Hawksbill Loop Trail – Deep Thoughts & Little Happenings

October 22, 2020October 22, 2020

Growing Through the Hard Places, Wicked Winds, and Broken Places

Today’s Scripture Passage:

Jeremiah 29:4-14

Key Verse:

If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me. Jeremiah 29:13 (NLT)

I’ve always been fascinated by trees. It doesn’t matter the season. Full of leaves, bare, green or decked in an array of colors. Trees are beautiful. They grow in all sorts of climates and terrain. Their differences are beyond numbering (for me anyway).

Trails are a great place to see trees and witness just how tenacious they are when it comes to living.

Lost Mountain Trail in Sky Meadow State Park – September 15, 2020

Trees are unbelievably persistent in their efforts to reach the light and water they need to live.

Thornberry Loop Trail in Manassas National Battlefield Park – September 27, 2020

Some are clinging to the soil, others reaching into the water.

Fern Hollow Loop in Bull Run Mountain Natural Area Preserve – October 9, 2020

Some have faced destructive disease or pestilence.

Stoney Man to Little Stoney Man Loop Trail in Shenandoah National Park – October 15, 2020

Some twist and turn their way toward sunlight while others push their way through and around huge rocks.

Thornberry Loop Trail in Manassas National Battlefield

Each of these trees are a beautiful example of how I can be spiritually healthy no matter my circumstances or location. First, I must remember:

Jesus is the Light.

Jesus is the Living Water.

Just as trees need water and light, I need Jesus. He’s the Light and the Water I need. He’s the Giver of life to all of us!

In today’s scriptures, Jeremiah is talking to the people of Israel about how they are to live in bondage to Babylon under the rule of King Nebuchadnezzar. He was a cruel king and there was nothing wonderful about being taken from their homes and made to live in this foreign land under his rule. They were facing adversity!

The promise in verse 13 requires participation. We’re to look for the LORD wholeheartedly. Not for a little bit or halfheartedly. We’re to be as tenacious in looking for the LORD as a tree is in seeking water and light.

What’s the promise for those who wholeheartedly look for the LORD? We will find Him. It’s the old testament equivalent to what Jesus said, “Seek and you will find.”

I think these trees perfectly illustrate the wholehearted looking for described in these verses. They persevere in their search for water and light. They know they need both to live and they don’t let anything stop them from finding the light and water they need.

So, although this is not a new verse for me, it has me evaluating my life. I’m asking some tough questions of myself and I invite you to ask them of yourself as well.

—What do I spend my time and energy trying to find? Am I wholeheartedly looking for Jesus?

—Who or what am I expecting to sustain me through the difficult times of my life? Am I placing unreal expectations on someone in hopes they’ll give me what only Jesus can give?

—Am I making excuses for not following Jesus and His ways? Am I blaming my locality? My circumstance? Others? Am I pointing to the adversities meant to strengthen me as a reason for not living the abundant life I’m created to live? Do I compromise and miss out on all the benefits?

—When the struggle gets intense, do I turn to Jesus, cast my cares on Him, and allow Him to help me through the struggle? Or do I turn to the distraction of busy-ness, eating, exercise, mind-numbing entertainment, or something else to make me feel better or give me the illusion of control?

—Do I see and acknowledge the beauty emerging from my struggle? Am I learning to release my worries and receive His peace? Am I growing in the joy of living and trusting Jesus through it all?

LORD, we’re so thankful to be citizens of Your Kingdom. We’re thank You for the privilege of being your representative in the foreign land we live in now. Help us to grow in our relationship with You, so we will represent You well. Give us compassion and courage and teach us to love those around us as You love them. We want to love as citizens of Heavens and not citizens of this world!

Digging Deeper:

John 1:1-5, John 10:10, Romans 5:3-5, Philippians 3:7-16, James 1:2-4

If you have not yet met Jesus, you can meet Him today. He created you. He loves you. He wants you to be a part of His family. I encourage you to step into the life He created you to live. You will still have the troubles of this world, but you will no longer be facing them alone. I’m praying for you! https://peacewithgod.net/mobile/?utm_source=Microsoft&utm_medium=CPC&utm_term=HowToGoToHeaven&utm_campaign=USPWGMobileSearchMic

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, a Division of Tyndale House Ministries, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

October 15, 2020October 15, 2020

I Was Just Trying To Help!

Today’s Scripture Passage:

Matthew 7:1-5

Key Verse:

How can you think of saying to your friend, ‘Let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,’ when you can’t see past the log in your own eye? Matthew 7:4 (NLT)

I started paying extra attention to the numbers of downed trees on the trails after reading these verses in Matthew.

Notice how these trees are cut at both sides of the trail’s edge to create a passageway.

Pictures taken by George on the Bull Run Mountain Fern Hollow Loop Trail – October 9, 2020

These were left uncut and create an obstacle course.

Picture taken by George on the Hawksbill Gap Loop Trail – October 2, 2020

Jesus was talking to the people about what happens when we try to help others before letting Him remove the log of sin from our own eye.

Jesus created a vivid word picture of terrible pain, struggle, and abuse with His words!

Read the key verse again…

How can you think of saying to your friend, ‘Let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,’ when you can’t see past the log in your own eye?

This verse is what prompted me to take the following picture during a hike on the Thornberry House Loop Trail. I wanted to “see” what it would be like to have a log protruding from my eye. I set my camera on the cut end of the log and snapped the picture.

Imagine with me…

This log is lodged in your eye. It’s protruding outward. Imagine the pain. Notice how little you can see. Consider the damage you inflict on everyone around you.

Sin fills our vision and hinders our ability to see and follow Jesus.

Sin creates division and distance between us and others.

Sin grows when left unchecked.

Every relationship is affected when we have a log of sin painfully embedded in our eye.

Digging Deeper:

Psalm 51:7-13, Psalm 139: 23-24, Luke 11:34-36, John 3:17-21, Romans 12:1-5, Galatians 5:14-15 & 24-26, James 1:13-15 James 4:17, 1 John 1:9, 1 John 5:17,

October 8, 2020October 8, 2020

Pressing On in Adversity with No Comparison!

Today’s Scripture Passage:

Colossians 1:3-20

Key Verse:

We also pray that you will be strengthened with all his glorious power so you will have all the endurance and patience you need. May you be filled with joy, Colossians 1:11 (NLT)

George and I hiked the Hawksbill Loop Trail last Friday. It’s not overly long and the elevation changes are not extreme, but plenty of challenge for us. We’d been walking a while when we came upon a sign I’d not seen posted on any of our previous hikes.

Have you every wondered about the “why” behind an instruction? Well, we didn’t have to go much further up the trail before we understood the reason for this sign.

The path ahead was all rocks!

I had to pick my way across a rock only surface. It was the only way forward. The rocks rose up the mountain to my left, and the rocks dropped down the mountain to my right.

I was about halfway across the first portion of the 300 yard “Off-trail use prohibited” section when I began to realize the precariousness of my position.

The reality of what could happen if I lost my footing flashed through my mind.

I’ll state the obvious; we didn’t fall.

In fact, we even enjoyed a bit of silly fun as we pressed on toward the summit.

It’s a Hollow Tree!
Or is it a Holy Tree?
Sorry, I couldn’t help myself.

The rewards for our efforts and perseverance were great.

Not only did we enjoy some beautiful views, but completing the trail brought with it an unbelievable sense of satisfaction and confidence.

View from Bird’s Nest just a half mile below the Summit

Okay, let’s switch gears a minute and take a look at our friends’ hike.

They hiked the Dark Hollow and Rose River Loop Trail the Monday before our Friday hike. It’s another SNP trail, but it’s a MUCH more difficult trail to hike. It’s twice as long, and the elevation changes are three times those of the trail we hiked.

Kim wrote, “It was misty and foggy going in, and the name, Dark Hollow Falls, made it even more fun.”

Kim honestly shared the hardship of traversing the wet, slippery, and very steep downhill trail to the falls. Her desire for it to be over grew as her strength and stamina was challenged.

She and Jeff enjoyed being together and seeing the beauty of multiple waterfalls up close and personal.

**Pictures taken and story shared by Kim Barker after she and Jeff hiked the**
**SNP Dark Hollow & Rose River Loop Trail on September 28, 2020**

As Kim and I emailed one another about our hikes, I kept thinking about the differences in us and in the paths we hiked. The more I thought about it, the more I felt the LORD pressing me to understand, learn, and apply those lessons to my daily walk with Him and others. So here are some of the things I learned…

My path will be different than yours; your path will be different than mine.

The length will vary according to the number of days the LORD gives us.

We’ll meet different people and may even walk with some of the same people more than once in a lifetime.

The pains and heartaches we endure may be similar, but they will impact, influence and inspire us differently.

Our challenges will most definitely be more than we can handle alone; each will require us to trust Jesus. Trust Him to equip us with everything we need and lead us safely to our trail’s end.

We can be sure we’ll grow weary. We may even consider giving up, but

When we press on…

Our trust in Jesus grows as we witness His faithfulness all along the way.

We learn to recognize His presence and His goodness right smack dab in the middle of the hardest places of our lives.

We gain strength, stamina, and steadfastness of spirit.

We learn to be gracious with ourselves and others.

We understand and we acknowledge our unique personalities and physical characteristics create different places of struggle for each of us, even when facing similar circumstances.

We genuinely celebrate the accomplishments and success of others.

And, we tell the story of the trail we’ve traveled with Jesus. We encourage others to be Jesus-followers too; no matter where He leads them and without looking back.

Digging Deeper:

Matthew 11:28-30, Ephesians 2:1-10, Philippians 3:13-15