In the allegory "Hinds Feet on High Places" Hannah Hunnard crafts a beautiful story about a girl named Much Afraid and her journey to the high places with the Good Shepherd. If you have never read it I would definitely recommend it!
I have read this story twice in my life and both time it has met me exactly where I am at and called me to step out and follow the narrow way with Jesus. To trust Him.
Today we began our first day of ministry which involves hiking from village to village to pray and share the gospel. 1st… I should tell you that we are nestled in this little valley in the midst of the Himalayas. It is absolutely beautiful. I wake up every morning, walk outside our room, and look up to the sky to see the sun coming over this huge mountain directly behind us and I listen to the sound of the rushing river just below me. I am amazed in this place. Amazed at the Lords creation and the fact that I get to experience this all month.
So here we are day one of official ministry. We get ready and follow the pastor and his son as they tell us we are going to a few houses today to pray for people. We walk across the suspension bridge over the rushing river and begin our trek up the mountain that I have stared up at every morning. The way is steep. (not as steep and scary as the one Much Afraid climbs in her journey to the high places but steep enough and steeper than I like) Its rocky. Some places are narrow. Its out of my comfort zone so I ask the Lord to give me hinds feet as I'm climbing to the top.
"He makes my feet like the feet of a deer, and sets me on my high places." psalm 18:33
In the book, Much Afraid talks about watching the sure footed deer leap on the rocky ledges. And she longs to leave her "fearing" relatives and leap like the deer on the high places. So she agrees to follow the Good Shepherd on those rocky ledges. There is a process He takes her through before she gets there that prepares her for the ascent. She is still afraid and almost turns back but during the journey, leading to this place, she has learned to trust the Shepherds heart. So she faces her fear and goes with her 2 companions and helpers "sorrow" and "suffering". Over the course of everything she experiences on this path the Lord gives her hinds feet. But it doesn't come easily. She has to go through many hard things but she is never alone in those things. The Shepherd is always taking care of her. I love this story of Much Afraid and I love how it ministers to me.
So today I asked the Lord to physically make me sure footed as we climbed up and down this mountain. That I wouldn't fear and that I would just trust the Lord in this place. I laughed to myself as I was praying for this, realizing how precisely the Lord orchestrates our life. and this is why….
This month as I was asking the Lord about what He had for me with my time in Nepal He began speaking to me about boldness and stepping out of my comfort zone in faith. He told me to risk looking like a fool for His sake and then watch Him show up. I won't lie… this terrifies me. But over the last few years of experiencing the tender love and mercy of the Lord and His goodwill towards me I have learned to trust His heart. So if He calls me to be bold, whatever that looks like, He won't shame me. He delights in me. The shear thought that the creator of the universe delights in us and has goodwill towards us recks me. So I laughed today as I realized my physical circumstances match my spiritual one. That is just like the Lord. So in my prayer I asked for physical sure-footedness (if thats even a word.ha.) as we climb the Himalayas every day and also for spiritual sure-footedness as i learn was it looks like for me to step out in boldness with My Good Shepherd who love me so.
