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Delight and Desire

Posted in God, Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ, Prayer, The Father, Worship, tagged child, delight, desire, faith building, father, holy spirit, Jesus, peace, Transformation on February 12, 2016| Leave a Comment »

Psalm 37:4 says “Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart.” What a succinct capture of the Gospel and a rich promise for God’s children.

In my work, I consult with plants and help them improve their performance. The formula is really very simple. When you do the right things in the right way you will get excellent performance. I have seen this truth play out dozens and dozens of times in my career.

When I look at this verse I see the spiritual corollary. When God becomes our focus and we immerse ourselves in knowing Him we will experience a greater and greater intimacy in our relationship with Him.

The picture that comes to mind is that of the young child running and leaping into His Daddy’s arms. He is delighted to see His Daddy and to be held by him. The child that delights in his Daddy will watch him closely. They take note of what Daddy does, how he interacts with other people, the things he says, how he lives. To a young child their parents are the focus of their life. Oh – what a wonderful thrill and an awesome responsibility!

The Lord is our Heavenly Father. Jesus came to earth and demonstrated the perfect Child to Father relationship. He didn’t mince words, but faithfully demonstrated that God is the Perfect Father Who truly knows what is best. As the climactic moment of Jesus’ life (and truly the climax of all history) approached, Jesus focused His whole being upon being faithful to the Father and loving those the Father had brought to Him. That path lead to Calvary and a gruesome death on the cross. How was Jesus able to do this? And how does that relate to delighting in the Lord?

It was because of His complete and total faith in God the Father and His Father’s plan that enabled Him to do this. And because His heart’s desire was to be obedient to the Father and please Him, He was able to experience His Peace even in the midst of the severest of trials. He suffered grievous pain – yes, but He could take comfort knowing He was squarely in the middle of the Father’s will.

Jesus died and was buried, but in three days, the miracle around which all of history pivots occurred. God raised Jesus from the dead. And Jesus reigns at the right hand of the Father God. The desire of His heart – the redemption of God’s children, has been accomplished – halleluiah!!!

For us, it is stated simply, delight yourself… immerse yourself… focus your whole being upon the Lord and He will move on your behalf to enable the desires of your heart.

Now it is important to understand that in the immersion process we will take on more and more of the desires of the Father and less and less of the carnal, low desires of the flesh. In fact as we live in the Spirit the dichotomy between desires of the flesh and desires of the Spirit become more pronounced. God’s heart will fill us and we will truly desire things eternal. Reconciliation, peace, comfort for the hurting, salvation for the lost, clarity for the confused, hope for the hopeless – these things will trump big bank accounts, accumulation of things, and recognition. And God will move on our behalf to give us these good things.

I walk this path of seeking to delight myself in the Lord with you. I’d like to say I am well along the path and I have succeeded in putting all fleshly desires aside, but I am a sojourner just like you. I have experienced times of breakthrough and been blessed mightily. But I have also had times of slipping back and turning my eyes and heart to lower things. The gap between the “fun” of the lower things and the ecstatic joy of being in the Father’s presence grows ever greater. Those times that I slide back become ever more distasteful. They leave me with a hunger for God’s greater things.

Join me today in seeking to delight in the Lord. Let us together experience the Joy of the Lord. May His Holy Spirit fill us to overflowing and transform our heart’s desires to truly be His desire.

Father, we love you and we want to delight ourselves in you. Too often we are distracted and enticed by lower things… desires less than what you have for us. Help us to turn our eyes, our heart, our hope to you. Put the delight of you as our first desire. Make your home in us. Pour your Holy Spirit into us and help us to be a people who are truly transformed and transformative in this world. God be revealed in and through us. We love you! We give you all the glory this day. In the name of your Son, our Savior, Jesus!

Peace to you today. May you know the all fulfilling Joy of the Lord as you delight yourself in Him.

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Early Will I Seek You

Posted in Church, Prayer, Responsibility, Spiritual Growth, tagged Discipleship, hearing God, Prayer, relationship, Transformation, worship on January 20, 2016| Leave a Comment »

As I have shared before, I am an engineer. So much so that my wife struggles not to roll her eyes as she says it. My natural inclination is to observe, analyze, and critique. This mindset helps me solve problems and improve processes. However by themselves they are not conducive to building strong, vibrant, loving relationships. Through the years though I have changed. I still have these attributes, but they have been tempered. And I am a better person for it.

I am very thankful for my parents. They strove to raise my siblings and I right. They taught us manners, respect for all people, putting other’s needs ahead of my own, and the importance of family. They took us to church and established a pattern of faithful attendance. They disciplined me when I strayed, but at the end of the discipline was always a hug and words of affirmation. My parents established an excellent foundation for the transformation.

As I have recounted in an earlier post, I strayed significantly through my college years, trying new and formerly forbidden things. I was a person swimming further and further from shore. But God did an amazing thing. He brought me to a place where I could clearly see the two choices I had. I could continue my life of swimming in deep water and being my own master or I could chose to follow Him completely. It’s funny because He did not threaten me with bad stuff if I chose not to follow Him. He just indicated that life “All In” with Him would mean He would never leave me or forsake me.

I accepted His offer and a change took place immediately. God put His Spirit within me and I knew it. I look at that weekend and that afternoon visit to the chapel at Camp Hartner in Louisiana as my second birthday. I mention all of this as background though. While God entered my life in a real and tangible way at that time, a lot of my ingrained habits and thought patterns were still influenced by the worldly patterns I had become comfortable with. The Holy Spirit had been active in wooing and encouraging me to take the step of faith before my conversion. When I accepted Jesus as my Lord, the Holy Spirit began the work in me that has led to much positive change such as the transformation of a fairly rigid engineer into a relatively relational person who happens to have some engineering skills.

The Holy Spirit will guide you as you seek to know and follow the Father better. Here are some of the practical steps that I was led to which have proved crucial to my transformation. In fact they fit under the admonition Paul gives in Romans 12:1-2. “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice holy and pleasing to God – this is your true and proper worship. Do not be conformed to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – His good, pleasing and perfect will.”

Read the Word and Seek the Lord Early Every Day. Start the day in prayer and quiet reflection on Who God is. Talk to Him and let Him speak to you through the bible. Select a good, short devotional to supplement your prayer time. My wife and I have been blessed time and again with the short devotionals found in the devotional Jesus Calling by Sarah Young. I have experimented with doing this at other times of the day, but I have found that dedicating my first hour or so to the Lord has the greatest impact and seems to flavor the rest of the day with a sweet sense of His nearness.

Develop Close Faith Friendships and Encourage One Another. While this needs to be within your family too, it actually must include a few close friends. I’ve dived into this topic at length in a previous post, but it is vital that we have people we trust who can be Christ’s hands, feet, and heart to us in times of need. And we in turn will have times when the Lord uses us for others. God did not intend for us to do life alone. When He looked at Adam in the garden He said it was not good for him to be alone. That is true of believers. God knows we need faithful fellowship. Ask Him and He will lead you to those people who will become your faith friends.

Join the Church and Plug In. Jesus died for the Church, so the Church is very important to Him. Find a Church that is vibrant. One that consistently points to Jesus and what He is doing. Look for signs of Jesus actively working within the Church. Signs such as growth in numbers, bondages broken, lives being transformed, consistently maturing fellowship, regular outreach beyond the walls of the Church, and joy in following Jesus. Once you find this Church then get involved. Consider your gifts, talents, and passion and see where you can put them to work in the Church.

Bloom Where You Are Planted. God has put you in a place to be His ambassador. The life you live is a reflection of where you are in your walk. Jesus desires to use each one of us in the redemption of this world. If you are in a hard place, a difficult place, the light and love of Jesus will stand-out more than ever. Every believer is called to minister in Jesus’ Name. Some of that ministry may be within the Church, but my experience indicates that the greatest need and most frequent opportunities are outside the walls of the Church. Make this a topic in your quiet time with the Lord, asking Him to guide you to the person(s) you are to speak to that day.

Remember, it’s All About the Relationships. Jesus left His place in heaven and entered mortal life so He could relate to us, so He could establish a relationship with us. He loves us so much that He took our place when sin, our sin, was judged and executed on the cross. And because of that we can live in intimate relationship with Him. And He wants us to value the relationships that we have with others. Because they matter to Him, they should matter to us as well. As we grow closer to Jesus, we will begin to see others as Jesus sees them. And we will love more and more like Jesus loves.

Have a blessed day today as you grow in your life with Jesus.

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Big Truths

Posted in God, God Stories, Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ, Spiritual Growth, The Father, tagged Christianity, faith, good god, Islam, Jesus, love, Shootings, tangible change, truth, what is truth on October 8, 2015| Leave a Comment »

I am usually a very solid sleeper. This morning sleep alludes me and thoughts of myriad concerns and big truths swirl in my mind. It strikes me that if I were to fully rest in the big truths, the myriad concerns would shrink into insignificance. So I think I will capture the big truths here and see what happens.

God is omniscient.

God is sovereign.

God is in control.

No matter what the view appears to be at the current moment, in the big picture God knows how He is going to bring good out of the present situation. As I write this a scene from a movie comes to mind. In the movie Sahara, Penelope Cruz has been lowered into a well in the desert. While she is in there the bad guys come up and reek havoc. She can only see a small sliver of sky but she hears the commotion and she knows the situation is dire. As the scene continues to develop we see the two good guys coming up with a plan (albeit a seat-of-their-pants plan) and they save the day. The analogy here is about Penelope in the well. She can only see and hear a small part of what is unfolding much like we are in our times of distress. But God is never surprised by the difficulties that we experience. He is ready to meet us in the hard place and help us through it. By the way, the analogy breaks down about the seat-of-the-pants plan. God’s already aware of what He is going to do. He is just waiting on us to exercise faith in Him to execute His plan.

God is good.

Now this big truth can only be handled exercising that faith I mentioned above. A week ago today, a vile act was perpetrated upon college students in Roseburg, Oregon as a troubled young man took the lives of 9 college students and wounded 10 others. He specifically targeted Christians. “But wait a minute,” you might say. “Aren’t they supposed to be the ones in the bottom of the well exercising their faith to be saved?” Excellent and very important question. The answer is that many times they are, but sometimes our purpose on this side of eternity is not to be saved so much from physical death, but to help save others from eternal death. Let me get to the next big truth before I finish answering.

God sees the BIG Picture and He moves in accordance to our ultimate good.

The big picture includes the time we live on this earth AND eternity on the other side of death. I guess you can add this to the list of Big Truths – there is life beyond the grave. God knows this because He created it. He has laid out a very clear way for us to enter into His joy in this place called heaven. It is through faith in His Son, Jesus, whom He sent to die in our place on the cross. Part of the big picture is that God wants that message to get out to all people. Back to the victims of the violence in Oregon, they were killed because they stood up for Jesus. I have asked myself a number of times, would I have that kind of faith. I would hope so but as they say you don’t know until you are in it. The Lord promises that He will help us in our hour of need. I believe that means I would have the faith to stand regardless of the price I would pay. Those victims had a reassurance that God was with them whether they lived through it or they went on to heaven. The same is true for several victims of the shooting in Columbine, Colorado. They were killed because of their faith. Yet we can look to what happened in Columbine to realize that God used that terrible tragedy to bring many to faith. I am confident that the Lord will use the sacrifice of those brave believers in Oregon to open many hearts to His redeeming love and grace.

There is an invisible war raging around us in the spirit realm and God has a role for us to play.

This is summarized in Ephesians 6:12 “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” Paul, the writer of this letter, goes on to explain how the believer is to put on the full armor of God. He ends his description with a call to pray. Ephesians 6:18 “And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.” We do not have to stand idly by and watch the enemy run rough-shod over God’s people or over the many who have not yet come to faith. In fact we are specifically called to intercede, to stand in the gap, to faithfully articulate the Gospel, to exercise the rights and duties as citizens for the common good. If those who know God will exercise their faith in listening and obeying the leading of the Holy Spirit, God’s plan will unfold in an amazing way.

Truth is not relative. God is and truth originates in Him.

Islam and Christianity are not the same, they do not worship the same God, and they are a direct manifestation of that invisible war that Paul mentions in Ephesians.

Islam is not our friend, no matter how influential it’s proponents might be. It is a man-made religion that promotes a strong deception wrapped in a maze of impossible to fulfill rules. Sadly, it’s use of intimidation, manipulation, and power appeal to the baser instincts in man. What perplexes me is why any thinking woman would ever willingly submit to the terrible dehumanization of Islam. I understand the psychology of it a little… the constant repetition, the unrelenting intimidation to accept the belief system, the concern of being ostracized if you don’t conform and accept, these force women to a place where the only hope seems to be in acceptance. It is no wonder why they do not want women to be educated. Yet we who live outside that dark shadow know the truth. Male and female where created by God to be partners, not master and slave. Different strengths and weaknesses, different roles in many cases, but equally loved and cherished by the one true God, the God of the Judeo-Christian faith, the God of the bible.

The Christian faith is about a relationship with God the Father through faith in Jesus Christ, His Son, by the power of His Holy Spirit who lives within us.

It is possible to have the outward appearance of Christian faith, i.e. go to church, read the bible, pray, wear Christian jewelry, etc. and not have the relationship. I can say that from experience. I did all those things for several years, but in my heart I had areas were I chose to do what I wanted to do. When I finally said yes to God and I gave my life fully over to Jesus’ Lordship, dramatic and wonderful changes took place. I experienced a transformation as His Holy Spirit moved in. I experienced salvation immediately and the process of sanctification of my life began. I recently past my 32nd year of new life in Christ and I love Him more today than ever. And He is still pointing out areas where I can manifest more of His love, His mercy, His grace. Step by step He leads me in a love relationship that just seems to get better and better.

I know I get wordy. Please forgive me. However if you have read this far let me tell you one final story. Twenty six years ago I was awakened one minute earlier than I awoke this morning, 2:22 am. On that occasion I assumed God wanted me to pray for something or someone as I had become sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s nudge usually being linked to a prompting to pray for someone. I rolled out of bed onto my knees that night ready to pray, but it was quiet in my Spirit. I waited several seconds and then I asked, “What is it Lord?” To which the Holy Spirit spoke very clearly to my Spirit, “Dan, I am going to have you say special things to special people. And to prove it I’m going to take care of your house today.” God produced the miraculous provision of a home that we then owned and raised our family in for 18 years beginning the next day. I may share the full story at some time, however my point this morning is that the miracle was to validate to me that God would give me special things to say and I needed to say them.

If you are reading this then I am confident you are one of the special people God was referring to. Ask Him to show you the BIG truths that you don’t already have a firm hold on. Ask Him to help you see Truth and accept it. Most important, ask Him to make Himself, clear to you. Because He is real and He loves you, I am totally confident He will begin to move in ways that provide you with increasing faith to know and to grow into Christ Jesus – the One Who loves us more than we can comprehend.

Now unto Him Who is the truest, most ardent lover of your soul and mine, be glory, honor, praise and dominion, forever and ever. Amen!

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Too Much Love

Posted in God, Jesus Christ, Spiritual Growth, tagged hope, Jesus, love, Transformation, worship on September 22, 2015| Leave a Comment »

As I finished my run this evening, I was struck by the thought of how good God is to us. “He showers me with too much love,” I thought.

I don’t deserve the goodness that He pours out upon me, upon my family.

I don’t deserve the kindnesses I have experienced from total strangers in Jesus name. They were moved to bless and it overwhelms me.

Too many times I have not done what I know He wants me to do and yet His Grace is still upon me and evident in my life.

I have had times when I was happy with my “successes” and pride was a very real issue. I am still a man who thinks of himself way too much and others way too little. But day-by-day He leads me to understand that it’s not about me in the end. It is about Him. It is about loving others with His love.

Even when I am moody and controlling, His love reaches out to me, to correct me, to lead me, to show me the way of peace and joy… which does not consist of getting my way.

Like Isaiah, I am a man of unclean lips and I dwell among a people of unclean lips. But God called and sent out Isaiah and He calls and sends me out.

Like Paul at times I can only cry out, “what a wretched man I am!”

But Paul was right – “thanks be to God who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!”

He died so that I might live and know Him in spirit and in truth. It is too much love for this man.

And that is exactly the right amount.

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Bigger Than the Mountain

Posted in Beautiful Places, Photography, Prayer, Worship, tagged foretaste of heaven, hearing God, Mount Rainier, mountain top, Paradise, Sunrise on August 10, 2015| Leave a Comment »

Sunrise on Mount Rainier viewed across Reflection Lake.

I will finish my reminisce of my Mount Rainier weekend with today’s post.

It was a glorious experience hiking around the mountain. Any direction I looked there was stunning beauty. Invariably though my eyes always were drawn to the mountain. On both mornings I got into position before sunrise to capture the event in all it’s glory. Saturday at Reflection Lake was a bit less than I had hoped for due to my inexperience shooting in this type of lighting. The mist rising off the water was kinda cool, but it wasn’t until later in the morning that I got the Reflection Lake pic that had the light balance I wanted.

Mist rising off Reflection Lake about 5:30 am. It was in the low 50’s and not a cloud in the sky.

Waiting for sunrise at Reflection Lake.

A split density filter will be a next purchase for me to get the bright sunrise on the mountain and the darker reflection in the lake. I guess that means I have to come back.

The mountain’s reflection in the flower-filled shoreline.

The first kiss of sun on Mount Rainier’s peak viewed from Reflection Lake.

Seeing as in a mirror darkly.

After my hike up to the top of Plummer Peak I returned and got the Reflection shot I had hoped for earlier in the day.

Really cool pic of the peak in Reflection Lake.

Sunday at Sunrise delivered in excellent fashion.

Arriving at Sunrise Point about half an hour before sunrise, I found 20 or so people already awaiting with cameras and tripods ready. The glow advancing up the horizon was rich with color and promise.

Boosting my exposure brought distant peaks in the Cascade range into relief against the brightened sky.

I waited at Sunrise Point until almost sunrise, but the gathering crowd was not quite as interested in quiet and courteous reflection on the magnificent sunrise so I moved a little closer to the mountain and set up in a lonely pull-off on the final approach to Sunrise parking area.

Here I greeted the sun as it gently dawned on the peak and slid down the glacier-covered slope.

About two minutes before first sun on the crest.

Sunrise has arrived to the peak.

Sunrise on the Mountain.

The sunshine walks down the mountainside.

A few folks I met later who were out on the trail through the night said they could see the lights of the mountain climbers in the darkness up at the peak.

Dawn breaks in a wondrous display of color.

Who needs words – the pictures speak for themselves.

The last of the golden glow shots as the sun crests the horizon and the light brightens.

Morning has arrived and I head to the trails above Sunrise.

The next pics are of some of the wildflowers and fields aflame with living color. I talked with a few people and they expressed disappointment that the flowers are so far ahead of their normal schedule and many have already peaked. While I accept their local knowledge, I couldn’t let their disappointment cause me to miss the riot of color and life bursting from meadow and rocky ledge alike.

View east over Burroughs #1 to the Cascades.

Hardy ground cover leaps to life when the snows melt to take advantage of the 3 month or so growing season.

Locals told me the flower display was less than normal, however to a first time visitor the many hues interspersed amongst the rocks, boulders, and occasional fir trees was both delicate and dramatic.

The growing season is short and the soil was not much to look at, but the flowers they did sprout.

I could count about a dozen or so different flowers.

This little flower was like many I saw. Although it didn’t look like it should be here, it is and it flourishes.

After hiking around Paradise on Saturday, I stopped at the Grove of the Patriarchs near the Steven’s Canyon entrance into the Park. The Grove is a stand of ancient Western Cedar, Douglas Fir, and Western Hemlock on an island in the middle of the Ohanapecosh River. Being isolated on the island has allowed these trees to avoid both the ravages of fire and the loggers saw. Some of the trees are 1000 years old and 10 feet in diameter. This is a very easy hike, flat and well-shaded. No vistas, stunning views, or challenging climbs, but sometimes a few moments spent in quiet reflection amongst giants is a welcome diversion.

Rounding out my time on Rainier with pics from my morning at Sunrise and on Burroughs Mountain. These are in reverse order of my hike.

My last view of Mount Rainier as I am almost back to the parking area at the Sunrise Visitor Center.

Shadow Lake

This was a campground in the 1920’s on Shadow Lake at Sunrise.

Shadow Lake in Sunrise.

This waterfall is on the side of Goat Island Mountain and is one of the beginnings of the White River.

Close up of the bottom of Emmons Glacier.

View toward Sourdough Ridge across the Sunrise meadows.

Every spring as the snow melts the creeks and rivers rise dramatically scouring the stream beds and carrying rocks, trees, and boulders further and further downstream. The stream bed looks grey and fairly ugly now, but just a few months earlier it was a raging torrent of great power. This is the White River.

View east along the Sunrise Rim Trail back to the road into Sunrise and Sunrise Point.

In the right side of the picture it appears that the stream emerges from a cave. That’s actually the bottom of the Emmons Glacier and the stream is the primary source of the White River. The grey color is due to all the rocks lying on the glacier ice.

As I walked on the Sunrise Rim Trail here I realized a slip could easily result in a 1000 foot or more tumble.

Notice the glacier colored lake in the valley next to the White River.

The Sunrise Rim Trail was nice because it was primarily all downhill. As the name implies you are on the edge of the high meadow where it falls off dramatically to the valley where the Inter Fork and the White Rivers flow.

While the terrain was very tundra like, it did not lack for brilliant patches of color like this one.

A resting spot in the middle of the Sunrise Rim Trail on Burroughs #1.

Trail back down from Burroughs #2.

The waters of Emmons Glacier form the White River which is the valley about a mile below where I was standing. On my drive out I essentially followed this river all the way to where it entered Commencement Bay about a mile from my hotel in Tacoma. I estimate the river length to be about 100 miles since it flows east off the mountain before turning north and then west to the sea.

The waters of Emmons Glacier form the White River which is the valley about a mile below where I was standing. On my drive back to Tacoma I essentially followed this river all the way to where it entered Commencement Bay about a mile from my hotel in Tacoma. I estimate the river length to be about 100 miles since it flows east off the mountain before turning north and then west to the sea.

At the top of Burroughs Mountain, Peak #2. I turned around here and headed back down the Sunrise Rim Trail.

Phlox growing wild on the side of Burroughs Mountain.

Even though the conditions are brutal for much of the year, chipmunks were in abundance wherever I hiked.

More evidence of the lava flow from eras gone by.

Interesting rock formations on the north side of Burroughs Mountain.

Burroughs Mountain Trail up to Burroughs #2 – the second peak of Burroughs Mountain.

Signpost where the Sunrise Rim Trail meets the Burroughs Mountain Trail.

An unnamed lake beside the Wonderland Trail below the Burroughs Mountain Trail.

Frozen Lake which is almost always still frozen at this time of year, but not in 2015.

View from near the top of Burroughs #1 toward Frozen Lake. The peak in the top left is Mount Fremont.

Notice that the Burroughs Mountain terrain is much like the Tundra from areas much further north.

View toward Emmons Glacier from the Sourdough Ridge Trail.

I am so thankful for the time I got to spend in one of the world’s most beautiful places. I am thankful the weather was excellent and that I was able to pack a lot of into the 2 days or so. And when I say I am thankful, I address that partially to my wife who was okay with my staying over the weekend away from home, the folks I work with who gave me plenty of good advice and practical tips, and most of all the One Who made it all possible… from creating it in the first place to providing the wonderful weather to giving me a job that allowed me to do this.

View from my hotel while in Tacoma.

One final thought. As I got into my hotel room I looked out the window back to the mountain and I sensed the Lord whisper, “I’m bigger than the mountain.”

That phrase is richer with meaning for me now. I have been to the mountain and stood in awe of it’s size, it’s beauty, it’s grandeur – but I know God is so much bigger.

I followed the trip to the mountain with a trip to Gauntlet X, our youth event at Daytona Beach which I wrote about in my last post. Many of those in attendance had / have mountains in their life – but God is bigger than those mountains. Many had the mountains in their life removed, while others were given God’s perspective that made their mountain shrink.

I have had mountains in my life, the latest one was an unexpected job loss that left me with some big questions. This weekend was a resounding affirmation that my Heavenly Father not only knows where I am and what is going on in me, He is working it for my ultimate good. (Romans 8:28)

I don’t know where you are now in your relationship with God, but I can say with absolute confidence, God is bigger than your mountain. Ask Him to help you and He will. Please don’t hesitate. If you don’t know Him in a tangible and real way, then that is the first step. Ask the Lord to make Himself known to you and then open your heart to Him. Just speak to Him and God will hear and He will meet you at your point of need.

Also, I would consider it an honor to join you in prayer. Just drop me a comment and I will respond.

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Trajectory

Posted in Church, God, God Stories, Holy Spirit, Prayer, Salvation, Service, Spiritual Growth, Vision, Worship, tagged baptism, Discipleship, Gauntlet, Gauntlet X, holy spirit, miracles, move of God, newspring, ocean baptism, perry noble, salvation, Transformation, youth ministry, youth retreat on August 3, 2015| Leave a Comment »

God changed the trajectory of thousands of lives last week at Gauntlet X. Over 4500 youth and 1300 volunteers descended upon Daytona Beach, Florida and we celebrated God’s great love in a most amazing way. As of Thursday afternoon 1062 people had accepted Christ as their savior and 1529 had been baptized in a mass ocean baptism at sunrise Thursday morning. But it didn’t stop there. God continued to move on the bus rides home. In some buses the open mic was used and as young people gave their testimony to what God had done, what He had delivered them from, what He had saved them from, then remaining hold-outs were drawn to accept Christ as their Lord. I heard of two buses that had nine saved on one and ten saved on another. Amazing!

This hits near to my heart on a number of fronts. I came to faith at age 23 at a retreat so I can definitely relate to going away and coming back a changed person. I then worked as a youth volunteer for about 10 years until my work demands and family obligations became too much and the youth work had to be set aside. In a way it felt like slipping into something warm and familiar chatting with the young people, hearing the earnestness in their voices, answering questions that as an adult we don’t often spend a lot of time on, but as teenagers they seem all-important.

The Wednesday night service will remain etched in my mind forever. After a simple, straight-forward message Pastor P gave an altar call. It appeared like close to 300 responded. We then began celebrating what God had done. For 5 – 6 solid minutes the 6000 of us left shouted and clapped and praised the Lord. And then the miracle began. Even though the volume was tremendous and constant we heard a burst of shouting above the din. Another person had stood to go forward. A few seconds later another stood. The clamor continued but as we watched every 5 – 15 seconds another person would rise and go forward. This went on for another 30 minutes. It was the most amazing thing. There was no prompting from the stage. No impassioned pleas from Perry. Just loud, heartfelt, sustained praise of the Most High God… and the Spirit of God moved. We saw the manifestation of the verse, “The Lord inhabits the praises of His people.” Someone kept track and said Perry preached for 41 minutes and the altar call then lasted for 52 minutes. In reality the Holy Spirit continues to move from that event as many more have given their lives to Christ since then.

As I ponder the impact of what God has done and pray for my young friends who have crossed from death to life I am awed. God has changed the trajectory of so many lives. Lives that were headed down dead-ends are now turned and heading on the right road, the road of God’s choosing. In some, self-loathing and destruction has been replaced with life and joy. In others, a self-centered heart has been made new and is being shaped by the Spirit of God to be God-centered and Others-centered. I am convinced the changes will be profound. The ripples of this move of God will impact families, schools, churches (not everyone who comes is from our church), communities, our state, our nation, and the world. There were four persons who traveled here from Israel to attend. One, a young man named Israel, gave His life to Christ and became a completed Jew, one of the Jewish faith who now recognizes that Jesus is the Messiah his people have been waiting for all these years. Halleluiah!!!

As I have prayed about the significance of what God has done, I am thoroughly convinced that this move of God is not a stand-alone, one time event. It is fit into His plan of rebirth and renewal for His people around the world. I find it hard to contain my enthusiasm for what God is doing and going to bring forth. What politicians, governments, advocacy groups, and various well-meaning citizens have tried to do, God, by His Spirit moving in a receptive and obedient people will accomplish. He may use some of those groups above, but true, lasting change comes from the Spirit of God moving in individual lives, united with other changed lives, becoming a move of God that transforms society. I believe that course correction is underway. Please join me in praying for God’s grace to be manifest in lives, families, churches, communities, our state, nation and around the world.

God is SO GOOD!

Be blessed today and be a blessing as the Father uses your love, your gifts, and your obedience to impact the world right where you live.

My new friends as we head to the first session on Monday night.

Over 6100 filled the Ocean Center in Daytona Beach experienced God’s grace in a mighty way.

My new friend, Jaylen, heading into the surf for his baptism.

1529 people publically declared their allegiance to Jesus Christ as their Lord in baptism.

For over 1500 baptisms it took over 2 hours to coordinate and baptize. I hearkened back to the Day of Pentecost when 3000 were added to the Church in one day.

For 1500+ baptisms it took over 2 hours to coordinate and baptize. I hearkened back to the Day of Pentecost when 3000 were added to the Church in one day.

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Wildlife Bonanza

Posted in Beautiful Places, God, God Stories, Photography, Worship, tagged faith building, fox, hearing God, holy spirit, joy, marmot, meditation, mountain goat, mountain top, Prayer, wild animal pictures, worship on July 23, 2015| Leave a Comment »

One of the thrills of my Mount Rainier trip was all the wildlife that I got to see and capture in my pics. I shared a few stories already on Facebook, but now I have the pics that go with those stories.

I had never seen a Marmot before, but my experience this weekend would lead me to believe they are pretty common. I think I saw six different ones and got pictures of several. The most intriguing thing was that for two of them, I slipped up on them unaware and I got pictures of them gazing out over the beautiful view from their mountain top perches. The first was on Saturday morning shown below.

Coming down the mountain I happened upon this Marmot taking in the scenery. I happened upon a similar scene in Sunrise the next day.

Even the Marmots appreciate the wonder of God’s creation. This fellow was on a rock outcropping on the side of Pinnacle Peak gazing out toward Mount Rainier.

As I moved down the trail this fellow slipped down into the brush on the side of the mountain and began picking fruit off the plants.

One of several Marmots I got pictures of while hiking. Early mornings are the best time to view the wildlife.

After taking this picture I looked around to see if I could identify what he was eating. I saw what appeared to be blueberries and in my enthusiasm I quickly picked one and popped it in my mouth. As it entered my mouth I realized I really didn’t know what it was I was about to ingest, so I quickly spit it out. Visions of me writhing in the middle of a mountain trail because I had eaten a poisonous berry freaked me out just a little.

As I headed down the mountain I got into the forest and I came upon a couple stopped by the trail eating something. The woman about my age asked me if I had eaten my share of blueberries. THEY WERE BLUEBERRIES!

A juicy, sweet mid-morning snack along the trail.

It was an absolute delight finding the blueberries ripe and within reach all along the lower part of the trail.

Finding the blueberries almost put me into sensory overload. All five of my physical senses had been saturated.

The sights were phenomenal as I have tried to capture with these pictures.

The smell of the forest of fir and spruce brought on nostalgic thoughts of Christmas.

From the howling of the coyotes to the crunch of rocks underfoot to the bird song all along the trail my ears were filled with the sounds of nature. What was missing was the man-made noise of cars and machines that so often fill our lives. The deep stretches of quiet were also a welcome respite to my sense of hearing which had become numb from the ever-present sounds of civilization.

The chill morning air that caused my hands to seek my pockets or rub together was the first of many times my sense of touch was stirred. Sitting on the mountain top a gentle breeze caressed my sweating brow. As the day wore on and the miles hiked mounted, even the sore muscles reminded me I was doing something special.

So the blueberries were just icing on the cake. The term ‘bursting with flavor’ literally came true as I snagged a second and then a third handful of plump berries and popped them in my mouth.

While I saw other marmots and lots of chipmunks through the day on Saturday, nothing prepared me for the 30 minute window early Sunday morning. I took the trail from Sunrise up to the Sourdough Ridge and Wonderland Trail. I started a little before 6 am.

The visitor center and parking lot at Sunrise on the northeast side of Mount Rainier.

I had my eyes peeled looking for wildlife. I had come upon a nice herd of elk in the dark as I was driving up the mountain so I was already primed. I scanned the beautiful valleys on either side of the trail as I headed toward Burroughs Mountain.

I kept expecting to see a herd of elk or deer stroll across one of the meadows below me.

I did not see them, but at about the same time of the morning that coyotes were howling on the trail in front of me on Saturday, one or two raised a cry somewhere down close to the lake in this picture. I waited for a few minutes to see if they might break into the open, but they never did.

Coyotes began howling down around that lake a mile or so away.

After this I was on high alert. My head was on a swivel looking for wildlife. In fact I switched to my “big” lens to reach out and capture close up pics if possible. Shortly after the coyotes howled, as I approached the end of the Sourdough trail I saw movement ahead that appeared to be about the size of a dog. I snapped pics thinking that a coyote had crossed in front of me but the exposure was all wrong as the fleeting shape was lost in the shadow while my camera adjusted exposure to the light beyond.

Balancing rock above the trail. I saw movement sink across the trail ahead of me just after taking this pic.

Balancing rock above the trail. I saw movement slink across the trail ahead of me just after taking this pic.

I cautiously moved through the area where the “coyote” had slipped across the trail. I thought that I should be able to see him since the area opened up into the wide open, tundra-like topography of Burroughs Mountain.

Oddly enough I bumped into the Manager of the plant where I am working out on the trail just a few minutes after this.

My friend trail running early in the morning at Sunrise.

We chatted a bit and then I turned to point back where I had just come from and the direction he was heading to tell him to keep his eyes open for a coyote. And this is what we saw.

We at first thought this was a coyote that for some reason was following me.

We walked toward him to make him decide whether he wanted to take on both of us. Instead he decided since we weren’t going to get out of his way on the trail, he would just go around us.

I believe he had caught a chipmunk just before I noticed him. I had come upon him quick enough that he slipped into cover in the few trees there so I passed by. But he had a home down the trail and we were simply in his way. I was surprised at his total lack of fear of us.

With the big lens on I continued up the path. I stopped at one point a few minutes later to change lenses to my smaller lens to take landscapes, but I felt a prompting to leave on the big lens.

Now let me interject briefly. I do not think I am special above anyone else. I am just a guy who loves the Lord and in my imperfect way, I try to follow and obey Him as best I can. However I do believe that God loves His children and enjoys our taking delight in Him and His creation. I personally believe God loves to hear His children laugh. So when I, in joyful exuberance, asked the Lord for some good pics of wildlife, I had faith I would get those shots. Now that was about 5 minutes before the encounter with the fox. So when I got the nudge to leave on the big lens, I did. As I tightened the big lens on my camera I looked up at the ridge overhead and this is what I saw.

Mountain goats above me on Burroughs Mountain #1.

At this point I am thanking the Father for the simple and fun blessings He has given me. But He was not through yet. About 5 minutes later I looked down the slope and there is a family of mountain goats.

Family of Mountain Goats on the side of Burroughs 1

At this point I was just plain thrilled. I remember telling the Lord, I was satisfied, that He had provided more than I had hoped for. But the surprises weren’t through quite yet. As I finally neared the top of Burroughs 1 I happened to look up. And there on an outcropping overlooking the broad valley below was a Marmot enjoying the view.

My first thought was, I guess humans aren’t the only ones who can appreciate a beautiful view.

Here is the view he was gazing at.

It was funny to me. The Marmot reminded me of Mr Beaver in the CS Lewis book, “The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe”. In the land of Narnia the animals talk. As the shutter on my camera snapped, the Marmot turned to look at me as if to say, “Why are you disturbing my morning meditation?” To which I apologized and quietly moved on.

Psalm 104 perfectly fit this day.

Verse 1 “Praise the LORD, my soul.

LORD my God, you are very great;

you are clothed with splendor and majesty.”

Verse 18 says “The high mountains belong to the wild goats;

the crags are a refuge for the hyrax.”

Verse 24 “How many are your works, LORD!

In wisdom you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures.”

The final verses sum it up.

27 All creatures look to you

to give them their food at the proper time.

28 When you give it to them,

they gather it up;

when you open your hand,

they are satisfied with good things.

29 When you hide your face,

they are terrified;

when you take away their breath,

they die and return to the dust.

30 When you send your Spirit,

they are created,

and you renew the face of the ground.

31 May the glory of the Lord endure forever;

may the Lord rejoice in his works—

32 He who looks at the earth, and it trembles,

who touches the mountains, and they smoke.

33 I will sing to the Lord all my life;

I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.

34 May my meditation be pleasing to him,

as I rejoice in the Lord.

35 But may sinners vanish from the earth

and the wicked be no more.

Praise the Lord, my soul.

Praise the Lord.

If you like the pics stay tuned for at least one more installment of Mount Rainer pics. Sunrise over Sunrise was absolutely magnificent. Pictures can’t fully capture it, but they do a pretty good job. Until next time, look to the LORD and enjoy His gracious mercy and love.

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A Mountain Top Experience… with Pictures to Prove It

Posted in Beautiful Places, God Stories, Photography, Prayer, Worship, tagged devotion, Mount Rainier, Mount Rainier National Park, mountain photos, mountain top, natural beauty, nature, nature photography, Paradise, worship on July 22, 2015| Leave a Comment »

Panorama view of Mount Rainier taken from the top of Plummer Peak.

I had a spectacular time hiking Mount Rainier this past weekend. I drove up Friday evening and scouted out Paradise in preparation for an early morning rendezvous with the mountain. I was at Reflection Lake about 5 am on Saturday striving for the perfect shot as the sun first struck the mountain. I got some okay shots, but compared to the others I have selected, they don’t quite make the cut.

A little before 6 I hit the Pinnacle Peak Trail which begins across the road from Reflection Lake. About 15 minutes up the trail I heard coyotes begin howling. It’s a little unsettling to be alone on the trail and have four coyotes howling just a hundred yards or so ahead of you. Thoughts of being alone, remote, and surrounded by animals that eat meat… and realizing that to them I am meat, gave me reason to pause. I considered whether it would be prudent to turn around, but a brief prayer later I felt like the Lord was calling me higher. And I knew He was more than able to handle the coyotes.

A little further up the trail I was struck by what a wonderful gift the Lord had given me. My new job was enabling me to hike in the Mount Rainier NP, take lots of photos, and worship Him all in one of the most beautiful places I have ever been. I realized that for most of my life I have been a Martha-like person, always busy DOING. See Luke 10:38-42. If I had not had the job change that I have, I would still be slaving away working crazy hours to put away “enough” money to retire in a few years. The Lord gently reminded me that He is able to supply all our needs. We don’t know how much is enough, but He does. The measure that really matters is not how much money we make or have, but how much of US we have surrendered to Jesus. Mary sat at Jesus’ feet and He commended her for it. This day as my heart was bursting with gratitude, I realized I was sitting beside Mary… and it was a wonderful place to be.

Pinnacle Peak across the valley from Paradise. Note the Pinnacle Peak trail up the side of the mountain which is how I got to Plummer Peak.

As I continued up the mountain I emerged from the forest out into my first scree field. You can see the trail I hiked in this picture. Pinnacle Mountain towered on my left and the jumble of rocks flowed steeply down the mountainside on my right. The views just kept getting better and better.

This was my original destination until I felt the tug to “come up higher”.

Plummer Mountain was my perch for an early morning devotional.

The maintained trail ended at the pass between Pinnacle Peak and Plummer Peak. As I snapped pictures I noticed what looked like a trail heading over the Plummer Peak. About 20 minutes later I found myself on the very top of the highest rocks you can see on the mountain above. Whenever I describe a “mountain-top experience” in the future I will think of my time on Plummer Peak.

My mountain top bench where I worshipped the Lord in the beauty of His splendor.

One more “coincidence” that comes to mind. My goal when I set out was to get to the end of the maintained trail, snap some pictures, and come back down to head to Paradise. However as I neared the top of the maintained trail I met two photographers coming down. They had been up there to catch the sunrise from the top. One of them mentioned that he was on the top and got some good panoramas. Initially I assumed he meant the place I was headed. As I took pictures I realized he must have meant something higher. As great as the view was in the saddle, I become convinced by the experience this stranger on the trail shared that there was an even better place to aspire to, a higher place to attain. So I continued upward. I searched for the path heading higher.

Our faith journey is like that. Our experiences of God’s grace shared with others is like the comments I heard from my fellow sojourner who had been somewhere I now desired to go. Because he shared a good word of what was attainable, I was encouraged to seek and find the path myself… a path blazed by others… a path that I would have struggled mightily to find if it wasn’t for those who had gone before me making a way.

A view from the trail heading up the mountain to Plummer Peak.

The shot above is toward the end of the maintained trail. For some folks this might look a little scary, but believe me, this is a super highway of a trail compared to what was ahead. As I entered the UNmaintainted trail area, there was enough of a path that I could find my way most of the time. I only lost the trail once in the high meadow about 100 yards below the summit.

That final trail is a story in itself. Just below the high meadow the trail became very narrow and steep as it crossed a large scree field. One mis-step here and you would find yourself (or someone would find your body) hundreds of feet below. The trail had it’s dangers.

A shot of the scree field as I am about to cross it.

Above this scree field I entered a meadow that you could not see from below. It was a beautiful place with a great view aimed at Mount Rainier and covered with plenty of bench-high rocks perfect for sitting and meditating. I got to a high place in the meadow and it appeared that the trail ended so I sat and talked to the Lord for a while. He spoke through the beauty and wonder of His creation all around me. It’s amazing how the fatigue and windedness almost immediately evaporated as I took in the stunning beauty.

View from my seat in the high meadow on Plummer Peak. I thought I was at the end of the trail, but…

As I slipped on my pack and got ready to head down I glanced around and noticed what appeared to be a faint path leading higher. A hundred or so feet further on it became a distinct trail leading to the top. Refreshed from my rest and now excited to be heading higher again I pushed on toward the top.

The final trail up to the peak. That is about a 300 foot drop off the left side of the trail. The right side was quite steep too, but not like the left.

The final leg was very steep and not without a heightened awareness of the danger that lay close at hand. In fact that is one of the things that I noted several times over the weekend – a very real awareness of the danger, but without fear. Caution in the approach – yes, but fear was swallowed up in a faith that the Lord was with me leading and guiding every step.

I carefully made my way toward the top on the path above. When I was within just a few yards of the finish the path was guarded / blocked by several dead trees. These snags show up all over. Because of the cool climate, the deterioration rate is rather slow so they may remain for dozens of years. These snags immediately brought to mind Dol Guldur, the evil lord’s castle in the Hobbit. But upon further consideration I decided they were simply guardians of a very special place. To slip through the closely spaced trunks I had to slip off my pack and lay down my trekking poles. Jesus said something very telling about slipping through a tight space in Matthew 19:24. “it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” I had to leave my possessions outside to get through.

Guardians at the top of Plummer Peak.

A view through the Guardians.

Once through it was only a dozen or so steps to the top. I was mesmerized by the stunning view. A 360 degree spin revealed jagged peaks, deep forested valleys, and the mighty mountain. The following are a few of those scenes.

A view over the guardians.

Pockets of snow still lingered. My friends here tell me this mountain usually still has snow at this time of the year.

Pockets of snow still lingered. My friends here tell me the mountain I climbed usually still has snow at this time of the year.

Mount Adams

Mount St Helens which erupted in 1980.

A view back down to where my hike started at Reflection Lake. A little over 1.5 miles by trail and a little less than 2000 feet below.

I’ll leave you today with this final shot of the mountain from the top of Plummer Peak. The time was around 7:30 – 8 am. The day was just starting and yet I was filled to overflowing with wonder. What a mighty and creative God we serve!

Mighty Mount Rainier

If you like these pics stay tuned. I have several other really good shots from the remaining time in Mount Rainier National Park to come.

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Barnabas – Son of Encouragement

Posted in Church, God, God Stories, Responsibility, Service, Spiritual Growth, tagged calling, Discipleship, encouragement, fasting, grace, hearing God, joy, spirituality, work on July 1, 2015| Leave a Comment »

Do you have a specific calling from the Lord? All followers of Jesus have the great commission which applies to the Church universal and we each have a gift or gifts that God has given us for the proclamation of the Gospel and the edification of the Church. However, I suspect that many of us are uncertain whether we have a specific calling from the Lord. You see, this morning it just became very clear to me what my calling is even though I have been a follower of Jesus since 1983. The fact that I just received this crystal clarity doesn’t mean I have not walked in my calling. As I think of the times in my life that I have felt the most joyful, the most fulfilled, they have been when I was walking in my calling. Before I go further I will tell you that my calling is to be an Encourager.

Looking back on one of my formative God stories I realize that God spoke the call to me, but I concentrated on the wrong part of the word He gave. In May or June of 1989 I awoke in the middle of the night knowing God was present. I slipped out of bed and onto my knees ready to pray for whatever burden the Lord put on my heart. But no desperate need arose for me to pray about. I remember thinking / praying, “What is it Lord?” Then I heard Him speak to my heart. “I am going to have you say special things to special people. And to prove it, I’m going to take care of your house today.”

For years I have paid more attention to the miraculous provision God made in providing a home for us out of the blue the next day. But I am struck this morning by the truth of the calling captured in that first sentence. “I am going to have you say special things to special people.”

A few years later I experienced another profound revelation from the Lord. I was feeling led to undertake a three day fast for the first time. As I pondered this, a friend who attended a Pentecostal church approached me at work one day and said, “Dan, during worship in our service last night, the pastor had a word for you. He said if you will fast for three days on water only, then the Lord will show you what you are to do.” I was blown away. Until that time, I had not mentioned to anyone what I was considering. So during Holy Week that year I undertook a three day fast. I will never forget it. Most importantly I did receive a clear message from the Lord. Funny thing, it was while I was mowing the lawn on Saturday toward the end of the fast. The Lord said, “I have not called you to be a preacher and I have not called you to be a teacher, I have called you to be a man of prayer. You will preach and you will teach, but first and foremost I have called you to be a man of prayer.”

You see I had the notion I was waiting for God to call me into the ordained ministry. I loved Him. I thrilled at reading and sharing the Word. And I desperately wanted people to experience the new life in Christ, the abundant life in Christ that I had found. My vision of calling and ministry was fairly narrow and was confined to becoming a minister in a church. Even as my understanding grew, I did not grasp the fact that I had a calling and, with some degree of consistency, I was walking it out.

So the point of today is simple. God has a general calling on your life which is to honor and glorify Him, but He also has a specific call on your life. The following steps will help you find your specific calling.

1) Begin by asking Him to guide you and use you. As you lean on and trust in Him, He will lead you to your calling.

2) What are you passionate about? What brings you the greatest joy? For myself and for many others, we are most alive and impassioned when we are doing what God has created us to do.

3) What are you good at? The talents we possess are gifts from God. They are given to us, first and foremost, to glorify Him. They generally also help to provide for us, although that is not always true. An example comes to mind. Early in my faith walk, I told God I would gladly go into the mission field. I pictured using my engineering skills during the day to help people in a third world country build wells and construct homes by day followed by bible studies and preaching at night. But the call for me to actually go into foreign missions has not yet come. It seems likely to me that one of the reasons is my struggle with languages. For some, like our youngest children and my cousin Richard, languages come very easy, but not for me. In lieu of actually going overseas on foreign missions, we have been able to support and encourage others who have that calling.

4) What do other people compliment you on? Sorry, while this can include your mother, it has to be more than just her. When we walk in our giftedness, it will bless others and some of those people will let you know. I am not talking about stroking our vanity, but words of affirmation that we are doing what we are supposed to be doing.

Our calling will in some way support the Great commission – the growth and building up of Christ’s body in the earth. Don’t limit this to just the preaching and teaching of the Word though. I know God is the great physician who ultimately heals us, however He most often uses doctors and health professionals to be His agents of that healing. The difference between a person who is walking in their calling as a medical professional and a person who does not recognize what they do as a ministry is the motivation. One seeks to minister to people and meet their needs through God’s strength and provision. The other does not have this foundational truth driving them. I have heard of doctors who pray with their patients through the healing process. To me that is a great indicator that they are walking in their calling.

Just because you have a specific calling does not mean that these are the only ways God will use you. He is the omnipotent Creator of the universe. If you are available and obedient He is more than able to give you the grace in any and every situation you find yourself. However, recognizing your calling and seeking to put yourself into positions to grow and use the talents you have is a sure path to fulfillment in God’s amazing economy.

Have a blessed day today and may you flourish in the place where God puts you.

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Majesty

Posted in God, Worship, tagged alpen glow, complacency, majestic, majesty, Mount Rainier, mountain photos, mountain top, seeking God, spirituality on June 29, 2015| Leave a Comment »

Last week I was working in Tacoma, Washington. The weather was dry and mostly sunny. Consequently Mount Rainier was visible all week long. Even though the mountain is more than 70 miles away it dominates the view. At 14,411 feet, Mount Rainier is the tallest mountain in Washington and the fourth highest peak in the lower 48 states.

In the early morning the sun hitting the snow and glacier covered slopes produced a beautiful golden glow some 30 minutes or so before the actual sunrise in Tacoma.

About 15 minutes before sunrise in Tacoma the sun has been glowing off Mount Rainier for at least 15 minutes.

This shot makes me think of the “purple mountain’s majesty” from America the Beautiful.

Even from almost sea level with buildings, trees, and man-made structure galore, Mount Rainier is still visible above the distractions.

Another shot across the Tacoma marina.

Across the harbor from a different perspective, a city park across from the Old Tacoma City Hall.

I liked how the mountain was framed by the draw bridge in this shot taken from the Park across from the Old City Hall.

Throughout the day the mountain stood majestic in the background. At mid-day angle of the light hitting the mountain from the backside tended to mute the visible color if not the mountains stature.

An early afternoon picture from the window in our training room.

In the afternoon and evening with the light striking the mountain from the west, the ice and snow fairly glittered with bright white brilliance.

Later in the afternoon with the sun in a more favorable position.

I can’t help but get a selfie with the Majestic Mountain.

View from the Cliff House Restaurant across Commencement Bay from Tacoma.

Even with a dreadful lack of snow this past season (I was told they got about 15% of normal) the top of the mountain is still blanketed in white.

Finally as the sun set and the surrounding city and hills faded to grey, the last rays of light lit the mountain with soft pinks and shades or purple.

Even the hill between the mountain and my hotel can’t hide the beautiful sunset on the mountain.

View from my hotel room just after 9:00 pm. The sun has set in the city, but the mountain glowed for another 10 – 15 minutes, gently fading into the night.

Whenever I was in a position to find the mountain, I would glance that way and be inspired. I have no desire to summit the peak, but I will travel to the mountain the first chance I get to visit and get a much closer view. I am drawn to it. From one of the windows where we were meeting the mountain was framed in the distance. When we took a break I would slip up to the window to take a glance. It seems funny, but seeing the mountain in the distance gave me a sense of awe and wonder that just felt good.

Taking time to sense God’s presence is like sneaking a peak at that mountain. In fact there are a number of parallels between that can be made between the awe inspiring views I observe and seeking God.

Like that mountain God is majestic. He is the Lord God, Creator of heaven and earth. He is the Ruler over all the earth. All power, dominion and honor is due to Him.

The mountain did not move while I was there, but the view of the mountain was constantly changing in subtle ways. In Hebrews 13:8 we read that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. God does not change. However our knowledge and relationship with God undergoes a metamorphosis as we seek Him and follow His leading.

While I was blessed with sunny weather and clear views for five days, the locals told me that the mountain is usually shrouded in clouds. One person even said that the mountain makes it’s own weather with sunny and clear often transformed to clouds and fog around the mountain. Likewise, God is sometimes hidden from our view. It is by faith that we “see” the Lord. As I have shared in a number of stories in my blog, God is actively engaged in our lives and His intervention is often visible. But there are also times when things happen that can cause us to wonder where God is. The killing of nine people in a bible study in Charleston, SC a few days ago is one of those times. Yet even when the clouds roll in and obliterate the view or when bad things happen to good people, it does not change the fact that the mountain and God are still there and they are not diminished.

Another similarity that struck me was how many of the locals seemed complacent to the awesome spectacle of the mountain on their door step. From a practical point of view, I can understand that we can’t sit and gawk at the mountain all the time. We have to get on with life, work, and the activities that enrich our lives. But I think this is precisely where we can err. When we become complacent about the majesty around us, particularly the Majestic One Who is our life-giver, our savior, and our sustainer, then we have truly diminished the life He has called us to live and enjoy. God knows we need to eat and drink and work together, but He also knows that abundant life begins in our relationship with Him. (Matt 6:25-33, John 10:10) To neglect spending time in His presence, to overlook the majesty of Who He is, to fail to recognize His hand at work in our lives, is to live a life far below what He has called us to. At it’s least bad, this is to fail to receive the blessing God wants to give us. At it’s worst, this is an affront to the living Lord.

I don’t know about you, but for me, I will make it my aim to glory in the majesty of the Lord God, to dwell in His presence, and to make much of Who He is and what He has done for us.

Be blessed today and bless the ones God brings into your life today.

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areliablefaith

Musings of one regularly overwhelmed by the love and goodness of God

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Early Will I Seek You

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Bigger Than the Mountain

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A Mountain Top Experience… with Pictures to Prove It

Barnabas – Son of Encouragement

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