A couple of weeks ago, I went hiking in the Canyon with some friends. Honestly, I wasn’t planning to go, but I felt a nudge from the Holy Spirit urging me to join. I had concerns about the heat, and all the “what-ifs” that clutter our minds. I should have known better, especially after my last experience when the Holy Spirit led me to an estate sale where I realized that everyone was concerned with material things, but not with Jesus (you can read about that in my blog, “A Divine Detour: Embracing the Only Thing That Matters”).
We arrived at the Canyon bright and early—so early, in fact, that the trail we intended to hike was still closed. But instead of turning back, we ignored the huge green gate that clearly said “closed” and walked past it. How often do we do that in life? How often do we pass over what God is telling us, pretending not to see it? I know I’m guilty of this, often wanting more confirmation, seeking reassurance that it's truly God leading and not just me.
As we walked the trail, the morning was beautiful and peaceful. But as the sun climbed higher, it got hotter, and our destination seemed further away. It’s like that in life, isn’t it? We start our journey with God full of excitement, but as the journey continues, we lose focus. We start fixating on the destination rather than the One leading us. We take our eyes off Jesus and begin to focus on what we lack, and the pressures of life weigh us down, making us want to quit. So, we stop. And when we stop, the journey takes even longer.
Finally, we arrived at our destination—or so we thought. We could see it, but we still had to climb to the top! Sometimes in life, we can see the destination, but there’s still an obstacle in our way. In those moments, we have two choices: we can either break down or break through. We can say, “I’ve come this far, I’m going to keep climbing!” The journey may be hard, but you’ve come too far to quit. It’s time to build endurance. Keep your eyes on Jesus. He will help you climb, guiding you with every step.
We made it to the top, but little did I know that wasn’t the true summit. There was more to climb to reach the very top. Sometimes we reach a level that feels like our destination, but we can’t settle there because God has more in store for us. We have to make that extra climb to experience the fullness of what God has planned and truly appreciate the journey.
Finally, we reached the top of the top! We arrived at our full destination. This was a Shift Worthy moment when you look back at all God has done for you, cry tears of joy, and just breathe. Mount Worthy is a beautiful place! You can stay there as long as you want, but eventually, you have to come down.
At that point, we had two choices: we could go back down the way we came, or we could go over the edge and try something new, something unexperienced. Naturally, I wanted to go back the safe way because I was scared. But instead, I followed the crazy tour guides I was with. The way down was rocky, full of slides, slips, and cactus—honestly, I’m sure I saw a dinosaur or two! I was unsure, but we eventually made it down to the bottom, only to find no trail in sight, no safe place to walk, one protein bar, and very little water left. Sometimes in life, God calls us to go over the edge, to take a leap of faith into the unknown. It might not make sense to our friends or family, but if God is calling us, we have to trust Him and go on the adventure of faith.
Instead of staying at the bottom, my adventurous guides led us up another mini mountain, and I struggled every step of the way. There were more slides, more crazy jumps—thank goodness I’d done mobility exercises that week! We finally reached the top, and I devoured my protein bar. I was hot, low on water, and feeling lost and hopeless. But in those moments, that’s when we’re invited to cling to Jesus even more. His way isn’t always easy, but it’s always worth it.
Minutes later, we slid down that mini mountain, made it to the bottom, navigated through a field of cactus, and eventually found our trail. God likes to take us on these kinds of adventures because that’s where our faith is strengthened, and we are tested. It’s hard in the moment, but when you finally see that trail again, you appreciate it so much more. You realize the pruning was necessary to transform you into a new person. You had no choice but to cling to Jesus, and now, you have a deeper relationship with Him.
As we walked back down the trail, it was hot, and we were out of water, but there was a peace, a joy that was indescribable. When you walk with God, even when the journey requires giving up things while He prunes you, there’s a peace that surpasses understanding.
We made it back to the parking lot to find emergency vehicles, park rangers, and—thank you, Jesus—iced water! We were an hour late coming off the trail and got a safety talk (well, really, I got the talk; the others left!). There had been an incident earlier—a girl on the same trail had gotten dehydrated and had low blood sugar. Not everyone will understand your journey of faith, especially those closest to you. They want to keep you safe, which is understandable, but true disciples follow Jesus, not people, even when they’re blood-related.
It was a crazy adventure, but God kept us safe, provided for us, and no one was eaten by a dinosaur. It was the adventure I needed to prepare me for what was coming next… Stay tuned!
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