When Mountains Don’t Move

I know mountains. I’ve gazed at their beauty from a distance. I’ve skied down them. I’ve driven the winding roads to the top of them and embraced the beauty from the top looking down. And I know MOUNTAINS -- those vast, enormous obstacles and circumstances that seem beyond overwhelming.

We think that if only these mountains were removed, our lives might be more peaceful. But, there must be mountains to appreciate the valleys. And perhaps, God, in all His wisdom, is wanting us to scale those mountains. He is wanting us to hike up those mountains for a “mountain-top experience” where we are refreshed, restored, nourished, and where we receive divine revelation. His revelation is always intended to grow our faith, strengthen our resolve, and equip us to take on any mountain that may be standing in our way.

I sang along as my car radio played Lauren Daigle's “I Will Trust in You” song. I meant the words as I belted them out with her:
“When You don't move the mountains I'm needing You to move; When You don't part the waters I wish I could walk through;;
When You don't give the answers as I cry out to You;
I will trust, I will trust, I will trust in You”

It’s difficult to trust someone when they’ve let us down by mistakes they made and we wonder if we can ever trust them again. Oh, but not so with our God. He is dependable, true, honest, unwavering, loving and faithful in all His ways. So when our mountains aren’t moving, we can do but one thing – trust in He Who knows best. Father knows best.

I speak from firsthand experience…..again. Through the heartaches, amazingly, I experienced more of God’s love. It’s unlike anything the world can offer. Sure, I’ve cried and even had some wailing times, but God extended strength, peace, and joy during the difficult times. Only God, the Creator of all good things, could have carried me through those times.

Do you ever stop to consider God’s point of view when you’re going through a hard time? He’s a good, loving Father. He could have changed circumstances with a snap of his holy fingers, but He decided on the slow – let her "trust in Me" grow-times. I can see clearly now. He wanted me to share my story with others who have experienced pain, loss and disappointment. Maybe He saw how it all would strengthen my faith and the faith of others. Maybe He saw how He would be glorified.

And, maybe, God intervenes more than I realize, maybe, more than we all realize, and maybe God might have prohibited a situation from happening that would have been even more difficult. I sure don’t know it all, but I do know I just need to trust my good, loving Father. Whether it seems big or small, God cares and desires to reveal His love for you. Let’s trust God, even when our plans don’t seem to align with His.

The Curiosity and Wonder of a Child

The Curiosity and Wonder of a Child
This post was inspired by a friend who explained how she was off and running, after her baby started walking and was getting into EVERYTHING! Our lives come in stages. The first stage is infancy when that precious newborn can only cry, sleep, eat and provide reasons for diapers – lots of them. At first, he can only detect light and motion and after about a month, he can make eye contact and focus on objects about 12 inches away. But when his full vision comes to be, a whole new world is opened to him. His is the world of curiosity and adventure as he reaches and puts his little hands on everything. In fact, he is so curious that we have to cover our electric sockets because those little fingers want to discover what those holes are all about. Curiosity and wonder are inbred in this little one. Then he starts to walk. This is the sweetest, yet often concerning times for his parents, as my friend shared: “What’s he going to get into next? Oh my goodness – he pulled all the toilet paper off the roll! He's eating the dog's food!” Then he starts to talk and soon is asking questions. Remember those little ones asking “What's that? Why? Why is the sky blue?” “Why does the dog bark?”

He’s curious, inquisitive, wondering AND wandering. Oh, to be filled with curiosity and a sense of wonder and awe again – like those little ones! Don’t you know that is something that God wants for us, as His children, to embrace again? We who have lived several decades know what it is to become busy with life and pressing needs like food, water and shelter so we leave little room for curiosity, being inquisitive and finding wonder. We know what it is to make mistakes, so we become a little gun-shy (cautious) with life, instead of giving our curiosity full reign to being spontaneous to new adventures, asking questions, and seeking new ways of doing things. That’s not the case with children. The future is wide open for them, and they seem to know it. Wide-eyed with wonder, filled with potential, they are ready to see the possibilities all around them. Unhindered by the past, they are free to wake up each morning with enthusiasm and delight for what this day holds.

That’s the childlike spirit that God wants for all of us. God doesn’t us to think we are too old, too wounded, too limited, too whatever. Adventure awaits us when we take off the restraints of complacency. May we become curious again. May we seek and find treasures in friends who have knowledge and a wealth of wisdom to share. There are exciting places to go and things to do. Our Father has great plans for us. It’s up to us to run into that future with all the confidence of a little child!
Matthew 18:2-4 “Jesus called a little child to him. He stood the child before the followers. Then he said, “I tell you the truth. You must change and become like little children. If you don’t do this, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. The greatest person in the kingdom of heaven is the one who makes himself humble like this child.”

Joy of Life Bandwagon

I'm still on the joy-of-life bandwagon to help others (those who get all caught up in the seriousness and practical demands of life) get back the joy of life.They get focused on making a living and they succumb to everyday routine. They forget the child within them and they lose a lot of the flavor and spice of life. They don’t stop to smell the roses, to be struck with wonder anymore, like they did as children.

And, then there are those of us who NEVER forget, who keep that youthful pleasure and joy of life alive throughout the entire length of their lives. I'm purposing to be one of those. I love being silly with my grandkids. I love belly laughing with them. I love going to movies with them, swimming with them, fishing with them, playing badminton with them, racing them to see who can win (once upon a time, I let them win -- not any more -- but I at least put forth the effort - LOL).

And, I love being a part of a community that feels the way I do. We play pickleball, tennis, we run, walk, and work out regularly. We take great joy in play. Yes, that’s right. We still play with the gusto that is most natural to kids. Play is purposeful. Its end is joy. We are showing others a clear wisdom about life. We love life and the gift of joy that is possible to have. Life is a gift to be celebrated.

And, here's the truth of the matter -- none of us are free from life’s tragedies, pressures, or even suffering. We have known the sorrow of loss, the fears and challenges of illness, but none of this has crushed our child-like playfulness. We are proving that true happiness can even be experienced in the midst of life’s challenges.

We are showing how to be more like the “little children” that Jesus said we must be more like in order to enter the Kingdom of God. I think if you watch us, and listen to our words and attitudes, you just may learn something about how to live life fully, with great joy and gusto, too! Ready to get on the joy-of-life bandwagon with me?