A Way Through

So, over Columbus Day weekend, my good friend Carla and I did a hike up this mountain.

It was a great hike and I was so happy to share the day and the trail with my friend/sister-in-Christ.

Towards the beginning of the trail, after we signed in at the trail register, there was an older man with a chainsaw.  I asked if he was working for the NYS Environmental Conservation Dept. He said no, he was a camper (we had seen his and his wife's camper on the way in) and likes to "give back" to the Adirdondack Mountains by doing things that are needed on the trails.  

The log pictured above was lying across the trail and he was sawing it...he said that by the time we were done with our climb, we wouldn't have to walk over the log....it would be split in two.  

I appreciate that camper.  There is a lot of "blow-down" in the mountains . (blow-down refers to significant damage due to storms that occur in the mountains/woods...when large trees and branches block the trail) And the NYS workers can't always get to every trail, especially the more remote ones.  Sometimes the various hiking clubs do maintenance work but again, it is rare for every single trail to be completely free of  blow-down.

On the way back down the trail, and upon coming to the log, here is what we saw:

trail up Vanderwhacker Mt
Central Adirondacks

A clear path through the forest!  The Vanderwhacker Mt Wild Forest is beautiful.  And very remote.  There are a lot of forest paths that are full of downed trees and branches. Even the brook we had to cross was tricky as at a couple of points, the bridge was washed away or there was no bridge so we had to rock-hop.  

This log reminded me of when obstacles come on our life journey.  Perhaps there are numerous trials you are facing.....hindering your faith walk, or making you stumble.........and as Christians we are not exempt from the storms of life!

How do we walk through it?  How do we walk through those times of uncertainty and the storms that life brings?

I look back on my life and at age 54 I can see where God's Hand has been....on my walk, my husband's walk, my 2 daughters' walk........

I think of the storm raging in my soul when things just weren't right in a church we were in.....when  I think back to that time, I wish I had handled things a little differently yet I see where God had us.....He allowed us to feel certain things for our own growth.......although it felt like we were stumbling along with all of these roadblocks, He was actually preparing us to be in a better place......and He was showing us His faithfulness in providing to us a healthy, new church.  That is just one example of many, where we walked (as a family) through a rough time...along a rough trail...only to find a clear outcome.

Do you turn to God when you are faced with obstacles??  It is through Christ that we gain our strength...........

our strength to keep going............

to make a way through............