Hiking in Pearls

Tag: jesus

  • Seeking Signs: Understanding God’s Love While Hiking

    Seeking Signs: Understanding God’s Love While Hiking

    The Lord called me out to the woods in the early fall.

    I had several apprehensions about going.

    It was a new trail. Therefore, I didn’t know what to expect.

    It was after lunch. Time, I felt was not on my side.

    Our spin in the cosmos was causing the sun to sink behind the hills much earlier in the day already.

    Yet, He beckoned to me.

    I went.

    Acorns fell all around me. I thought about the deer that roam these woods, and how much they like to eat them.

    I spoke aloud, “Lord, would You prove Your love for me and send me some deer?”

    I quickly followed it with, “Never mind. You don’t need to send me deer to prove You love me. You already proved it by sending Your Son.”

    This was a new place for me. It saddens me to admit that repeatedly, since becoming a Christian, I have asked my Heavenly Father to prove His love for me by sending me signs.

    I spent the remainder of the hike in His presence and remembering that I am deeply loved by Him.

    When I came upon the arch, it felt like a sanctuary.

    It took the setting sun to pull me from the woods and retrace the trail back to my car.

    Leaving this place was hard, but praise God I didn’t have to leave His presence. Even now He is walking with me.

    Every.

    Single.

    Moment.

    He proves His love for me with every breath I take.

    I never did see any deer that day, but I have seen them since. On two occasions. They are profoundly, meaningful to me considering the satiations in my life at those moments.

    I want to ask, where are you on the trail, Friend?

    Do you question where God’s love is? Are you looking for a sign?

    Let this be it,

    But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8 NKJV

    Oh, how He loves YOU!

    Revelation 13:8 speaks of the Lamb (Jesus) that was slain before the foundation of the world.

    God’s love for you has always been! His love for you was there even before the world was created.

    That’s good news!

    Yes, you are that important to the Creator.

    Today let the meditation of your heart be on His love for you.

    His Great Love, that was poured out before time began…

  • Climbing Ladders and Building Faith

    Climbing Ladders and Building Faith

    I hung up Christmas lights today.

    Scared.

    With Christmas lights in hand, I stood at the bottom of the ladder and looked up at the eve of the house. It’s for the boys, I coaxed myself.

    By the fifth rung my extended ladder bounced like I was standing in a boat bobbing on the waves. I thought of the rock I wedged under one foot of the ladder to stabilize it before my climb. I hope it doesn’t slip off that rock. My knees began to quiver. I can’t do this. We will be fine without lights. I scurried down faster than a mouse after cheese.

    With the solid ground below my feet my knees began to still. I looked back up the ladder. People do this all the time.

    “Jesus, will I be safe?” I asked aloud.

    “Yes.” I heard His still small voice.

    Trusting Jesus gave me the courage I needed to climb the ladder again. In all honesty, I was still scared but trusting my Savior this time.

    What if I fall?

    Doubt tried to stir in my mind.

    Well, it’s not that high so I probably won’t get hurt too bad.

    I trusted that no matter what happened, I was going to be okay.

    I hung all the lights I could within arm’s reach.

    Once I was off the ladder, I wrestled it over a couple of feet and rested it back into place against the house.

    Steady.

    Additional relief rushed in from not needing the rock this time. This climb was easier. I was no longer scared.

    Fear gave way to Faith.

    I believe that The Lord uses all things to prepare us for the good works He has ordained in advance for us (Ephesians 2:10).

    Even Christmas lights and wobbly ladders.

    I learned today that I can do hard things, even when I’m scared.

    In a far more intimate way, I relearned what the scripture means when it says, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. (Philippians 4:13)

    It’s all about Faith in Christ, no matter the situation.

    What about you friend? Where is God calling you to leave fear and step out in faith?

  • Forgiveness – Part 2

    Forgiveness – Part 2

    A Work of Love

    Forgiveness is the greatest act of love one can show.

    When you really think about it, to forgive is to open the cell door of the guilty, and say, “You can go.” Even if they have shown no remorse and no change in behavior. We can swing wide the door of bitterness and unforgiveness and walk away.

    Jesus did this for us.

    When He accepted The Fathers will and died in our place on the cross, He, in effect said, “I forgive you! You are now free to live in Me.” The cell of our guilt was swung open with His death, and His resurrection that third morning. But there is a catch. We must have faith and believe that He died in our place, and accept the forgiveness He offers. Then we can begin to walk in newness of life. This is our choice. We can either accept the completed work of the cross and walk out of the cell, or we can sit there in front of an open door and stay in our guilt and shame.

    There is a Biblical truth found in the prayer of Saint Francis of Assisi, that says, “It is in giving that we receive.”

    As we offer forgiveness and freedom to our offenders, we ourselves are the ones that walk in freedom!

    Praise God!!!

    When we truly forgive, we walk away from the most taxing jobs we ever had. While we kept our fist tightly, clenched around that key of unforgiveness, we had set ourselves up in the role of attorney and guard!

    As the Attorney,

    we set to prove the “crime” of this individual(s) and will go on tirelessly to convince the “jury” of this person’s guilt. Rehearsing the offense, being sure that everyone has understood every detail of the wrongdoings. But we can’t stop there. We need a defense, and so we gain others who will side with us and witness on our behalf. After all, we do need a strong case against the accused.

    Brief periods of recess occur, but once the accused name is brought up, court has resumed, and the vicious cycle continues.

    As the Guard,

    there are many sleepless nights. We replay everything that has happened. Over, and over, and over, and over, and… well you get the point. The guilty may or may not still be in our life. Yet we see them clearly in the picture of our mind. We hash and rehash what they did, and what we should have done differently. We can’t seem to let go. We say things like, “I forgive, but I will never forget.” I know for myself, when I have uttered those words, I still have a thorn of bitterness sunk deep into my soul. I may have started the process of forgiveness, but it is not a completed work.

    We can sit in the guard’s chair, twirling that key around our finger, so preoccupied with a job that was never ours to start with, and miss the world around us. Or, we can grip that key one final time to open the lock and offer freedom to those who hurt us.

    Full forgiveness.

    With the door wide open, we can hand the key to Jesus. The only One who was ever authorized to hold it, and walk in the freedom we were always meant to be living in.

    Friend, I want to encourage you, if you find yourself holding onto a key of bitterness and unforgiveness, let it go. I know how hard it can be, but I also know firsthand the reward that waits for you. Today confess with your mouth, that you forgive ________ for ________, and then pray for them. Pray for them to have all the things you want for yourself. It may take days, months, and maybe even years, but I promise you, it is worth the work of letting go.

    Maybe you’re reading this, and you have never accepted the forgiveness that Jesus offers. There is no better time than now to accept the forgiveness Jesus has for you.

    It is as easy as A, B, C

    A – Admit that you are a sinner

    B – Believe in your heart that Jesus is The Son of God, and that He died in your place on the cross

    C – Confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and call upon Him for salvation

    Then shout it out! Tell someone, tell everyone!

    I’m praying for you, continue in the good fight of faith (1 Timothy 6:12)

  • Forgiveness – Part 1

    Forgiveness – Part 1

    The Silence

    In the quiet hours of the morning, I sat in solitude. Before the house began to stir, I thought about past wrongs done to me. I had already made the decision to forgive these trespasses. Yet, it was in this moment, that it occurred to me, I don’t have to talk about it anymore.

    I realized that silence, is the final act of forgiveness.

    The more I thought on this new concept the more that it made sense. If I have truly forgiven a wrong done to me, why would I continue to talk about it? My eyes were now open.

    When I choose to think on, or talk about a wrong done to me, it stirs up fresh pain and anger. New life is breathed into past hurts. The offense becomes just as raw as when it first happened. Fresh tears stream down my cheeks while hurt and anger wrestle in my heart. I have opened a time portal and stepped aside to allow things from the past to creep in and rob my present. Any joy that I should be experiencing in this moment is forfeited and exchanged for a tromp in the mud and muck of the past instead.

    But oh, what freedom is found in full forgiveness! (more on that next week) No longer bound by the past, I can now live fully in the gift of today! I don’t have to give my time, thoughts, and conversations to those things that now lay behind me.

    It is the same when we come to a place of repentance and confess our sins to Jesus. When we accept His work of forgiveness, through His death, burial, and resurrection, He casts our sins as far as the east is from the west. Never to be remembered again (Psalm 103:12).

    That is Good News!

    Once we are forgiven, Jesus NEVER brings up our sins again.

    He doesn’t talk about it!

    So why do we?

    The name, “Christian” means belonging to Christ. It was first intended to be derogatory to the “mini-Christs” that were living out Jesus’ teachings. This stirs me to challenge all Christians.

    Let us live up to our name!

    Let us forgive in the fullness of Christs love. Let us stop talking about the terrible things that have been done to us. Instead let us now place our efforts in forgetting those things that are forgiven and fully live in the abundant life Jesus offers us now.

    As I close for today, I want to remind you that Final Victory Comes In The Silence! Stay strong in the faith my friend, spurring each other on in love and good works (Hebrews 10:24).

    Continue in the Good Fight of Faith (1 Timothy 6:12)

    If you are encouraged by these blogs, please consider subscribing with your email, this way you’ll never miss a post. Also, if you think this will encourage someone else be sure to share it with them.

  • Looking for Dishes

    Looking for Dishes

    “Hurry up,” I told my oldest son for the seventh time. “If we jog, we can still catch them.”

    “But mom, my legs are tired,” he answered as he collapsed to the ground.

    My younger son had already walked ahead with a family friend. Their shadows appeared and disappeared as they walked underneath the solar lights that lit the walk path. It would be at least an hour before the sun was up.  I looked ahead. It would be a strain to catch up with them now. I turned back and look at my son laying in the middle of the walk path on his back. He was content laying on the hard asphalt and looking up at the stars.

    “This feels better,” he sighed.

    I guess I’ll join him, I thought as I laid down next to him.

    “Mom, I really like looking for dishes.”

    “Dishes?” My mind pictured the kitchen sink at home. “In the sky?”

    “Yeah. The big dipper and little dipper, they’re my favorite. I like how they pour into each other.”

    “That is pretty cool, isn’t it?” In the silence of the moment, I reflected on his words, “They pour into each other.”

    I learned a vital life lesson from my 8-year-old son right then. Our life should be one of pouring. Every day we should be looking for ways to pour into each other. Not dipping from someone else to try and fill up ourselves. When we live a life of dipping, then everyone ends up empty. BUT once we transition to a life of pouring, then everyone is full and there is no lack!

    “That looks like the big dipper there,” he pointed.

    “I think your right, it sure looks like it.”

    “Do you know what that one is?” He asked.

    “No, I don’t know very many of them. Most of them you have to use your imagination to be able to see what they’re named.” I paused for a moment before adding, “You know, God, He holds all the stars in place by the power of His might. He has called them all by name.” (Isaiah 40:26 and Psalm 147:4)

    We continued in conversation while the stars slowly began to fade. The sun would soon outshine them completely.

    I reflected on the two lessons I learned that morning as we drove home.

    The first is that we must pour.

    Each moment in our life is an opportunity to pour or dip from someone else. My prayer for us, is that we will look at our own life, not as having a deficit but as having an abundance and that we dip deeply and pour lavishly into someone else’s life. It could be as simple as a phone call to an old friend. There could be a shut in you know that you could take a meal to. You might leave coins at the quarter machine for the next child that comes by. Or like me, maybe you’ll find yourself looking up at the stars.

    The second is that all we really have is this moment. Right now.

    We run through life in such a rush to get to the next moment, that we have robbed ourselves of the beauty that this moment held. Days and years fade as quickly as the stars at dawn. I am reminded of James 4:14 KJV that says, “Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.”

    As I learn to embrace the moments of life, I am finding such a richness in the days that is hard to contain. I am grateful for this simple life moment that I took the time to stop and look at the stars. The lessons I learned because I chose to stop and be still with my son for a single moment changed my life forever. He poured into my life so completely, and he didn’t even know he was pouring! Isn’t that beautiful? He was tired and chose to enjoy the moment and he shared it with me, and he poured. My, how he poured.

    These slowdowns, the moments we pour are the treasure that so richly highlight this life we have been given. We must learn to embrace them in the fullest.

    Friend, I want to encourage you to slowdown and pour today, and you will find yourself in the center of contentment when you do.