The Unknown Trail - 2014
Whew! I pushed myself over the last jagged rock that scraped off, yet another, patch of my skin. With a groan I reached out to hold onto my leaders hand as He pulled me up and helped me to stand.
Made it!...2014!
I took a look over the horizon at what lay ahead...it was a bit foggy in parts of the vast unknown. But from what I could see...which wasn't much...it looked promising. I took in a few deep breaths with a wipe at my sweaty brow.
I sat down to take a break noticing others were sitting down on mountaintops all around me. I gave a friendly wave to them, before I took a look down at the steep, rocky path I had just climbed. I shuddered thinking of some of the things I had experienced on the way here. I am so grateful for my guide and the handbook He gave to me. I may have some bruises and scrapes, but I am also more skilled at many things.
I can attest I never would have been able to handle some of the cliff like trails, jagged boulders, and the high steep climb on my own.
There were countless times my course ran into another's, and it was fun to walk together and hang out enjoying the view, and getting to know each other, along with our leader. Other times we would need to pull out our trusty handbook for direction on what to do. Or have long talks with the leader who never left anyone alone on the perilous like journey.
Although, I will admit, sometimes, it seemed so dark and scary, I felt alone, but I would call out to Him, and there He was. I would always hope He would take me away from the difficult areas I had to maneuver through, (especially the times I didn't know where to place my feet) and show me an easier way to go, but it didn't work out that way. Instead, I'd have to trust Him and hold on tight until we got through it, even if He had to carry me.
There were times we would dance and skip through beautiful meadows, where the sun shined so bright, the breeze blew ever so gently, and wild flowers were in bloom.
We were delighted when surprised by alcoves with waterfalls, and streams that rippled by the trail. There were many times, clumsy me, slipped and fell, but my leader would pick me up and dust me off. And I'd go on my merry way again.
Whenever I would see another person struggle or get injured, or worse yet, get stuck in one of the cold dark caves, where who knows what will happen to you in them, I'd talk to Him about it. He would already know, but I brought them to His attention anyway. He'd walk them through.
Two of those, on their expedition got hit hard,...really hard, physically. The healing process wasn't easy for either of them. Our leader tenderly treated them, each day through the harrowing ravine.
I heard people talk to Him about me too. Even though each of us had our own intinerary, there was great teamwork out there.
Sometimes we would run out of supplies and not know how to get them. Everyone was really good at helping one another by sharing.
Through one dark, cold canyon, a fellow hiker, got attacked by something, that made him weak, and although we called out to the leader to help Him, he still suffered. This distressed me, and it was hard to focus on the steps I had to take each day, it was a real struggle to pull myself up each ledge, although...my fellow hiker, suffering, seemed determined to figure out this part of the journey, holding tight to the leader.
Then suddenly, his path came to an end.
He no longer traveled the journey with us. Each day we missed him, and the climb became hard not only physically, but emotionally. My heart was bruised and scraped.
My leader spoke words of comfort to all of us on the passage together. We got extra hugs and encouragement throughout the day.
Now, sitting here at the end of that expedition, and at the beginning of another, I've decided I'm not about to untie the rope that connects me with my guide. No matter how skilled I think I am.
I have a whole new adventure in front of me, starting today, and I don't know what's ahead. I just know that it's already been drawn for me.
It's a straight and narrow road filled with challenges and blessings. And I now know, more than ever, to keep myself close to my guide, and to listen carefully for direction.
I took a moment before starting to open a letter from my sister, who shared a conversation she had with the leader asking for blessings for us and our family for 2014.
Then with a sip of refreshing water, another look at the handbook, I tightened up the rope that connects me to my leader.
One more deep breath, I stand, take His hand...and begin my travels on the road of life again.
Made it!...2014!
I took a look over the horizon at what lay ahead...it was a bit foggy in parts of the vast unknown. But from what I could see...which wasn't much...it looked promising. I took in a few deep breaths with a wipe at my sweaty brow.
I sat down to take a break noticing others were sitting down on mountaintops all around me. I gave a friendly wave to them, before I took a look down at the steep, rocky path I had just climbed. I shuddered thinking of some of the things I had experienced on the way here. I am so grateful for my guide and the handbook He gave to me. I may have some bruises and scrapes, but I am also more skilled at many things.
I can attest I never would have been able to handle some of the cliff like trails, jagged boulders, and the high steep climb on my own.
There were countless times my course ran into another's, and it was fun to walk together and hang out enjoying the view, and getting to know each other, along with our leader. Other times we would need to pull out our trusty handbook for direction on what to do. Or have long talks with the leader who never left anyone alone on the perilous like journey.
Although, I will admit, sometimes, it seemed so dark and scary, I felt alone, but I would call out to Him, and there He was. I would always hope He would take me away from the difficult areas I had to maneuver through, (especially the times I didn't know where to place my feet) and show me an easier way to go, but it didn't work out that way. Instead, I'd have to trust Him and hold on tight until we got through it, even if He had to carry me.
There were times we would dance and skip through beautiful meadows, where the sun shined so bright, the breeze blew ever so gently, and wild flowers were in bloom.
We were delighted when surprised by alcoves with waterfalls, and streams that rippled by the trail. There were many times, clumsy me, slipped and fell, but my leader would pick me up and dust me off. And I'd go on my merry way again.
Whenever I would see another person struggle or get injured, or worse yet, get stuck in one of the cold dark caves, where who knows what will happen to you in them, I'd talk to Him about it. He would already know, but I brought them to His attention anyway. He'd walk them through.
Two of those, on their expedition got hit hard,...really hard, physically. The healing process wasn't easy for either of them. Our leader tenderly treated them, each day through the harrowing ravine.
I heard people talk to Him about me too. Even though each of us had our own intinerary, there was great teamwork out there.
Sometimes we would run out of supplies and not know how to get them. Everyone was really good at helping one another by sharing.
Through one dark, cold canyon, a fellow hiker, got attacked by something, that made him weak, and although we called out to the leader to help Him, he still suffered. This distressed me, and it was hard to focus on the steps I had to take each day, it was a real struggle to pull myself up each ledge, although...my fellow hiker, suffering, seemed determined to figure out this part of the journey, holding tight to the leader.
Then suddenly, his path came to an end.
He no longer traveled the journey with us. Each day we missed him, and the climb became hard not only physically, but emotionally. My heart was bruised and scraped.
My leader spoke words of comfort to all of us on the passage together. We got extra hugs and encouragement throughout the day.
Now, sitting here at the end of that expedition, and at the beginning of another, I've decided I'm not about to untie the rope that connects me with my guide. No matter how skilled I think I am.
I have a whole new adventure in front of me, starting today, and I don't know what's ahead. I just know that it's already been drawn for me.
It's a straight and narrow road filled with challenges and blessings. And I now know, more than ever, to keep myself close to my guide, and to listen carefully for direction.
I took a moment before starting to open a letter from my sister, who shared a conversation she had with the leader asking for blessings for us and our family for 2014.
Then with a sip of refreshing water, another look at the handbook, I tightened up the rope that connects me to my leader.
One more deep breath, I stand, take His hand...and begin my travels on the road of life again.
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