Take a Hike

Last weekend I went on a camping/hiking trip. I had such a great time, but even more importantly, my eyes were opened to a lot of truths in my life. Or maybe just life in general.

I went with a group of people from a church group I am in. Friday night, we built a fire, roasted hot dogs and s'mores, played cards, talked for hours, and then slept in tents in the rain! Saturday morning we woke up, had breakfast, and embarked on our eight mile journey.

The beginning of the hike was nice, level ground, only slightly damp from the rain. I was beyond excited, and ready for a nice, relaxing walks in the trees. Not too far into it, the trail became much less level, the ground was slick with mud, and it seemed we were always going either up or downhill. It wasn't too hot, but the rain did cause some humidity. I was okay with it at first, but after a while I was done. The only problem was I couldn't back out. I had to move forward. I didn't have a choice other than to put one foot in front of the other without thinking. Sometimes I think life is like that. Things may get rough, and the only thing you can do is keep moving forward. Stop thinking, and just move.

Then, the endo started to remind me that it is most definitely a thing and does not like it when I go on adventures. Rather than focus on my discomfort, I began to think about how amazing the human body is - not that I was pushing any actual limits, but that if forced to, the body can endure so much. It was a small reminder of God's goodness and His perfect design. Even my body, the one with all of its odd ailments and idiosyncrasies. The one I think has a "rotten pear" shape. The one I criticize daily, was designed by God. And for the first time I was proud of my pear shape with all its weird lumps and bulges. I was okay with my two teeth that turn in ways I don't want them to, and all of them that are a little more yellow than I would prefer. My skin that I always want to be just a little tanner. My hair that I think is frizzy. God made that, and rather than criticize it, I would rather simply take care of it and be happy with it.

I wasn't necessarily expecting to gain that from hiking, but it was something I needed.

I am quite certain that my favorite thing about God is the way He meets us where we are and fills us with what we need. In the middle of nowhere, where cell signal was weak and people were few, God whispered little truths to my soul the whole way.

So maybe there's more to hiking than climbing hills and finding yourself. Maybe it's allowing yourself to be found by God.

"For the Son of Man came to seek and to save..." - Luke 19:10