Our God is creative. Saying yes to Him may lead you through darkness, filled with strife and hardship; but ultimately to a place of beauty; one God had planned for you all along.
He will work through you and those around you to lead you on a path that may only make sense to the one in control.
Agreeing to a sunrise hike up a mountain was the call, a hard one, but something inside me was whispering, “say yes”.
Heading out at 5:15am, headlamps in hand, baby phone near dead (sorry Seth), we walked to the base of the mountain. My heart knew this was with either the beginning of a disaster or beautiful journey. In that moment I asked God to take my fear, casting it out and making space for him in this moment.
Realizing this had a potential to be a journey with God my two teammates and I decided to not speak until reaching the top.
The silence was soon filled with footsteps and heavy breathing.
Ten minutes later I felt as though I couldn’t breathe and paused to rest.
In that moment, and those of rest and determination that followed on the way up, God and I were in constant conversation.
Physical exercise has always been an area of performance and comparison in my life.
I measure my worth and success by the number of miles I run or the weight on the scale. Resting, quitting, falling behind, were all failures.
I will not stop, to show how strong I really am.
But on that mountain today, God changed the game.
As I climbed, I prayed for strength. I thanked him for the air in my lungs and the heart in my chest. For legs that can carry me up the mountain.
When I rested, I prayed for peace. I acknowledged his goodness and love for me and looked over the sleepy town among His beautiful mountains of Ecuador.
The word He continuously spoke over me was, “still”.
As I climbed He told me He was still there, still fighting for each step with me.
At every moment of rest He said I was still strong…still worthy of love…still on the right path.
At the top he asked me to sit in his stillness. Quieting my breath and mind I sat in awe of my Father.
We talked about His love and His desire for me to abound in His work, and abide in Him. To take each step at a time, not knowing the climb ahead, but trusting He is hiking through it beside me. Also, to grant myself sanctuary, resting in His goodness and seeing it as equally beautiful as the climb I conquered.
I looked out at the mountains and sang a song with my Father
You are the light
Song of my life
You always lead me
You are the voice inside
You are my love
No one before you
All that I am
Points to You
And I was made by you
I was made for you
I am unfulfilled without full communion
Since your love got a hold of me
Since your love got a hold of me
I’m a new creation
I’m forever changed
I was made by you
I was made for you
I am unfulfilled without full communion
In you, is all I need
You’re my breath, you’re my life, you’re my everything
Never had I felt so challenged and uplifted, and knowing He still had more for me.
That there was still fuel in my tank, and taking breaks to sit in his stillness were blessings, not failures.
Wow Abba, you are creative. I pray you continue to call me to the mountain, fighting through the climb with me.
Challenge me so my only choice is to call on your name for the strength and endurance to continue.
Lead me to your mountaintop, not where you meet me but where you journey with me and then sit in the stillness.
If it takes an early morning and a mountain to break down my walls, I ask you to do it. Push me to press into you. I love you God and I love how you love on me.
