Rocky Mountain High

Since you are my rock and my fortress, for the sake of your name lead and guide me. 

– Psalm 31:3

Recently while hiking in Crested Butte, Colorado, I had a mountain top experience at 12,000 feet that made me feel like I was in the movies.  The bright sun glimmered though puffy white clouds overhead warming my back as I hiked.  A perfect breeze kept me cool and refreshed each step of the way.  At the top, along the ridgeline, as far as I could see, were magnificent snow dusted peaks that rose from deep valleys of dazzling yellow, red, purple, and blue wildflowers.  From the ridgeline, all was beautiful, peaceful, and good.  

But that is not how I felt climbing up to get there.

The trail was steeper and the air a lot thinner than I had expected.  As we climbed, I found myself stopping more and more often, legs wobbling and gasping for breath.  The trail was unfamiliar, so every time it looked like we were near the top, we were met with a “false summit” and views of the trail continuing to go up… and up.  By the time I slumped down beside the trail at the top, I was weak, exhausted, and surprised by how long it had taken me to hike this high.

Honestly, all I wanted to do at that point was take a nap, but my husband insisted I eat a snack and drink more water to come back to life.  It worked.  There in the Rocky Mountains, I looked up and knew God had been with me every step of the way.  I pulled out a small notebook from my back pack and wrote:

Hiking up a steep trail is a lot like following Jesus.  

Some steps are harder than others, and the path isn’t always clear.  Sometimes you doubt the direction, but faith tells you to keep moving forward.  The weather brings storms and it may seem like you’re hiking alone. When you’re out of breath, rest awhile and give yourself some grace.  Faith is not a sprint.  It’s a long continuous climb.  It’s a daily decision to put one foot in front of the other and follow your leader.  

It is good to thank God for each step of progress.  Thoughts of gratitude drown out the complaints and renew our spirits.  When we remember how blessed we are to move, breathe, and live in His presence, peace, joy and love quickly join us on our journey.   And when we reach today’s mountain top, let’s rest with Him who loves us more than we can imagine and cheers up on no matter how slow we go.

So hike on with Jesus. He will lead you into the adventurous plans God has for you.  What first step of faith will you take today to follow your leader?

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