old Testament experienced! This dialogue is between her and a stranger. A stranger who does not judge her or take from her, but takes time to converse with her. A woman who had been getting her self-confidence from the wrong source – others, which made her feel sub-human. This stranger opened her eyes to another way of getting her self-confidence – from Him. The stranger was Jesus Christ, the only begotten son of our Heavenly Father. Over the next few days, she got to experience a visible, tangible relationship with Him. One that made such a quick, drastic impression from the beginning that she ran into a town full of people with whom she had done life on a daily basis yet had been treated as a very invisible person. Why do you think these people listened to her and acted on her advice of coming to see this stranger at Jacob’s Well? (A woman who they looked down on and ignored.) Because they could see this woman was not the same woman. She was confident in her skin, conversing with others, and definite about what she was saying to them. This change in her actions grabbed their attention such that they dropped everything they were doing and went to see this stranger for themselves – at Jacob’s Well.
We as followers of Christ get our self-confidence from Him. Yes, an invisible person! This self-confidence can be stripped from others, but it can always be regained by keeping our minds on His Word. The select non-fiction stories that He allows for us to visibly read bring such power and positivity back into our lives. From reading these stories, we feel His Invisible embraces by connecting with people who went through the same challenges of daily living. He also gives us insight into how we can share our unique testimony to help others. By this, He gives us self-worth and a purpose for living. This is what really propels us into a happy life, no matter what our past looks like. You see, Jacob’s Well brought physical refreshment for Jacob, his family, and his livestock, and it brought a different kind of refreshment for the Samaritan Woman, a spiritual one. She could not find a physical solution to her unhappy life by looking through the lens of how she was viewed by others. This stranger gave her a different lens – a spiritual one. This lens allowed her to find a solution to her problem. Yes, she could live a very happy life – one that is based on how God sees her instead of how people see her. One that put wind back into her sails again!