areliablefaith

Too Much Love

September 22, 2015 by areliablefaith

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.

Posted in God, Jesus Christ, Spiritual Growth | Tagged hope, Jesus, love, Transformation, worship | Leave a Comment »

Bigger Than the Mountain

August 10, 2015 by areliablefaith

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.

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

Trajectory

August 3, 2015 by areliablefaith

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.

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 | Leave a Comment »

Wildlife Bonanza

July 23, 2015 by areliablefaith

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.

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 | Leave a Comment »

A Mountain Top Experience… with Pictures to Prove It

July 22, 2015 by areliablefaith

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.

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 | Leave a Comment »

Barnabas – Son of Encouragement

July 1, 2015 by areliablefaith

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.

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

Majesty

June 29, 2015 by areliablefaith

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.

Posted in God, Worship | Tagged alpen glow, complacency, majestic, majesty, Mount Rainier, mountain photos, mountain top, seeking God, spirituality | Leave a Comment »

Responding to the Nudge

June 23, 2015 by areliablefaith

I’ve heard it said that the first ability we need to cultivate in our relationship with God is availability. Being ready and available to do what He says in His word and what the Holy Spirit nudges us to do is foundational to growing and thriving as a Jesus follower. Last night I was reminded of that in a very powerful way. I had a conversation with a gentleman I worked with briefly 15 or so years ago. After not seeing Al since that time we met again here in Washington where we happen to be working on a project together. Over dinner he shared a bit of his faith story and it surprised me that I likely played an unknown role in his spiritual awakening.

Our faith conversation started when I mentioned that I had been in church all my life, but it wasn’t until I was 23 that I realized that God was interested in a real, living relationship and not just some dry, ritualistic participation in church. He mentioned that his story was similar and his awakening to that fact began during his one of his visits to my plant in Calhoun, Tennessee around 2000 – 2001. He said he was sitting in a meeting and he noticed Proverbs 3:5-6 written up in the corner of a blackboard in the conference room.

Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight.”

He said he was at a point in his life that he was very successful. He didn’t have any needs being unmet. He described a life that many people long for – a happy marriage of almost 30 years, two great daughters, good health, a great job he enjoyed, financially sound – in short, a life that he was satisfied with. But something about that verse on the blackboard just poked at him. I call it a Holy Nudge. And it began a search. From that moment he began to seek out what it meant to trust in the Lord with all your heart and to submit to Him. Well what happened to him is what God promises to everyone who will seek Him with all their heart – He found that living, vibrant relationship with God that has molded and shaped his life since then. He responded to God’s nudge in that small conference room and his life has been changed from a good life to a great life in union with His Heavenly Father.

My heart swelled because I remembered my days at that plant. I worked there for 17 years. One of the lessons I learned while there was the vital importance of responding to Gods’ holy nudges. I can vividly remember two holy nudges early in my time at Calhoun that shaped my faith walk and put me into a position to be used in my friend’s life… whether I knew it or not. One was a failure on my part that God has redeemed. The second is part of that redemption and directly impacted my friend, Al.

I had only been at the mill a couple months when I was asked to attend a four-day communication workshop being held at a nearby hotel. The leader’s name was Sid. Sid was a large, jovial guy who liked to ask probing questions. He began the week by telling us that he had recently had a serious health scare as the doctors had told him that he had the big C – Cancer. But just a week or so earlier he had gotten the all clear from the doctors – no more cancer, he was fine. Later that first day Sid had us perform an exercise of sharing our “lifeline” with the class. We took 10 minutes to draw a chart that represented our life to the current date. We were to identify 2 or 3 defining moments and share them in a succinct manner. He shared his lifeline first and mentioned the low point of thinking he might die of cancer and then his line turned up when he was told he was cancer-free and that life was going great. As I drew my life line it had a major positive step change when I met the Lord at age 23 and I spoke briefly about that. I remember that Sid challenged me pretty strongly about my step change. Thinking back I remember I felt intimidated by the force of his challenges and felt even a bit like I was being attacked for my faith.

I was probably a bit more demur the next two days of the workshop. On Wednesday afternoon, Sid said he was shutting down the workshop 30 minutes early and he was opening up a bar tab for us so we could stay and chat. It was at this point that I got a very clear Holy Nudge to stay and speak with Sid. I remember it vividly because I argued with God a bit about it. I rationalized that since I wasn’t a drinker, I would feel out of place. I was working on a piece of furniture for the house and I reasoned that I could use the extra time to make good progress on my project. Even though God was nudging, I was coming up with reasons NOT to do what He was asking. I even remember telling myself that as hostile as Sid was, he probably was only going to belittle my faith some more. To my chagrin, I have to tell you that I walked out and went home to my project. I can tell you now that I felt bad about it as I wiped stain on the entertainment center. I even paused more than once to pray for Sid. But I felt the conviction of the Lord as I was substituting a “religious act” instead of following God’s Holy Nudge.

The next day was the last day of the workshop. I think I may have even told the Lord that I would stay and speak with Sid after the class or something like that. The day started fine, but just before lunch Sid told us that he wasn’t feeling very well and that he was going to end the class early. He mentioned that he had experienced angina a few years before associated with a heart attack and that he was feeling angina this morning. He was going to head over to the emergency room to get it checked out. I remember I volunteered to drive him, but he had already made arrangements. I headed home and I can honestly say I was really praying for Sid now. But I also expected that everything would be fine since he was heading straight to the hospital.

At work the next day, Ben, the assistant plant manager swung by my office to see if I was okay. I relayed to him that I had enjoyed the class, but that I was concerned about Sid since he had headed to the hospital. Ben realized then that I had not heard the news. Sid had a massive heart attack at the hospital that evening and did not survive. I realized that I had been in a position to offer Sid God’s Words of Grace the evening before he died, but I had rationalized and walked away. I was ashamed and saddened to my core. I had grieved the Holy Spirit and I missed an opportunity to obey the One Who gave His all for me.

Thankfully, God’s grace and forgiveness extends to us even when we fail Him. Over time His forgiveness brought restoration to my broken soul. I knew I had sinned greatly. I knew I directly disobeyed the prompting of the Holy Spirit. But the same Holy Spirit reached out to me, lifted me up out of my sorrow and self-pity, and spoke life to me again.

It was probably a little less than a year later when I was asked to supervise a large team of maintenance personnel on a multi-day paper machine outage. I was a 30 year old engineer who had never really worked on tools like a craftsman, and yet I was supposed to direct, coach, and support the efforts of about 2o maintenance technicians performing a dozen or more jobs. The work was going over the weekend of Palm Sunday. The first day was Saturday and honestly, that day is pretty much lost to my memory. I vaguely remember feeling overwhelmed more than once with the large amount of demands that I struggled to keep up with. As I drove in to the plant on Sunday morning I remember clearly speaking out my frustrations to the Lord. I even said, “Lord, here it is Palm Sunday and I am heading to work and I won’t be able to make it to church. That’s just not right. I won’t even be able to have a real time of prayer since I’ll be so busy.”

The Lord spoke to my heart, “Pray with your Team.”

“What Lord?”

“Pray with your Team.”

Rationalizations rose up in my mind… “I barely know these guys… Am I allowed to do something like this? … What will they think?”

But then I remembered Sid. I remembered what disobedience felt like. And I remembered that I had committed to the Lord after ignoring the Holy Nudge with Sid, that I would obey when He clearly asked me to do something in the future, no matter how crazy it might sound. Well His voice was crystal clear this time. So I gave the results to Him and I obeyed.

I didn’t have much time to think about it, I just did it. I handled the normal safety topic and explanation of jobs the same as I had the day before, but as I ended I then shared briefly that my preference on a Sunday morning was to be in church rather than working in the mill. Also since I believed God was present with His followers everywhere, including when they had to work at the mill on a Sunday we could take the time to acknowledge Him while at work. I then let the men know that I would like to start our work day with a word of prayer and that it was fine if anyone didn’t share my belief. They could stay while I prayed or head on out to the job. Noone moved. Then we prayed. I felt the Spirit of the Lord take it from there. I’m not sure exactly what I prayed, but I know I was being obedient and that God was pleased.

That started a pattern that has remained a part of my life. I have had a number of leadership roles. Not every meeting results in a Holy Nudge to pray with the group… but a surprising number have. The Lord led me to start and lead a number of prayer groups and bible studies during lunch periods and before work as well. As Al was telling me his story last night, I was moved to tears. One of the other habits I got into was using the blackboards and dry erase boards during our lunch time bible studies and prayer times. And sometimes I would get a Holy Nudge to leave a verse behind… just in case.

You almost never know how your obedience impacts someone else’s life. Thank you Lord for giving me a glimpse of this one.

Obey immediately when He gives you a holy nudge and rejoice in being a partner in the Father’s work.

Posted in God Stories, Holy Spirit, Prayer, Spiritual Growth | Tagged forgiveness, Holy nudge, holy spirit, joy, obedience, Prayer, work | Leave a Comment »

The Final Door

June 17, 2015 by areliablefaith

What is the first thing you do in the morning when you wake up? It’s probably not what most of you just thought of. The answer I am looking for is what you do as you are going to do the thing you likely thought of. You walk through an open door.

Now one of the reasons this didn’t come to mind is because we do it all the time. I think it is safe to say we pass through dozens of doors every day. My father raised my brothers and I to be courteous of others and to be gentlemen. (Truth in reporting, any shortcoming in this area is not due to a lack of effort on Dad’s part, but stubbornness on mine or my brother’s side.) What did sink in is that doors represent an opportunity. If I am walking with a group, I will quicken my pace as we approach a door so I can hold it open for others. In particular, Dad taught me to hold a door open for ladies and children. What to do for other men was never really clear in my mind… As I ponder it a moment I have to chuckle as I think of the number of awkward moments as I would approach a door at the same time as another guy and we would both wave the other through. As we would stand there pedestrian traffic would back up waiting for us to decide. Many times we would decide to walk through at the same time and then it really got interesting as we now weren’t sure what to do.

A door is simply the access point from one area to another that a person can pass through. In our home we have doors into the bedrooms. As I slip out earlier than my wife on most mornings I ensure that the door is closed to minimize the noise that would disturb her sleep and to let the grandsons know not to go inside just yet. One of the things we liked about our home before we bought it was the welcoming front door. It is attractive and inviting. However it also has a deadbolt and is sturdily built. For friends and visitors our door is opening and welcoming. But for intruders and persons of ill-intent the door is a barrier.

I can think of many other doors I’ve seen and passed through in my life. For some of those there is a lot of emotion tied to them – job interviews, the doors of the church as I headed in to await my new bride at the altar, classroom doors at school for the first time, the office door of an unhappy boss, the door of a new shop, emergency room doors. There are other doors I have not passed through and, for some I hope I never have to – the doors of a courtroom where I am a party to the litigation, into a jail cell, a police station, the door at a home for an employee who has been injured or worse on my watch.

Scott was my best friend in high school. We did all the things best friends do; we argued some, we played a lot, we had each other’s back all the time, and we grew from boys to young men together. My job out of college took me several states away and Scott and I didn’t get to connect as often, but when we did it was always great to catch up. It’s funny, I remember reading Scott’s last letter a number of times… the handwriting was the same, his sense of humor still showed through, and my heart was warmed by the friendship we still shared even though we were hundreds of miles apart. Shortly after Scott’s 40th birthday my wife called me at work. She had just gotten word that Scott had died in his sleep the night before. I can honestly say that was one of the hardest blows I have ever suffered. Scott knew about my faith and he had said he was happy for me, but we had not really taken the time to grow in our faith together. I still miss my friend, but it is not a sense of gone forever since I am confident that we shared a faith in God and in the completed work of Jesus.

Two and a half weeks ago, I found out on Facebook that Scott’s mom, Liz, was very ill and in her final days. My heart went out to her husband and her family. Obviously I prayed for them and their comfort. I also prayed for the easing of Liz’s pain. But I also could not suppress a sense of joy as I prayed for Liz. I can still picture her as the beautiful, young mother who always had a smile even as she foiled another one of Scott’s and my schemes. I can hear the sweet southern lilt in her voice as she said, “Now boys you know that you’re not supposed to…” As I prayed for Liz in the days leading up to her passing the recurring picture I had was of Liz approaching a large door. I could feel the mixture of emotions as she was sad to be leaving her beloved husband, children, and grandchildren, but I could feel the excited anticipation of seeing Her Lord face to face and being reunited with her son, Scott.

I attended Liz’s funeral a week ago. To me it was a perfect blend of sad farewell, celebration of a life well-lived, and the joy of graduation to something greater. The memory of it lingers with me.

Additionally the picture of the Final Door remains. They say that death is one of the two certainties in life. It is inescapable. For each one of us we will face that Final Door. Do you know what is beyond that final door for you? Do you have an understanding based upon first hand knowledge of someone who has been there and come back? There is One who is an authority. The bible says Jesus conquered death and the grave. Over 500 people saw Him physically returned after He was crucified. Many of these followers died martyr’s deaths refusing to give up on the truth of having seen Jesus alive after His crucifixion, burial, and resurrection. His promise is life, eternal life, to all who would put their trust in Him.

I encourage you in the privacy of your own home, in your secret place to look into what I am telling you. Pick up a bible and read what it says. Begin in the gospels. Ask God to show you truth. Comment back to me if you would like to start a conversation. God wants to enter into a relationship with you and He wants to give you a surety about what you will see on the other side of that Final Door. Today, right now is a good time to nail that down.

If you already know Jesus and to you the Final Door is simply the passage to your final home, then rejoice with me in the grace God has given us tell someone today about the hope you have within you.

Take care and have a most blessed day.

Posted in God, Salvation | Tagged best friend, death, door, funeral, joy, open door, salvation | Leave a Comment »

Uncertainty… A Lesson in the Fog

June 10, 2015 by areliablefaith

As I rose this morning I wondered if the storm that crashed in upon us at dusk last night would result in a glorious sunrise this morning. I hurriedly got dressed as an excitement rose within me to commune with the Father and see what the morning light ushered in. Surprisingly, my excitement only rose when I looked out the window and saw the fog. Grabbing my bible and hot tea I headed outside.

This morning’s post requires a little background before I get to the good stuff. I am in a new phase of my life. At the beginning of this year after almost 32 years of constant employment and increasingly responsible positions within three different companies, I found myself unemployed. The way the separation transpired left me with unanswered questions and a fair amount of emotional loose ends to work through. I had the basis of a plan already formulated, but I had not done much work in setting the plan in motion when the separation arrived. So even as I moved into a time of soul-searching I also moved into hurry-up mode to become an independent consultant in my field of expertise. Today, five months later I have made more progress on the soul-searching side, but both are progressing.

Which brings me to the lesson in the fog. Our church is currently going through a series called “Without a Doubt”. We are looking at God’s faithfulness in life’s most trying times. As Pastor P said several weeks ago every person is in one of three stages in life. Either they are in a storm, they are coming out of a storm, or they are getting ready to enter a storm. Last night’s storm dumped a lot of rain and that moisture created the fairly dense fog this morning. Storms do that. Their impact can linger even after the deluge has passed.

The fog after the rain.

Enveloped by Fog.

As I prayed this morning I realized that since I came to faith I don’t believe I have doubted God’s love. I have experienced periods of uncertainty about what the results would be in a storm, uncertainty whether my response would be right and good, uncertainty whether I would stand in the God-honoring way I desire, but I haven’t been uncertain that God is or that He is sovereign. Digging deeper though, I have been uncertain that God’s love would manifest itself in a way that I could bear. It was not whether God loves or that He would be with me. Those are unshakeable truths. But I recognize in myself the weakness of thought and action that leaves me yearning for more of Christ and less of me.

At that moment I raised my hands and looked up into the grey mist all around and above and I praised the living Lord. Immediately I thought of what was on the other side of that grey mist – a glorious sunshine that was bright, golden, and warm. A light that is life giving. A light that is always there. A light that I am certain is there.

It dawned on me in that moment that God’s love is the same as the sun. It is always there… it is life-giving… it is bright, golden, and warm. My doubts and uncertainty are swallowed in the certainty of God’s love. It is a redeeming love. Even if I lose all, God’s love can and will redeem what is lost (See Job 42:10). Even if the way is dark, God’s love is the light of dawn speeding toward us. Even if my faith slips and my response misses the mark, God is faithful and just to forgive us and restore us because of His love.

I had two key take-aways from the message this weekend that apply in every storm and in the fog. First, if the situation we are in is not good, then God’s not finished. Second, in the times when I cannot see God’s hand, when I can’t understand what is going on, I can always, ALWAYS trust His heart. Let the storm come. Let the fog roll in. Let the darkness settle upon us. In all things and in every situation God is there, God is light, God is life and God is love!

As I finish this blog I look out the window and within the past five minutes the fog has lifted. I think I will take that as I sign I got it right.

The fog has lifted!

AWESOME! He is SO GOOD!

Rejoice today my friend. God’s love is precious and it is near. Take hold of His hand today and let us rejoice!

Posted in God, God Stories, Prayer, Vision, Worship | Tagged doubt, faith building, fog, hope, job loss, joy, Trust, uncertainty | Leave a Comment »

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areliablefaith

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

Too Much Love

Bigger Than the Mountain

Trajectory

Wildlife Bonanza

A Mountain Top Experience… with Pictures to Prove It

Barnabas – Son of Encouragement

Majesty

Responding to the Nudge

The Final Door

Uncertainty… A Lesson in the Fog

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