Take a Hike, by Will

I love to hike. I hike year round, and have the footwear and attire for each season; I've even been looking at snowshoes to make my winter excursions easier. I made my own hiking staff (actually 2, and I'm working on a third with Aaron, it depends on the mood I'm in that day). I've got my favorite local trails, and Jeremy and I are working on a plan to section hike the Appalachian Trail over the next couple decades. I like to be up early, the first one on the trail. I love the cool air first thing in the morning, and I love taking in how the landscape changes as the sun comes up. I love to hike.

I'm working to instill this love in my girls. I'm teaching them how, and when, to use their rescue whistles (this lesson is taking a little longer than I was hoping because blowing it every 10 feet was not part of the lesson) I just bought my oldest a Firesteel, and we're starting to learn about making a campfire, leading to how to survive in the woods. I love hiking with them, and seeing their enjoyment. The only downside to my trail buddies is that they have really little legs. When I hike with them I end up carrying a lot, my oldest gets tired of carrying her backpack, my youngest gets carried for the first half, and there are things in the woods that they want (I picked up my hiking pants today and they were heavy from all of the rocks we had to have). When I hike with them I'm focused on them. They like to run ahead or lag behind (or they each do one of the above at the same time). All of these things add to my enjoyment of the hike, and these are memories I treasure.

A few weeks ago, I had the chance to hike by myself for the first time in months. I've been really busy with work and school, and for the past two months my Saturdays have not had a spare moment. The school term ended on a Friday, and so Saturday I got up and went on a five mile hike. I got there a little later than I wanted, I saw half a dozen people within the first hour, but it was a great time to just clear my head. I don't typically do a lot of praying while I hike, I find that my mind wanders way too much, but it still ends of being a refreshing time with God. It's time I need a lot more in my life, and I've even assembled a hiking kit to keep in my trunk, that way I am always prepared to take a walk in the woods.

There is always a reason not to hike. I'm too busy, which is almost always true. It's too far of a drive/too much of a hassle to assemble my pack (which is never less than 98% ready to go), it's raining (in spite of the fact that I have rain gear). I love to hike, and I need to hike more than I do, it's good for my soul, but the excuses come so easily. I find this to be true of my time with God with as well. I know I need it, but it feels like there is so much else that has to get done, and this is for people who control my income. When I make this excuse I'm reminded of Martin Luther who would pray for, I believe, three hours each morning; when he was asked about what he would do the morning of a particularly busy day he said, "I'll pray for four hours this morning". For Luther, prayer was the answer to the hectic chaos, not an obligatory burden to fit into the day. It was his essential source of strength.

Hiking rejuvenates me, even a long and difficult hike. I feel great when I get done, and I wonder why I don't make more time for hiking. Time with God is the same way, and yet it is something I put off because of how busy I am. As I've been writing this I've been thinking about my first trip to Israel. The first few nights we stayed at a hotel in Tiberius, right on the Sea of Galilee. Jeremy was on this trip as well, and we would get up early to spend time down by the sea. When you're part of a Bible Lands tour, they are hectic, trying to squeeze as much as possible into each day, it's overwhelming. These mornings as we took in the sounds of the sea, watching the sun rise over hills on the far shore, it was that moment of calm serenity before the chaos of the day. And as I sat there just taking in the red sun light cutting through the haze, I couldn't help thinking about Jesus, and the mornings He spent near this same body of water.

Mark 1.35 says, "In the early morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, and went away to a secluded place, and was praying there." If there was ever a busy man, it was Jesus. And yet, He made time every morning to get alone and pray.

I wish I lived in an area where I could hike to a secluded spot each morning just to be alone with God, but at this point in my life, that isn't an option, but hopefully someday. But what about until then? I can't hike the AT right now, but that doesn't mean I don't hike. I can't pray like I'd like to right now, but that doesn't mean I can not pray.

Right now life is full of changes, and right now I need God's guidance more than ever before. Right now, my life is more chaotic than ever before, adjusting to the new normal, or momentary normal, with my girls, school, work, it's overwhelming. It's ok to take time and pray. It's ok to take a hike. For me, both are essential. I need to stop thinking about the time it is going to cost me, and instead focus on the benefit of the activity.

God gave me a love of hiking, and He created me to desperately need Him. I cannot allow the responsibilities I have take away my source of life and refreshment.

TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY!