Yesterday 10 members from my team climbed the 2nd largest active volcano in Central America it took us 13 hours. I never imagined hiking / climbing a volcano. When I heard that we could climb the volcano I was all on board. My team started our adventure at 3:30 in the morning. We had a 45 minute hike to a tree house. During those 45 minutes God was already teaching me so many things. I started to truly comprehend it is okay to not be the greatest at everything. Everyone has their own weaknesses and strengths. I started to follow behind my group. My fears and doubts were starting to kick in. I asked one my teammates Erin B. if we could stop and pray she said yes! I asked God to give us the strength and energy to climb the volcano. While we were still on our way to the tree house I had the opportunity to pray for Erin! It was such a great time and experience to keep leaning on God and continuing to fully lean on God. When we got to the tree house we took a small break before we started climbing the volcano. One of the guides asked me if I wanted to stay at the tree house or to continue. I was determined to continue and to see how far I could make it up the volcano. I am proud of myself for keeping on going and keeping trusting on God. When we got past the tree line we took a break. It was pretty foggy. It still was beautiful out. After our break we continue to go up. I enjoyed seeing God’s beautiful creation. When we were about 2/3rds up one of the tour guides asked if I wanted to stop or keep on going. I decided to keep on going! I was determined to keep on going and see how far I could go up.
God also reminded me how He is always there for me and He will never pick up and leave me! Even though my earthly father moved away. My Heavenly Father was there for me through all of it. God gave me a clear picture how He is always there for me. We had two tour guides one was in the front and one was in the back. Both tour guides were always there they never picked up and left. I am beyond thankful for God always being there for me during my easy and hard times! I am thankful for God’s never ending love! I am thankful for God giving me the strength and determination to keep on going and not to give up on myself.
One of my fears was failing. I know if I did not make it to the top I would have felt like that I failed. I still struggle time to time having regrets creeping in if I was more successful or a better daughter maybe my dad would have stayed. I know it is completely lies. God is in control. I am thankful for God always being in control! His plans are best. If my dad was still alive I would not have the strong testimony that I have. I have been praying and asking God to continue to use my brokenness and hurt to show others hope! I have been praying for God to stretch me and to keep using me. Even though it would not have been a failure I would have felt it. No matter how high I would have climbed it still would have been an accomplishment and something to be proud of. I wanted to make it to the top to prove to myself that I can do it. I am proud of myself and so thankful for God giving me the strength and energy to get to the top of the volcano and to get back to the bottom.
Lesson to learn I am beyond thankful for God giving me my strengths and weaknesses. Even though I am not the greatest hiker. I have never really hiked before until the volcano. God still used me in different ways. God gave me the courage to step out of my comfort zone and to pray during the extremely hard moments. I am thankful for God always being there for me no matter what. It is okay to not always have it together. God is there to help us to get through it. I am so thankful for my team. I am thankful for my teammates always being there and for their kindness and love! I am excited to see how I will continue to grow closer to God in the next two months. I am also excited to see how my team will continue to grow together and to keep growing closer to God!
3 Moments
1) Hiking a Volcano
2) Third way up the Volcano: Erin B. and I
3) On the top of the Volcano: Zoe, Sarah, Erin L, Erin B, and I
Thank you for your prayers,
Dalice
