II Chronicles 27:1 – 28:27

July 19, 2014

Jotham becomes king. "(He) became powerful, because he always obeyed the LORD his God." He not only started well, but he finished well too. But then Ahaz becomes king and it's a completely different story. (You can read more about Ahaz in II Kings 16 and Isaiah 7.)

Because Ahaz refused to follow God's ways, the LORD handed him over to the king of Aram. God also handed him over to Pekah the king of Israel because Ahaz (Judah) had left the LORD. Disaster happened to them and they were taken captive by their own relatives. A prophet of the LORD met the Israelite army when they returned from the battle. He told them: Look, God is the one who handed the people (Ahaz/Judah) to you because he was angry with them. But God has seen the cruel way you have treated them and killed them. Now you plan to make your own relatives your slaves. This should not be! You yourselves have sinned against God. "Now listen to me.  Send back your brothers and sisters whom you captured because the LORD is very angry with you."

The people of Israel listened and sent the people of Judah back to their homeland.

Ahaz witnessed all of this but still did not change. The Edomites attacked Judah. Did Ahaz turn to God for help? No. He goes to the king of Assyria. The Philistines also attacked Judah. All this happened because Ahaz (Judah) was unfaithful to the LORD. The LORD caused it to happen. In all his troubles, Ahaz turned even farther away from God. He gathered things from the temple; he broke them; and he closed the temple doors. Why is it some people just don't seem to "get-it"? They keep turning away from God instead of turning to God?

God does not tolerate continued disobedience. The longer you refuse to surrender your will to HIS will, the harder it becomes repent.


Next Entry: II Chronicles 29:1 – 32:23

II Chronicles 25:1 – 26:23

July 18, 2014

Amaziah becomes king. He does what is right, but it is more out of duty than a passion to follow the LORD's commands. When Amaziah became established, he held those who had killed his father accountable. He followed the laws of Moses and did not hold the children accountable for the actions of their parents.

Amaziah prepares his soldiers for battle. He also hires 100,000 soldiers from Israel for 75 pounds of silver. A man of God comes to him and says—what are you doing? Don't let the men from Israel go with you. Why are you trusting men instead of God? "You can make yourself strong for war, but God will defeat you. He has the power to help you or to defeat you." Amaziah says—but what about the money I have already spent? And the man of God replies—walk away from it. "The LORD can give you much more than that."

God has the power to help you OR defeat you. Put your faith and trust in Him. Rely on HIM, and only Him. It is HIS battle.

So Amaziah goes to war without the hired men and God provides the victory. But THEN, Amaziah brings home the idols of the people he defeated and started worshiping them. Why? Why would he do that? I've always said the most dangerous time isn't when you are facing a battle bigger than yourself because you know you need God's help. The danger comes when the battle has been won and you forget it was God who won the battle. The focus becomes, "look what I have done" instead of, "look what God has done."

Amaziah starts worshiping the idols that could not save those he had attacked and God had beaten. The LORD was very angry and sent a prophet to talk to him. Have you noticed that God always sent someone to warn people when they were getting off track? Unfortunately, it made Amaziah mad and he did not repent. His response was basically, "Who are you to tell me what to do?"

God provides each of us the opportunity for change, but the decision to listen and obey falls entirely upon our own shoulders.

Amaziah would not listen. He tried to align himself with Israel again. Instead of being joined with Israel he was defeated by Israel. He was captured by his enemies, and later he was hunted down and killed by his own people. "God caused all this to happen" because he sought help from others instead of God. Why? Why? Why? Why are some people so stubborn?

We all need to let go (of our pride) and let (surrender to) God.

Uzziah becomes king. He does what the LORD said was right. "As long as Uzziah obeyed the LORD, God gave him success." Therein lies the true secret to success. It is not our own abilities, but God's response to our servant-hood. Unfortunately, when Uzziah became powerful, "His pride led to his ruin." He became unfaithful to God and he thought he was above the rules. Only the priests were allowed to burn incense on the altar, but Uzziah decided that he would do it. The priests tried to warn him, "You have been unfaithful, and the LORD God will not honor you for this." Uzziah wouldn't listen. He became angry and he did what he wanted to do. Because of his actions, Uzziah developed a skin disease and he could no longer live in the palace. He was separated from being around other people for the rest of his life.

The most dangerous time is not when we are in a crisis. The most dangerous time is when things are going well.

LORD, I want to finish strong! May we follow hard after you now and when "the storm" is over.

From the Life Lesson in my Bible – "The humble are always at peace; the proud are often envious and angry." ~ From The Imitation of Christ by Thomas Kempis.

In my Bible margins I have written – "Isn't that amazing! The very thing they think will bring them stature and control actually binds them in a prison. A self made prison of envy and jealousy. What they thought would bring freedom is instead an albatross. A goal or "feeling" that can never be attained."

II Chronicles 25:9 - "...the LORD is able to give thee much more than this." Jane (Her Name Was Jane) has written in her KJV margins – Much More!  See Romans 5 - Uncle Amos's "much more's."

Addendum: 4/12/15 ~ "Walk away from it...the LORD can give you much more." Luke 6:38 - "Give, and you will receive. You will be given much. Pressed down, shaken together, and running over, it will spill into your lap. The way you give to others is the way God will give to you." We are watching this happen. "The storm" has battered our finances. In our human minds we think, but how can we be restored? How could that happen? How would God be able to do that? See II Kings 6:8 – 8:15.

Our human minds cannot begin to fathom the magnitude of God's love and abilities. Cannot. Praise God from whom ALL blessings flow. 


Next Entry: II Chronicles 27:1 – 28:27 

II Chronicles 21:4 – 24:27

July 17, 2014

You cannot align yourself with ungodly people and then expect to remain faithful to the LORD.

Jesus' calls for us to be separate cannot be followed when aligned with the ungodly. Jehoshaphat found this out when he aligned himself with Ahab (II Chronicles 16:3) and then again with Ahab's son Ahaziah (II Chronicles 20:35). He (and others) suffered the consequences.

Jehoshaphat is dead and now his son Jehoram (the son who married Ahab's daughter) becomes king. In his desire to have total control, he kills all of his brothers and some of the leaders of Judah. He did not follow in the footsteps of his father. Instead, because he married Ahab's daughter, he chose to follow her ways and to do what the LORD said was wrong. But, not everyone chose to follow Jehoram's sinful ways. The people of Libnah broke away from his rule because he had left the LORD's ways.

If you find yourself linked with others (in business or socially) who are not following God, you must break free.    

God sent Elijah to warn Jehoram (by letter) what was going to happen. Jehoram and his people, his wives and children (plus everything he owned), were all going to suffer the consequences for his actions. He was going to develop a terrible disease that he would die from. Two years later he died a horrible death. His need for total control (II Chronicles 21:4), eventually led to his downfall (II Chronicles 21:20), and in the end it brought him nothing. No one was sad when he died. He wasn't even buried with honor.

God's promises are true and nothing can destroy or prevent God from fulfilling His promises. There are consequences for our life choices. Our decisions bring God's promised results: Blessing—or—Curses.

Because of his selfish need for control Jehoram killed all his brothers. And now years later, the exact same fate happened to his own sons by robbers. His youngest son Ahaziah survived, and he became king. He followed in the footsteps of his father, his namesake uncle, and the others in Ahab's family because his mother encouraged him to do what was wrong. His actions later led to his death. Ahaziah goes to visit his uncle Joram (the son of Ahab and king of Israel). While there, "God caused" (NCV) "brought about" (NIV) his death (KJV - "was of God"). There are consequences for our choices and actions.

Ahaziah's mom Athaliah (Ahab's daughter) either doesn't "get-it" or doesn't care. She doesn't take this opportunity to repent and change her ways. Instead, she kills everyone in the royal family so she can take over. At least she thought she killed everyone. But Jehosheba (Ahaziah's sister) takes Joash (Ahaziah's son and her nephew) and hides him in the Temple. No danger in Athaliah finding him there... she is not worshiping God in the Temple. Jehosheba, (along with her husband Jehoida the priest) hid him for six years.

When Joash was seven, Jehoida led the plan to make him king. God promised the king would be of David's descendants and nothing can destroy or prevent God's promises from being fulfilled. Joash is made king. Jehoiada appointed guards to surround him. (God's angels surround us.) When Athaliah realized she was no longer the ruler over Judah she screamed, "Traitors!  Traitors!" Interesting how she felt anything and everything was permissible and acceptable for her as she maneuvered to get her way, but let someone do what God instructed and she screams—no fair! She was taken outside the gate and put to death. Sin must not be tolerated. It must be removed. That may mean that you have to separate yourself from an ungodly situation or person.

As long as Jehoiada was priest and advising him, Joash did what the LORD said was right. He rebuilt the temple. But later when Jehoiada died, Joash began to listen to others and he stopped worshiping the LORD. II Chronicles 24:19 - "Even though the LORD sent prophets to the people to turn them back to him and even though the prophets warned them, they refused to listen." God sent Jehoiada's son Zechariah to talk to the people. II Chronicles 24:20b - "This is what God says: 'Why do you disobey the LORD's commands? You will not be successful. Because you have left the LORD, he has also left you.' "

Did they listen to him and repent and return to the Lord? No. The king and his officers instead made plans against Zechariah and stoned him to death. Zechariah was the son of Jehoiada, the person who had done so much for Joash and was so respected by the people that when he died at the age of 135 years old, they buried him in Jerusalem with the kings! Yet by this time, Joash was so far away from the LORD that he didn't even remember what Jehoiada the priest (and his uncle) had done for him. As Zechariah was dying he said, "May the LORD see what you are doing and punish you." (II Chronicles 24:22)

By the end of the year it happened. The Arameans came against Joash. The Arameans were just a small little army compared to the large army of Judah, "but the LORD handed over Judah to them" because the people of Judah had left the God of their ancestors. So Joash was punished. Joash was wounded by the enemy, but it was his own officers who killed him as lay in his own bed. He died and was buried, but not with the kings. 

How sad. Joash started well but ended in failure. I don't want to just start well. I want to finish well.   


Next Entry: II Chronicles 25:1 – 26:23

II Chronicles 19:4 – 21:3

July 16, 2014

NCV - "You won't need to fight in this battle. Just stand strong in your places, and you will see the LORD save you... don't be afraid or discouraged, because the LORD is with you. So go out against those people tomorrow."

NIV - "You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the LORD will give you... Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the LORD will be with you.

KJV - "Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the LORD with you... fear not, nor be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them: for the LORD will be with you.

The reference for that verse is found in II Chronicles 20:17 and it is our prayer. Oh LORD, may it be so. May ALL know that it is YOU who saved us from "the storm." We have done all You have commanded us to do. We have taken up our positions. We are standing strong. We are putting our faith and trust in You. We are Walking by Faith, first and foremost praising Your name. Hear our prayer. Save us we pray. Amen.

Jehoshaphat repents for getting off track. He goes back to Jerusalem. He again does what he can to turn the people back to God. He appoints judges to settle disputes. He tells them to, "watch what you do..." the job you are doing is not for people, it is for the LORD. He says again, "watch what you do..." God wants you to be fair and he doesn't want your decisions to be influenced by money. He goes on to tell them, "You must always serve the LORD completely, and you must fear him... have courage. May the LORD be with those who do what is right."

Jehoshaphat is doing what is right and minding his own business when the Moabites, Ammonites, and some Meunites banded together and set out to make war against him. It was unexpected and Jehoshaphat was afraid. "So he decided to ask the LORD what to do." He gathered all the people together to ask the LORD for help. Jehoshaphat prayed. "LORD, you are God... you rule... you have power and strength... no one can stand against you... you forced out the people... you promised... you gave this land... IF trouble comes upon us we will come before you... we will cry out to you... THEN you will hear and you will save us." LORD, here is the problem: people are coming against us. It is people you allowed to remain! Now they have come to force us out of your land that you gave us. "Oh God, punish those people." We have no power against those who are coming to attack us. "We don't know what to do, so we look to you for help."

Then Jahaziel stood up to speak. "Listen to me... the LORD says this to you:

'Don't be afraid or discouraged because of this large army. The battle is not your battle, it is God's.' "

Then God gave specific details. "Tomorrow go down there and fight those people. They will come up through the pass of Ziz. You will find them at the end of the ravine that leads to the desert of Jeruel." And then the promise found in II Chronicles 20:17 -

"You won't need to fight in this battle. Just stand strong in your places, and you will see the LORD save you... don't be afraid or discouraged, because the LORD is with you. So go out against those people tomorrow."

All the people bowed before the LORD in worship. Then some Levites stood up and started praising the LORD. (Psalm 150) The next morning the army headed out. Jehoshaphat stood before them and said, "Listen to me. Have faith in the LORD your God, and you will stand strong. Have faith in his prophets (the words He gave us through Jane), and you will succeed." And then Jehoshaphat did an amazing thing. He listened to the people's advice; he chose men to be singers of praise to the LORD (Psalm 8); and he put them in front of the army. As they marched out they said:

"Praise the LORD: for His mercies endureth forever."

And when they began to sing and to praise God, the LORD took over the battle and secured the victory. II Chronicles 20:22 - "As they began to sing and praise God, the LORD set ambushes... and they were defeated." They praised the LORD before the actual battle was won. They believed in God's promises. They praised the LORD before and after the battle... and ALL knew it was the LORD who secured the victory. (Psalm 140:12 - "I know that the LORD secures justice....")

Addendum: 11/14/14 ~ "You won't need to fight in this battle. Just stand strong in your places, and you will see the LORD save you..." I believe this. I truly believe this.

Addendum #2: 6/22/16 ~ HE will secure justice. HE will protect us. HE is the answer. HE is the One. What does the end of "the storm" look like? I have no idea. But it will be in HIS time and in HIS way. ALL will know it was the LORD who secured our justice. (Psalm 140:12) We absolutely STILL believe this.

Addendum #3: 4/26/18 ~ See the following updates:

By HIS Great Power
The Purpose
Praise God From Whom All Blessings Flow!


Next Entry: II Chronicles 21:4 – 24:27

II Chronicles 16:1 – 19:3 (Continued)

July 15, 2014

Jehoshaphat (king of Judah), became entwined with Ahab (king of Israel) because his son married Ahab's daughter. Ahab—who rarely followed God's teachings; and Jehoshaphat—who followed God's teaching. In Jane's (Her Name Was Jane) Bible she has written: danger ahead. Indeed. When you align yourself with those who are not like-minded with you, there is danger ahead.

Jehoshaphat knew he was going against God's commands, but he did it anyways.

Ahab wants to go to war and he wants Jehoshaphat to join him. Jehoshaphat wants to make sure it is God's will. Ahab just wants to do what he wants to do. He has a group of 400 "prophets" that will tell him whatever he wants to hear. Ahab despises the one prophet who is honest about what God wants. Jehoshaphat wants to hear what the LORD'S prophet has to say. Micaiah (the Lord's prophet) says—don't do it. Don't go to war. Your plans won't work. In fact, what you don't understand is this: God is fed up with your refusal to follow his teachings. You think those 400 men are just telling you what you want to hear. Wrong. They are being used by God to fool you into going into battle because of your refusal to submit to His authority. Ahab became angry. He refused to listen, and put Micaiah in jail. Ahab (in his typical arrogant fashion) said to only give Micaiah bread and water until he returned safe from the battle. Micaiah replied, "If you come back safely" then the LORD hasn't spoken through me. "Remember my words, all you people."

So, Ahab does what Ahab wants to do and he goes into battle. But Ahab wasn't completely confident in his victory. Somewhere in the back of his mind there was some doubt and fear. So he tells Jehoshaphat to wear his royal clothes, but Ahab wore other clothes so no one would recognize him. How nice of him. He set up his "friend" as a means to protect himself. Ahab's plan most likely would have worked, but God stepped in and intervened. The only person the king of Aram wanted was Ahab. When they saw Jehoshaphat in royal clothing they were ready to attack him. But Jehoshaphat shouted, "... and the LORD helped him." And then, by chance, (God) a soldier shot a random arrow and it struck Ahab between his pieces of armor. Ahab was dead by sunset.

By chance, was actually the Hand of God. The army that was ready to attack Jehoshaphat was stopped by God. II Chronicles 18:31 - "The LORD helped him; and God moved them to depart from him." (KJV) God protects those who call on Him; He holds accountable those who have turned their backs on Him. We control whether we submit ourselves to the authority of God and obey His teachings. God controls all the rest.

Jehoshaphat returns. God sends a seer to him and asks, "Why did you help evil people? Why do you love those who hate the LORD?" Because of the choices Jehoshaphat made, the LORD was angry with him and he was faced with new troubles and the same problems of aligning himself with those who were not like-minded.


Next Entry: II Chronicles 19:4 – 21:3

II Chronicles 16:1 – 19:3

July 14, 2014

Asa went from relying and depending on the LORD, to relying on his own strength and seeking out others to join him as he went out to battle.

The LORD had already proven himself faithful. He had already helped Asa and Judah win against other very powerful kings. Why change now? Why did Asa start deciding he was capable without God's help? Success breeds pride, and pride/success has ruined many people. The danger comes when you start believing in your abilities and depending on your strength, instead of depending on the LORD and acknowledging your success comes from HIM.

The most dangerous time isn't when you are facing a great crisis. The most dangerous time is when the crisis is over, and the victory is won.

A seer named Hanai went to Asa to warn him about the consequences. Instead of repenting, Asa became angry and put Hanani in prison. Instead of looking inward and accepting responsibility, Asa blamed others. Even when Asa was faced with disease he did not turn to God. He died soon after.

Jehoshaphat (Asa's son) becomes king. Jehoshaphat relied on the LORD and he obeyed God's commands. He wanted to obey. It takes intentional desire and effort to follow God; surrendering your will to the LORD's will does not happen automatically or accidentally. Jehoshaphat then did what should come naturally when you are surrendered and following the LORD—he told others. He sent his officers and leaders to teach others. They took God's words and went throughout the towns so everyone would know who God was and would know His teachings. The LORD blessed Jehoshaphat and protected him. 


Next Entry: II Chronicles 16:1 – 19:3 (Continued)

II Chronicles 11:18 – 15:19

July 12, 2014

The story of Rehoboam.

After Rehoboam became strong and established, he (and the people) became self-reliant. They stopped obeying God, and they abandoned the laws of God. Oh, the dangers of PRIDE and forgetting that it isn't about  what "I" do. It is, "I can do all things through Christ." Rehoboam forgot (or ignored) the

God

  ↓   

Man

relationship, and trouble ensued.

The king of Egypt attacked them. The LORD said, "You have left me, so now I leave you to face (them) alone." It is always in that order. We separate ourselves from God; we are left on our own. The LORD never abandons us first.  

When Rehoboam sees what is happening he becomes afraid and repents. The LORD saw they were sorry, so He held back His anger and prevented the king of Egypt from totally destroying them. Even though Rehoboam repented there were still consequences. The king of Egypt stripped them of what they were most proud of; their many prized possessions. Rehoboam "made himself" a strong king. "He did not want to obey the LORD.

Pride → punishment. 

Abijah (son of Rehoboam) becomes king. There was a war between him (Judah) and Jeroboam (Israel). Abijah brought 400,000 soldiers into battle. Jeroboam brought 800,000. Abijah stood on a mountain and said, "Listen to me!" You know that God gave David and his sons the right to rule Israel forever, so what are you doing following Jeroboam, the son of one of Solomon's officers? You are making plans against God by planning evil against us. You are arguing against God. You have made yourself golden calves to be your gods. You have gotten rid of who God appointed as priests (the Levites) and you have appointed your own priests. You have left the LORD. "But as for us, the LORD is our God; we have not left him." (Psalm 140:6 - But we say, "You are my God...") "We obey the command of the LORD, but you have left him. God himself is with us...." He is the One leading us. Listen! Stop what you are doing! Don't fight against God! It won't work! You won't succeed!

Jeroboam wouldn't listen. Instead he sent some of his troops to "sneak behind" Judah's army. You can "sneak behind" man, but you cannot sneak behind God. When the people of Judah realized they were being tricked, they cried out to the LORD. They didn't run, and they didn't hide. They gave a battle cry, and "God caused" Jeroboam and his army to run away. "God handed them over" to Judah. The people of Israel were defeated, and the people of Judah won. Why? "...because they depended on the LORD." Jeroboam never again became strong. "The LORD struck Jeroboam and he died."

Accountability. Consequences. Every king that followed Jeroboam followed in his foot steps and did evil. Every single one! They couldn't succeed because they were trying to circumvent God's will. It won't work. It can't work.

Abijah dies and his son Asa became king. Asa did "What the LORD his God said was good and right." The LORD gave them peace because they obeyed the LORD. But then Zerah from Cush comes out to fight them with an enormous army. Asa called out to God saying, "LORD, only you can help weak people against the strong. Help us LORD our God, because we depend on you. We fight against this enormous army in your name. LORD, you are our God. Don't let anyone win against you." (Psalm 140 - "...don't let their plans succeed or they will become proud.") The size of the army doesn't matter because the battle belongs to the Lord. They couldn't do it but God could, and He did. "So the LORD defeated (them)... they were crushed by the LORD."

When you face a battle that is bigger than you, remember this truth: You can't do it, but God can. Don't give up. God is in control. 

II Chronicles 15:2 - "The LORD is with you when you are with him. IF you obey him, you will find him, but IF you leave him, he will leave you."

II Chronicles 15:7 - "But you should be strong. Don't give up, because you will get a reward for your good work."

Don't give up! God IS in control. II Chronicles 15:15 - "They looked for God... and found him."

Jeremiah 29:12–14 - "...then you will call my name. You will come to me and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will search for me. And when you search for me with all your heart, you will find me! I will let you find me," says the LORD. "And I will bring you back from your captivity... and I will bring you back to this place."

LORD, we call out to You. Hear our cries for mercy. Protect us from "the storm." Protect us from those who "have set traps along our path."


Next Entry:  II Chronicles 16:1 – 19:3

The Land In-Between

July 12, 2014

Well... it's over. Our goal of section hiking the Appalachian Trail is over. Permanently. Talk about a total blindside. There are tears running down my cheeks as I write this.

I didn't see this one coming. What is going on?!?

My husband and I have just returned from section hiking a portion of the Appalachian Trail in central Pennsylvania. We drove out to PA on July 4th. After several days of hiking and enjoying the peace and solitude of the Appalachian Trail, a brand new thought emerged. We were sitting outside on the patio enjoying a wonderful breakfast at the Red Cardinal Bed and Breakfast. It was a beautiful morning. As my husband and I were talking, I heard a statement come out of my mouth that shocked me. I said, "I realize we will never be able to complete the Appalachian Trail."

What? Not complete the trail? Where did that come from?

Had I seriously thought we would be able to complete the entire 2,200 miles of the Appalachian Trail? Yes. That was my goal. I'd never even considered the possibility of not finishing. I fully expected to section hike the entire A.T. footpath from Springer Mountain in Georgia, to Mount Katadhin in Maine.

I started to list the logical reasons on why it was not going to be possible to complete the trail.

1. We can't afford it. Because of "the storm" we can't afford to keep going out to the trail to do a week of time here, and a week of time there. 
2. We don't have the time. It would require doing several sections a year for longer periods of time. Because of my husband's business responsibilities, we don't have the ability to be gone for weeks at a time.   
3. We promised to take each one of our grandchildren hiking with us the year they turned ten. We can't do what we promised our grandchildren (the oldest turns ten next year, so it would be for the next three consecutive years and then two more years soon after) and fulfill our personal goals at the same time. They can't possibly put in the daily miles it would require to help us meet our goals. Besides, many of the areas we hike are just too difficult or dangerous.
4. We are getting older. We are running out of time. In ten years, we've only made it to the trail five times. Realistically, there just is no way we are going to be able to complete the trail without being able to do weeks or months at a time. 

I said, "We can't realistically section hike the whole Appalachian Trail. Maybe we could hike some of the trail in each state." Not the fulfillment of my goal, but at least I would be hiking some in each state. 

It was going to be hard to give up my dream. For you to be able to understand why giving up the dream of section hiking the Appalachian Trail was so difficult for me, I should probably share why I loved it so much and the significance of our other trips to the trail.

My love of the outdoors and spending time exploring in the woods began in childhood. During times of conflict or stress in the family, I would often retreat to the woods. The woods—with its towering trees and calm gentle breezes, was where I felt safe. The woods—with singing birds and wildlife, brought me peace and contentment. I loved everything about my time spent in the woods. The sun rays coming through the trees at daybreak. The flute like sound of a wood thrush piercing the stillness of the air. The peace. The quiet. The solitude. The surprising discoveries. The aimlessly wandering while lost in thought.

With each changing season there was always something new to discover in the woods. Spring—morel mushrooms and jack-in-the-pulpits; mayflower umbrellas; purple beds of wild violets; the sounds of birdsong as the earth awakens from its winter slumber; the earthy smell after a spring rain. Summer—lush green flora and warm breezes; sunlight peeking through the canopy of trees; the whispering sound of pine needles swaying in the wind; the sight of small curious forest animals scampering through the trees. Fall—fresh, crisp and clear air; colorful yellow, orange, and red leaves painted against the backdrop of vivid blue skies; falling leaves floating lazily to the ground; the rustling of leaves in the wind and beneath your feet; the persistent loud call of the blue jay. Winter—dark silhouettes of bare trees; animal tracks in new-fallen snow; the stillness as the earth sleeps; cold air and misty clouds of breath; the crunching sound of snow; a red cardinal in a picturesque wonderland.    

The sights. The sounds. The smells. The memories. The woods.

To get away and retreat to the forests of the Appalachia mountains felt relaxing and therapeutic to me. There is a feeling of relief and relaxation when you get alone with nature and get away from the distractions, demands, and disappointments in life. Working up a sweat while climbing mountains and hiking the strenuous trails, just felt cleansing. When IT happened, getting away to hike the A.T. became even more therapeutic. It was a welcome respite from "the storm." Hiking the trail over mountains, across the valleys, and through the forests brought feelings of safety, stability and comfort to my life. It kept me balanced. No matter what else happened or changed in my life, the forest and the well-worn footpath of the Appalachian Trail was still there. It was something I could count on. It had no hidden agendas or ulterior motives. It could be trusted.

The Appalachian Trail was like a faithful old friend.

The first time I hiked a section of the A.T. was in 2004. I celebrated my 50th birthday by taking two trips (one with four of my girlfriends and one with my husband) to the Appalachian Trail in Shenandoah National Park. In 2005, my husband and I went back and hiked the state of Maryland.

In early 2007, "the storm" began to brew. My world was turned upside down. I'm not sure how we found the time, but in July of 2007, my husband and I headed out to do another section hike in lower Pennsylvania. It was my fourth trip to the trail. I remember the rush of emotions as we once again stepped foot on the well-worn footpath of the A.T. I can still vividly picture it in my mind. I was "home" again. I felt safe, and I burst into tears. My husband and I stood there, just inside the edge of the woods, and embraced. After all we had been through the solitude and peacefulness of the forest quieted our spirits and brought us comfort. We walked. We prayed. We cried out to God for His help, His guidance, and His protection. We sought His will and His wisdom.

It felt good to be back in the serenity of the woods.

After several days of hiking and exploring the local area, our lawyer called with the disappointing news; our plan for a peaceful solution to the conflict with my sister and brother-in-law was flatly rejected. He strongly felt my sister and brother-in-law were not interested in seeking an amicable resolution to our conflict. He felt they were preparing to file a lawsuit—and that is what they did.

Because of "the storm" we didn't make it back to the Appalachian Trail for the next five years. Then in 2012, my daughter-in-law said she wasn't going to need me to watch the kids the first week of July. She said, "Why don't you take some time off and go somewhere?" It was totally unexpected. What would we do? Where would we go? The idea of returning to hike more of the Appalachian Trail had been pushed far back in my mind. Dare I even dream of going back? Was it even possible?

God opened the doors, and we went. We all joked that it wasn't going to be pretty when I first stepped back on the familiar footpath of the Appalachian Trial. Well, the tears began flowing long before we hit the trail. The tears, praying, praising, and reminiscing started pretty much as soon as we pulled out of our drive.

As we drove, my husband and I talked about how and when my crazy notion to section hike the Appalachian Trail began. My out-of-the-blue idea to hike the Appalachian Trail began at about the same time (2002) that we also decided to begin going to a nursing home on Christmas mornings. At the time I had no idea the Appalachian Trail was going to become an integral part of God's plan. I had no idea God was going to use a nursing home as the setting for where HIS plan would come to fruition. I had no idea God was scripting a plan to bring Jane E. Wolfe's life and my life together. I had no idea Jane's and my shared love of the Appalachian Trail would be what God used to show me my encounter with Jane was not mere happenstance. The intersection of our lives was a God-arranged and God-ordained divine appointment for a higher purpose. The trail permanently linked Jane and I together.

The well-worn footpath of the Appalachian Trail was part of HIS greater plan.

As my husband and I continued to talk and reminisce, we began to recount the many, many ways God had protected us and provided for us from the time "the storm" first began to build on the horizon to when it became a full-fledged violent and dangerous storm. We talked about the time we were walking in such a deep fog that we were blinded to everything around us; we could only see far enough ahead to take one step at a time. My husband was fervently praying for God to show us He was with us when suddenly the fog parted and opened up like a tunnel in front of us while the fog still enveloped us to the side and behind. The sun shown brightly and cast its beautiful rays through a small grove of trees which had become visible in the clearing. The brightness of the sun lasted for several seconds and then the sky closed back up and the small grove of trees disappeared as the fog once again closed in around us. We will never forget that day. As we recounted other ways we had so clearly seen the Hand of God we became overwhelmed with emotion. The more we talked, the more we began to understand. We were humbled and grateful for HIS amazing love and HIS protecting hand.

Our 2012 trip to the A.T. was when I realized for the very first time that my random idea to hike the Appalachian Trail wasn't some crazy notion I came up with. It wasn't my idea; it was all part of God's plan. God used something as ordinary as the Appalachian Trail to teach me new concepts—HIS concepts. It was also during this trip that I suddenly knew we were to start praying about a New Beginning. I had no idea what the "New Beginning" meant, but I knew we were to begin praying about it. So we did, even though we didn't know the why behind it, or what it meant.

Several weeks after we returned home from our 2012 trip to the trail, a new thought came to me. I suddenly knew we were to remove from our home the large volume of lawsuit paperwork and other material which had accumulated during the five years of battling "the storm." At first I thought, "But, how can we do that? The lawsuit is still ongoing." There was a lull in "the storm," but it seemed crazy to store things away before it was over. We absolutely believed God's promises of protection, but still, wasn't it crazy to remove everything from our home before the lawsuit was actually over?

There was also the fear of what-if? What-if storing things away triggers "the storm" to pick back up even stronger than before? We had become accustomed to (and thankful for) the lull in the barrage of nastiness. But, removing the lawsuit debris was something I knew we were supposed to do. So, we gathered the courage, put our what-if fears aside, and packed into industrial size boxes everything associated with the lawsuit. It was so incredibly freeing to have all the toxic materials removed from our home even though "the storm" continued on. We didn't know what the "New Beginning" was or what it was going to be, but we knew it was coming. Without us even realizing it, God was slowly revealing our next steps. The New Beginning—was beginning.

Two years passed, and now it's 2014. The seven year anniversary of when my sister and brother-in-law filed their lawsuit against us was fast approaching. My husband and I decided to mark the anniversary by once again going to PA to hike another section of the Appalachian Trail. As we were driving, my husband and I were talking about God's incredible faithfulness. We remarked how last time (2012), we felt our trip to the A.T. was a time of reflection and preparation. This time (2014), the trip felt like a time of celebration. That seemed a little odd to us. Why would this trip feel like a celebration when we are still caught up in the middle of "the storm"? We were exhausted from caring for my husband's parents, and we were grateful to be getting away for a few days—but celebration? What does that mean?

After several wonderful days of hiking, I was surprised to hear the words, "I realize we will never be able to complete the Appalachian Trail" come out of my mouth. What did that mean? What was going on? We are hiking on the footpath God put us on!! Why are things changing? How is the ending of a long held dream and goal a celebration?

We had just a few more days to hike before we needed to head back home. The plan was already set for where we were going to hike next. We were going to finish the last section into Duncannon. But, before we did that section, we decided to take a day off and drive up a little farther to the area where Jane grew up and lived—Lickdale and Lebanon, PA.

Oh my. I loved exploring the area where Jane grew up. What a gift to be able to visualize Jane's account of her childhood as detailed in the assignment she wrote entitled An Ever-Widening Path. I could imagine Jane as a teenager exploring the flora of the trail like detailed in the fictional story she wrote entitled The Silent Challenge. I could see with my own eyes what Jane saw; I could experience for myself what Jane experienced. It was very emotional day. We were walking in Jane's footsteps while hiking on the same A.T. footpath Jane loved and hiked.

The Appalachian Trail crosses the Swatara Creek on an old iron bridge a short distance from where Jane lived as a child. As we stood on the bridge, watching the swift waters of the Swatara Creek flow by, we thanked God for blessing our lives with Jane and for using her to speak to us. We prayed the God-given chapters Jane told us to read: Psalm 150, Psalm 140, Psalm 1, and Psalm 8. We prayed the prayer of Jabez, asking God to bless us and to enlarge our sphere of influence. As my husband and I stood there in silence, mesmerized by the flowing water of the Swatara Creek, a new thought suddenly became clear to both of us. A new reality. We knew that our journey on the Appalachian Trail was over. God was telling us that it was time to get off the footpath of the A.T. Our compromise plan of hiking some of the trail in each state wasn't going to happen.

I was faced with abandoning my dream and facing a new painful reality—our journey of hiking the Appalachian Trail was over.

God used the correlations between hiking the trail and following HIS footpath to teach me so many life lessons. I loved every minute of it. The hiking. The planning. The sweating. The aloneness with nature. The welcome respite from "the storm." The familiarity and the solitude of the trail brought me comfort and soothed my soul. God put us on the A.T. footpath. Why was He now taking us off? My husband and I stood on the old iron bridge and shed a few tears. We kept looking at each other asking, "What does this mean?" We crossed the bridge and in silence followed the Appalachian Trail a short distance to the east of Swatara Creek and then turned around and followed the trail a short distance to the west. We picked up a stone to bring home. Then reluctantly, we turned, and we left the trail behind.

The thought of leaving the trail was crushing.

As we were driving back to where we were staying in Carlisle, a large severe thunderstorm began to develop. The storm was just to the west of the Interstate we were driving on. There were flashing signs along the highway warning of the impending danger. We had about 25 miles to go before we reached our destination. The sky looked ominous, but God held off the storm until we safely reached the Red Cardinal Bed and Breakfast, where we were staying. Then it hit, and boy did it hit. The hardest hit area was where we planned to hike next. There was wide spread devastation. Trees and electric lines were down and homes were damaged. There was no way it was going to be feasible to hike in our planned area because of all the downed trees and destruction. I was distraught. I knew this journey was going to end—but seriously!?! Don't I get to hike one more time on this trip? Don't I get to say a final good-bye to my faithful old friend—the Appalachian Trail?

The emotions of giving up my dream of hiking the Appalachian Trail hit me. We went to bed. My husband held me as I laid in the bed and just sobbed. My heart felt broken. I couldn't sleep so I got out of bed to look at the trail map. We were limited in where we could go to hike because we were no longer going to have the rental car to shuttle us from one point to another. For the first time, I looked at the area on the map that was just to the east of where Jane grew up. I found a spot where we could park and hike to the east for several miles to an overlook and then hike back out. There also was another overlook to the west of the parking area.

That is what we would do. We would go back and hike the land where Jane hiked. We would spend our last day walking in her footsteps. 

We had one day to wait. We spent the day driving to some of our favorite spots and exploring new areas around the Cumberland Valley. We'd grown to love the Carlisle, PA area and we realized we probably would not be coming back this way again. It was a very bittersweet day. I felt numb and in a daze. Most of the day was spent in reflective silence as we drove the back roads of the valley. Way back when I first began to think about hiking the trail, I ordered the books and maps for three areas: Northern Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania. I was going to order more books and maps as I needed them. Well, it turns out the original maps were the only ones we were ever going to need.

I always thought we would take each grandchild with us so they could experience section hiking the Appalachian Trail. Now I realized that we would still take each one of them with us, but we would not be exploring new areas in our quest to finish the trail. We would instead take them to the footpaths we walked during this seven year "storm" time in our lives and we would share with them how God used the well-worn footpath of the A.T. to teach us about HIS footpath. We would show them the blazes and teach them the lessons we've learned. We would be sharing with our grandchildren our faith journey, not our Appalachian Trail journey.   

The day for our last hike on the Appalachian Trail finally came. After another wonderful breakfast at the B&B, we headed out. It was my 60th birthday. We found the parking place I found on the map two nights before. We parked the truck and started hiking. It was the rockiest trail we have ever hiked on. We met a hiker who had severely sprained his ankle and was hobbling back to the roadway. He warned us to watch out for poisonous snakes; he had just passed some sunning themselves on the rocks. The trail was like a boulder field. You literally had to carefully place each footstep because of the many irregular shaped and jagged rocks. It was difficult and very slow going, but we finally made it to the overlook. It was nice to rest and look out over the valley below. After eating a snack, we turned around and headed back to the roadway. We picked up another rock to take home. It was settled in our minds, it was time to get off the Appalachian Trail; it was time to move on.

As we crossed the road to hike the trail a short distance to the west, we ran into a gentleman from Ohio who was thru hiking. (Hike it Forward - Dr. D. on the A.T.) We met him south of Duncannon a few days before. We asked him where he was during the storm. We told him we said a prayer for him and the other hikers who were out in it. He said he was on the crest of the mountain and it was very windy, but he thought, "God is my protector," and he rolled over and went to sleep. I love that. When you hike a trail, whether it be the Appalachian Trail or your own personal faith trail, you cannot be afraid or you will not be successful. That doesn't mean you press forward with reckless and foolish abandon. You have to prepare and do your part, but then you have to let go, surrender, and trust. Before Dr. D. took his first step on the A.T. footpath, he hiked more miles than the entire length of the trail (2200+ miles) in preparation for the journey.

We wished Dr. D success on making it to Mount Katadhin, and then we continued on our path. The dense growth of trees suddenly opened up and we could see the sun shining through a clearing in the woods ahead of us. As we got closer to the opening we were stunned by the beauty of the view. Large boulders lay exposed, spilling down the side of the mountain and opening the trail up to a beautiful and stunning 180 degree panoramic view of the valley below us. We sat down on the boulders and gazed out over the valley. We sat there in solitude for at least 45 minutes. We again quoted Psalm 150, Psalm 140, Psalm 1, and Psalm 8. From the mountain top we watched the ravens soaring beneath us, their shadows dancing over the tree tops as they floated over the valley spread out before us. It was just incredibly beautiful. A rooster crowed in the distance. We looked at each other and said, "What a perfect place and way to end our hiking." 

God chose to end our Appalachian Trail journey by showing us that valley experiences are beautiful when you view them from a higher perspective. Incredibly, we learned this new Truth in the exact area Jane would have sat and contemplated the beauty of the Father's hand as well. 

God's new plan for our lives was a total blindside and a tearful process, but we were at peace. We thanked God for giving us such an unexpected gift, and then we got up and walked back to the truck. We walked away and left the trail behind. That chapter of our lives had come to an end.

When we felt God was directing us to begin praying about a New Beginning (in July of 2012), we had no idea that two years later it was going to mean a painful ending. God was letting us know it was time to move on. Following HIS footpath no longer included hiking the Appalachian Trail footpath; the direction of HIS footpath was changing. 

What is going on?

We don't know. As I was writing this entry, three different times I accidentally misspelled the word "trail" and typed "trial" instead. The only other time I can ever recall doing that is when I was writing about The Journey: Part One on July 1st. Following the footpath "trail" of the Appalachian Trail is over, but HIS footpath continues. Maybe God is preparing us for when our seven year "trial" ends and The New Beginning: The Path Unfolds begins.

We are in The Land In-Between—the valley between the mountains—and it is beautiful land. We will continue to wait for the fulfillment of God's promises. The fulfillment of His promises are in the future; the TRUTH of His promises are past tense and written in stone. While we await the fulfillment of His promises, there is no doubt in our mind about the truth of His promises or His faithfulness. He has the power to do what He has promised.

There is almost an excitement in the air. It is a time of celebration! A celebration of the past and the anticipation of a New Beginning. We are ready to move on one step at a time. We believe God is showing us it is time to let go. 

 

Remember where you came from. Look forward. There is a new plan. Embrace the future. 

On the drive home from PA, my husband said he felt it was time to start planning and building the arbor/pavilion with the stone wall and fireplace that will memorialize what the LORD has done. We've always said that when it was the right time, God would let us know. Well, it's the right time. The planning has begun. The rocks, which will be engraved with the scriptures Jane told us to read, are being chosen and the building of the walls will soon begin. We WILL remember. The stories of God's faithfulness WILL be remembered and told.

Addendum: 8/14/14 ~ I've been thinking about something the innkeeper at the Bed and Breakfast said to me. We spent five days staying in their lovely home in Carlisle, PA and on our last day there she said to me, "You are the calmest people we have ever had stay here." You've just read what we were going through at the exact time she viewed us as being calm. And then it hit me, we were calm! We have learned what it means to be calm even in the midst of a storm. NOTHING we go through changes these facts: we are a child of the King of kings and Lord of lords; we are loved by Him; and nothing else matters. Hallelujah! That is enough. That is more than enough.

I say we have learned what it means to be calm at ALL times because it is not something that comes naturally. It ONLY comes when you are willing to learn what it means to be totally surrendered to God and whatever HIS will is for your life. That doesn't mean there is a giddy flippant attitude of reckless nonchalance. It's not that at all. It was a very emotional and difficult time trying to understand the change of course and God's new plan for our lives, but at NO TIME did we ever feel alone, abandoned, abused, or neglected by our Savior. We trust HIM—period. And that is what gives us the ability to remain calm and have peace in ALL circumstances, whatever they may be.

Addendum #2: 8/15/14 ~ Well... we've just had another opportunity to feel God's calm in the midst of difficult situations. Last afternoon, around 5:00 p.m., a pickup pulled into our drive and delivered us unbelievable news. They are in the initial phase of planning a gas trunk line through our property. What?? Where on earth did this come from? It was the first time we were aware that a trunk line was even being considered. The installation of a new trunk line would swallow up a large section of land and would have a serious impact on our business.

We called our son to tell him what was going on. Then he told us about his horrible day. One of our tractors came within seconds of burning to the ground. Literally. Our son had to shovel a tremendous amount of dirt onto the tracks in an intense situation to save it from being destroyed. His hand was burned, but otherwise the LORD protected his health. The damage to the tractor appears to be minimal in comparison to what it could have been.

If that wasn't enough, this morning a live tree broke off about five feet above the ground and fell from the east to the west on one of our buildings causing several thousands of dollars in damage, even though there was no wind, no storm, and the tree was alive, solid, and healthy. 

BUT—understand this!!! We will not give up, give in, or give out. God has provided for us in the past, and HE will provide for us in the future. Our faith is in HIM! We will continue on. I am SO thankful and grateful for how we have all handled all that is coming our way. There is certain evidence that we aren't who we used to be. We aren't lying awake at night, we don't feel stress, and we aren't anxious. Not because of any skill or effort of our own. No. It is ONLY because of the change in our hearts. A decision to follow Christ—no matter what. I fully believe that God will soon be showing us how He is going to "uphold the cause of the needy."  The opposition heats up the closer it comes to God getting ALL the honor and glory for ALL He has done and will do.

Even through all of this, we still have the peace of God and the calmness that comes from knowing you are on HIS footpath. I was thinking about that this morning. IF ONLY people could understand this in whatever difficulties they are facing. It isn't a trial. It is an opportunity!  It is a trail to follow. Don't try to pray your "trials" away. Prayer is vital in humbling ourselves before Him and in surrendering our will to His will, but many people "use" prayer to try to avoid whatever trial or pain they are facing. As a result, important learning opportunities are missed. 

Face your "trial"! Embrace the trail! Surrender to His path!! Follow His lead!!!

Addendum #3: October 2014 ~ A few months after I wrote this entry and the subsequent updates, God began to reveal why we were to let go of the past, look forward, and embrace the future. No wonder there was so much opposition happening in our personal lives. The enemy was trying to create confusion and discouragement. Praise the Lord, his tactics didn't work!! See: LORD – What Am I to Do?


Next Entry: II Chronicles 11:18 – 15:19 

The Lost Chapters: Preview

July 02, 2014

When my private journals became entangled in "the storm," I lost all confidence in my future writings remaining private. As a result, I quit writing in my journals for a period of time. I continued my Bible readings, but I quit writing. That is why my journal entries (The Journey: Part One) ended on November 08, 2010 with what I wrote about II Chronicles 10:1 – 11:17 and didn't begin again until November 26, 2010.

When I summoned the courage to begin writing again, I started with where I was reading—Ezra. Because I wasn't sure if my journals would remain private in the future, for several months I was very cautious about what I put down in writing. As time went along, I once again opened up and shared my thoughts and feelings. In August of 2013, I completed my journey of reading through the Bible while keeping a journal. I then began to record my journal entries into Blogger.

When it was time to enter II Chronicles 11:17 – II Chronicles 36:23, I realized those chapters were missing from my journals. I had totally forgotten about skipping a section of II Chronicles during my hiatus from writing. I now call the missing section: The Lost Chapters. It is the only part of the Bible I have not completed.

I don't remember any of the specifics or the contents of these chapters. It will be interesting to read and see what God has to say in these chapters and/or what He wants to remind us of as we are approaching the seven year anniversary of "the storm."  

My handwritten journal entries for this section will be in my last journal (Journal #13), following what I wrote about Revelations. After I finish reading and writing about this section, I will enter The Lost Chapters in chronological order in Blogger. 

I had totally forgotten about these chapters; I can't wait to find out what is in them.


Next Entry: The Land In-Between

The Journey: Part One

July 01, 2014

When I began keeping a journal on November 16, 2009, I thought I was just being obedient in following the LORD's footpath and keeping a personal record of my thoughts, feelings, and what I was learning while reading through the Bible. I never could have imagined—even in my wildest dreams—that one year later my private journey through the Bible would end up being caught up in "the storm." NEVER!!

Because the judge temporarily reopened the discovery time of the lawsuit, and because journals were listed as a discoverable item, my private journals from Genesis – II Chronicles 10:17, had to be made available to the very people who were seeking our ruin and financial destruction—my sister and brother-in-law. My private thoughts, prayers, and feelings were going to be read and dissected by people who were trying to destroy us. It felt like my worse nightmare and a violation of my privacy. I couldn't believe what was happening.

My sister and brother-in-law did indeed dissect my writings. They declared me homicidal, emotionally unstable and irrational. They (and their lawyer) claimed to be scared of what I might do and threatened to take out a restraining order against me. They took bits and pieces of my writings and tried to make it look as if I was unbalanced and radical enough to seek their harm. All of their claims were nonsense; just another one of their stop-at-nothing attempts to further their agenda.

For a period of time I regretted keeping a journal. I questioned myself. Why? Why did I start a journal?!? If only I wouldn't have started a journal. Why?? As time passed, I began to realize what felt like my worst nightmare was actually part of God's Sovereign plan.

What felt like a nightmare turned into an amazing gift. Sometimes we don't know what we don't know. God knew I needed to be given a voice. During a lawsuit all communication stops. Everything I couldn't verbally say to my sister, was written in my journals. There was no anger—only peace even in the midst of "the storm." There was no revenge—just total surrender to God and His will for our lives. My journals—full of God's words about the importance of repentance, the reoccurring theme of change your heart and lives, the contrast between blessing and curses, and my prayers and concerns for their spiritual condition—was put directly into their hands. God, in His Sovereignty gave me a voice to express my heart-felt thoughts in an unexpected way. It was written without any pretenses and left nothing unsaid. It released my mercy giving heart and my empathetic tendencies from any unsettling feelings caused by the lack of communication. Anything I would have ever wanted to say to my sister was included in my journals. 

Thank you, LORD, for giving me the gift of sharing my voice. Thank you for providing the way for my spirit to be released from any feelings of sadness over the loss of a relationship with my sister.  

The Journey: Part One – My journal entries* from Genesis to II Chronicles 10:17.

*2020 Update: For privacy reasons, I decided to remove from Blogger the portions of my handwritten journals which included private details about my sister and brother-in-law's lives, their behaviors and actions, and the lawsuit they filed. The ugly details are not what is important. HIS Story is not about them—HIS Story is about our journey while following HIS footpath and how the amazing Hand of God protected us from them.  

*****

My husband and I are going to take some much deserved time off. In three days we are going to head out and hike another section of the Appalachian Trail. I am so excited to step foot on that well worn footpath once again. Part of the area we will be seeing and hiking is close to the area where Jane (Her Name Was Jane) lived and walked. How cool is that? The Appalachian Trail, the first thing that linked Jane and myself together, and where the whole analogy of following God on His footpath began.

The last time we were able to go and hike the trail was two years ago; our 2012 trip to the Appalachian Trail in Pennsylvania was an eventful trip. While we were driving out to PA. my husband and I spent the entire time reflecting on the many, many ways God's Hand had already protected us and guided us while on our "the storm" faith journey. It was during this same trip that I understood for the very first time that the Appalachian Trail was an integral part of God's overall plan. What I thought was solely my idea wasn't—it was God's. That trip is also where we unexpectedly knew we were to begin praying about The New Beginning.

As I began to type this paragraph, I accidentally misspelled the word "trail" and I typed "trial" instead. Interesting. I never thought about that before. An innocent switch of two letters becomes a profound thought.

We have a choice on how we are going to view the difficulties we face in life. We can choose to view them as a "trial"—something to endure, or we can choose to view it as a "trail"—an opportunity to follow God's lead on HIS footpath for our lives. 

The Appalachian Trail and the "trail" God has planned for our lives are both footpaths with a goal. The summit of Mount Katahdin in Maine is the goal for those who step on the Appalachian Trail footpath at Springer Mountain in Georgia. Heaven is the terminus for all those who step on the footpath of following Christ, and who by faith have confessed their sins and accepted the sacrifice of Jesus Christ as the Lamb of God. The footpath of the Appalachian Trail journey and the footpath of a faith journey bear striking similarities with important life lessons for all of us to learn.

• Footpaths can sometimes be strenuous, narrow, rocky, and steep. Hold on! The stressful times will pass. Keep things in perspective. The path will not always remain so treacherous. It will level out again.  
• Long and difficult footpaths can be emotionally challenging. There are feelings of euphoria and accomplishment as we summit high mountains and periods of discouragement and frustration as we steeply descend into a valley. At other times our journey may almost feel like a "PUD" (Pointless Up and Down), neither reaching the height of a mountain nor the depth of the valley. Stick with it! You can learn to find joy in spite of your circumstances and you will soon discover that nothing in life is pointless.
• Along your footpath there will be obstacles and barriers to face. Large boulders, wild animals, poisonous snakes, downed trees, rivers, annoying insects, and sometimes even threatening people. Be careful. Be patient. Take one step at a time. A meandering brook can be crossed on stepping stones. A dangerous river requires a lifeline. Learn to know the difference. Accept help when it is needed. Grab onto a lifeline and don't let go.  
• Footpaths teach you that even with good planning unexpected things can happen. There are times you feel vulnerable and exposed with no place to take cover. Like a sudden pop-up summer storm with flashes of lightning and rolls of thunder, unexpected events can catch you off guard. Remain calm. Remember Who is in control. The storm will pass and whispers of hope can be found in the calm gentle breezes. 
• Sometimes the footpath is stifling hot and dry, your throat is parched, and the earth seems like barren land. Don't quit. Keep going—the troubled times are only a season. Rain will once again replenish the earth and springs of cool water will flow again. What looked barren will once again become a lush carpet of green in due time.
• At times your footpath and the battles you face may feel crushingly lonely. At other times you crave the solitude and you are mesmerized by the serene peacefulness as you walk alone and commune with the Creator of all things. 
• Your footpath journey may seem confusing and not well marked. Sometimes the fog is dense and the path seems obscure and difficult. You aren't sure which way to go or what you should do as you try to discern your way. Seek out help if needed. Eat, sleep, and rest your body, mind and soul. Suddenly the fog lifts, your thinking becomes clear, and the path before you is visible and well marked again. 
• At times the journey may seem monotonous, like you are walking through an endless green tunnel with no end in sight. Keep the faith! The green tunnel won't last forever; when you least expect it the tunnel opens up and an overlook suddenly comes into view. The panoramic views of the beautiful valley beneath you and birds floating on the air streams below you reminds you that valley experiences are beautiful when viewed from a mountain top. 
• Footpaths that lead into the deep wilderness and the unknown can be frightening. Learn to have faith and learn what it means to trust. There are blazes (God's Word) that will guide the way. Take comfort in knowing that it is a well-worn narrow path and that you are following in the footsteps of others who have gone before you. 
• Pay attention. Keep your eyes on the path. Don't become complacent. It is easy to become distracted, fall, get off course, or lose your way. Stay alert. Make corrections. If you've lost your way—STOP—turn around and go back to where you got off track. Find the fork in the road, get on the right path, and begin your journey again. 
• A journey can seem long, never ending, and impossible to finish. Don't look too far ahead. A trail of 2200 miles is really just a continuation of many small steps. Take that first step. Take the next step. And the next step. Keep moving forward. You will eventually reach your goal.
• No one else can walk your journey for you. Others may walk beside you, but only you can walk your journey. You truly do have to "hike your own hike."
• Be thankful for the "trail angels" who show up unexpectedly and provide you with welcome relief and replenishment for your worn out body, spirit, and soul. 

You soon learn that following the Appalachian Trail or the trail God has designed for your life isn't for the faint of heart. It takes commitment mentally, spiritually, emotionally, and physically. There may be times you trip and fall. Get back up—and press on. There may be times you lose your way. Retrace your steps—and press on. There may be large obstacles in your way. Climb over them—and press on. There may be days when you feel like you just can't take one more step. Refuse to quit—and press on. There may be times when someone sets a trap for you along your path. Remember whose footpath you are on—and press on. Trust Him. Have faith. The battle is His, not yours. Follow His lead. Keep going. Complete the journey. Press on. 

When you are Walking On His Footpath (Following the Master's Lead), the final rewards FAR outweigh any temporary hardships. Remember: The hardships we face are TEMPORARY when we view them through eternity's lenses; the valley times in our lives are BEAUTIFUL when viewed from a mountain top.  

The decision has been made. The stake is in the ground. What we are facing is not an impossible and insurmountable trial. It is a TRAIL! It is a blessed opportunity to follow HIS lead! We are on HIS footpath and we will follow it wherever it leads.


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