Hiking in Pearls

Tag: Joy

  • 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…

  • 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.

  • Lessons From The Silence

    Lessons From The Silence

    And, behold, they brought to him a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed: and Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy;

    Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee.

    And, behold, certain of the scribes said within themselves, This man blasphemeth. And Jesus knowing their thoughts said,

    Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts? For whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and walk? But that you may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (then saith he to the sick of the palsy,) Arise, take up they bed, and go unto thine house.

    And he arose, and departed to his house. (Matthew 9:2-7 KJV)

    Read it again. Did you catch it?

    Salvation came before the healing.

    There are so many scriptures that swirl through my mind as I read the passage above. I think of Proverbs 13:12 KJV Hope deferred maketh the heart sick: but when the desire cometh, it is a tree of life. My heart sinks with the man who had the palsy and the hearts of his friends, hope deflated as they looked on. They knew this man Jesus of Nazareth would heal their friend.

    I can almost hear the banter as they carried their paralyzed friend to Jesus, “You know, after the Rabbi heals you, you can carry me around for once!” “Yes, you can use your legs and bring me a meal!” another jested as laughter filled the dusty streets.

    But the healing didn’t come at first.

    “Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee.”

    Were the words uttered before the room fell to a deafening silence. It is in this brief moment of silence that a great lesson is uncovered.

    It was never about the healing.

    Jesus came to show us the way to The Father and bring salvation to the captives. Yet it seems in the process of time, in the moments of silence we have forgotten our joy should be rooted in our salvation. We have left our first love and we have run after the gifts, after the blessings rather than The One who Blesses and in doing so, our hope is deferred and our hearts sick.

    We mumble of our discomfort as our Heavenly Father allows a burden to be placed on our back. We buckle under the weight and joy is erased from our minds. I think at times, the healing doesn’t come and the silence stretches on through the months and often years because we have elevated the healing to the place of a god and we chase after it rather than pursuing the Lord God. We no longer meditate on the Lord, but on our sickness. Our discomfort has been given place to dominate our thoughts.

    Jesus reminded the seventy in Luke 10:20 KJV,

    Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.

    It has always been about Jesus and the salvation that He alone offers. My prayer is that as trials and tribulations come, we learn to suffer well. I am reminded of the words of Paul in Philippians 4:11-13 KJV, Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state that I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

    Jesus, being our living example showed us how to suffer well as His blood poured into the earth from the cross. The very place from which a new word, excruciating meaning “at the cross” had to be created in an effort to communicate the pain in which He endured on our behalf. It was here, He prayed for those who parted His raiment and cast lots as He offered,

    “Father, forgive them; they know not what they do.” (Luke 23:34 KJV)

    He gave hope to the thief beside him when He uttered the words,

    “Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise,” (Luke 23:43 KJV)

    In a time of great distress for Mary, Jesus brought comfort to His mother as He called out,

    “Woman, behold your son!” Then to the disciple, “Behold your mother!” (John 19:26-27 KJV)

    Father God, I thank You for Your patience with us, Your children, as we learn to suffer well. As we learn to endure. Father forgive us for the many things we’ve allowed to distract us from You, the joy of our salvation. Teach us Lord to glorify You in the moments of silence and to offer hope to those around us just as Jesus did from the cross. Remind us again that it is the Joy of the Lord that is our strength. (Nehemiah 8:10 KJV) Lord, we love You and praise none other but You alone, our Lord, King, Savior and God. May we abound in all things as You strengthen us whether the healing comes or not. Lord let us wait on You alone. May our hope rest in the salvation You have so freely given us. Let us hope in nothing less, so that when we lay down this flesh and step into eternity with You that our desire will be fulfilled and be a tree of life as we stand in the courts of heaven. Let us never forget the words of Your Son Jesus Christ, “Be of good cheer, thy sins be forgiven thee.” Amen.

    For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. (Romans 8:18 KJV)