Last week, we talked about how Joseph aced his first test: The test of believing what God was telling him. The problem for Joseph was that once he believed, his troubles were far from over. Joseph to bear the…
Acing the Test, Part 1
If any of us have lived in relationship with Jesus for very long, we’ve personally experienced the fact that there are tests in life. I’m not talking about a life of continual hardship without any victory; along with Paul, we…
Rest in the Storm
I wrote last week about turning our faces to the storm – facing it so we can see what is coming, fight the required battle faithfully, and not turn our back on the place God has called us to go. …
Mountains and Valleys
I love mountaintops. Most of my favorite hikes have been high-elevation – peaks overlooking the mountains, ridgelines with views to mountains or countrysides, even meadowed mountainsides. Get me above treeline with great views to cliffs and mountains and meadows, and…
Creation is Not Our Salvation
In the hiking communities I’m blessed to be a part of, I hear many comments about the wilderness. They talk about how going out into the wilderness relaxes them, gives them peace, reconnects them with God, helps them remember what…
Eyes for God’s Beauty
I read an interesting quote by John Muir yesterday. He said, “God never made an ugly landscape. All that the sun shines on is beautiful, so long as it is wild.” The quote more or less speaks for itself. …
A Different Perspective in Darkness
I’m convinced that one of the reasons people love to watch the sunset is because they enjoy watching the changes that come over the landscape in the shift from day to night. The air stills or the wind picks up. …
Slot Canyon Musings
Guest post from one of my group members… because honestly, this is not my method with slot canyons at all! I’ve always had a mild case of claustrophobia. Growing up, my family and I spent a lot of our vacations…
Darkness is for Rest
There is a lot of talk about “dark times” in our Christian churches today. You even hear it spoken of in our society. “Everyone faces dark times, sometimes,” people say. “Don’t worry; you can get through it. You just have…
Dealing with our Socks!
A couple of weeks ago, a friend posted a silly picture to social media (as many of us are wont to do from time to time, if for no other reason than to give our friends a good laugh). It…