Valleys are an inevitable, yet unpredictable, part of life. Sometimes the valley we are in is the result of being laid off from a job. Other times the valley will come with the loss of a loved one or a relationship.
Then there are the times that the valley comes when you are eating salami and cheese, drenched in rain, and wondering if the mountain you are climbing actually has a summit.
I’m sure most of you would like some context on that last one. A few days before training camp, several of the men from each squad met to go on a hike. Not just any hike – a Man Hike! A man hike is like a normal hike, but much more manly. It was a chance for us to finally use our gear (the perfect gear that met the exact specifications for success). It was also a chance to prove that we are, in fact, the hiking machines that we claimed to be when we signed up for this 11 month backpacking trip.
The leaders of the trip gathered us the night before we departed and told us that we were going to be hiking 18 miles of the Appalachian Trail. I left the meeting excited to take on this challenge, texted my dad with the great news, and then hit the hay to get some rest.
When I awoke the next morning, I heard raindrops on the roof, shortly followed by a groan from my mouth. Finally, I told myself that this would just be part of the experience. After devouring some eggs, we piled on a bus and rode to the trailhead where our adventure would begin.
After another briefing, G Squad was the first squad to hit the trail. We started up the first of many hills, and were winded by the time we hit the top of the hill. After a swig of water, I enjoyed the brief decline in elevation, but rounded a corner to see another steep uphill grade.
By the time we were cutting slices of salami and cheese at lunch, there was no hiding it – the Appalachian Trail is no joke. Our gear, while top-of-the-line, left our shoulders sore. After slipping and sloshing through muddy hills for a few hours, we could not hide our exhaustion. We were no longer hiking machines – there was nothing hiding our real character or personalities. We were finally able to get to know our teammates as who we are when comfort, safety, and control disappear.
As the rain continued to fall, we saw a campsite in the fog. After hiking all day, we finally knew that we were on this mountaintop campsite that we have been dreaming about for hours. Tents popped up, a fire was sparked, and we enjoyed the best dehydrated meals we had ever tasted.
The rain slowed to a drizzle, then stopped as the fog disappeared. Sunshine was welcomed by (manly) cheers. We looked around, and had an incredible view – an incredible view of a beautiful valley. It was then I realized that this beautiful valley I was admiring was the same muddy, treacherous, valley I had hiked through all day. It was the same valley that required me to rely on God and my squad mates for strength and encouragement. This valley showed me that my God is good and my community authentic.
It was difficult to see these things while we were in the valley. There were times that it was all we could do to focus on our own steps, our own fatigue, and our own hydration. We needed to look beyond ourselves to reach the mountaintop.
As we walk on the trail through our lives, sometimes it is all we can do to stay on the narrow path without slipping or stumbling. And while the journey can be more difficult than expected, we learn that we are not wandering aimlessly in the wilderness. When our God is with us, nothing – nature, disease, our past, and our struggles – can be against us. When we seek and walk with a solid group of brothers and sisters in Christ, we are always in a safe place were we can carry each other’s burdens and use our words to encourage each other.
To those reading this blog from a valley – press into God and Christian community. When you do this, you can find refuge in the fact that you are on the right path and heading in the right direction.
If you are reading this from the mountaintop – encourage those that are in the valley. You have an incredible relationship with the God that they need to get them through the valley. You are the Christian brother or sister that they need right now.
Time to throw on my pack; I’ll see you on the trail.
