Day 1 Hike

When I was a little girl, my daddy would occasionally take me for a hike in the woods. He would pull on vines and then cut the secure ones so Lori and I could swing on them. On occasion daddy would take me squirrel hunting. Given my propensity for talking, we didn’t see many squirrels, and given my inability to handle or deal with my cross-eye dominancy, my aim was not too great. During any of our trips, daddy would point out all of the different animal tracks and label the animal noises we heard. Now we couldn’t believe ALL the stories daddy told us, but those trips in the woods created a love of being in the woods with nature.

I have had the opportunity to go to the woods for a couple of weekends in September. One was my birthday present from my husband, and the other was a get-away for me and my husband. Each time I hiked the trails at Lake D’Arbonne. When I went by myself, I had actually invited a few people to go with me, but none made it. I could have chosen to get my feelings hurt, but I rather believe it was God’s way of saying He wanted my undivided attention. That was fine with me.

I left Thursday after work, and Friday morning I laid in bed reading Scripture for an hour or so. My confession is that my heart had become callous having been distracted by those around me and events in my life. And so He began chiseling away reminding me of who He is…Sovereign Lord, Lord God Almighty, the Judge, the Father, the Creator and the Restorer. He leads. He guides. He directs. He overcomes. My job? My job was to give over my hardened heart, my hurt heart, my calloused heart. My job was to draw near to Him, to worship Him, to repent. His pleasure, His desire to restore and heal me, His daughter.

So I strapped on my tennis shoes and ear buds and plugged into Pandora’s Christian rock station, and I started my hike. The most purifying, cleansing hike ever. I was singing, worshipping God Almighty, sweat pouring from every pore, tears flowing down my face. Stopping from time to time to raise my face, my arms, my hands to heaven to sing His praise – Amazing grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me I once was lost but now I'm found was blind but now i see so clearly. Hallelujah, grace like rain falls down on me. Hallelujah, all my stains are washed away, washed away.
No one there but me and God and the critters. There was great freedom in that. There was great freedom in breaking down and getting real and honest with God, with myself.

Nothing happening but God shining down on me, wrapping me in His arms, singing over me as I sing to Him through my tears. He’s gently but thoroughly scraping away the callouses of my heart. Pouring His grace, love and mercy over me. No other place I would want to be. No other place I needed to be.

Then sings my souls my Savior God to Thee, how great Thou art, how great Thou art!