Walk Slowly Down the Mountain

Time to head home. Today ends a restful week my soul so desperately needed...beyond what I would have ever thought. I am so grateful for a church that allows me to be nourished in such a way, and a family that "covers" for me interrupting their lives to love and care for my children.

God has been teaching, loving, and ministering to me so sweetly this week. Today, on my last walk of the week He summed it all up.

WALK SLOWLY DOWN THE MOUNTAIN


The hills here are tough. Climbing them on the walk back to the room makes the Thigh Master seem like a warm up activity. It is easy to walk slowly up the mountain isn't it? It demands that you lean into it, shorten your stride, and take your time. When life it really overwhelming, tragedy strikes, or struggles appear in relationships...we know to slow down, lean into them and walk carefully through.

But downhill, that's a different story. When I'm going downhill, everything about it calls me to speed up! Embrace the pace and get down in record time! I love racing for a record...especially when I was younger. Speed, Speed...who am I kidding, I still like it. But running downhill causes me to miss the beauty all around me. The views, the glory of the decent, the sounds and sights. It's also harder. It burns a little to walk slowly, it almost feels unnatural. Stopping and running...that feels natural, not going slowly. That's what God's calling me to though...and I want it.

My kids are both on the short side of calling the place we dwell home. I am wired to run through life, press on so hard that I hope they keep up and find joy in running as I do. I'm also tempted to STOP. Make my life revolve around them, trying to milk every moment beyond even God's design. Neither of those is what I am created to be as a dad. I'm called to lead, to love, to mold. If I'm running too fast I'm leaving them in the dust. If I stop walking them down God's path then I'm setting them up to think life is about them, not Christ. I don't want them to be left to the wolves, nor unintentionally become a wolf by not leading them, investing my love for Christ in them.

Nope, I've gotta walk slowly down the mountain...they'll want to run...but it's not up to them yet ;)
No, I want to point out God's beauty to them, work through he pains of the hill with them, help them to see beyond their feet, their speed...beyond themselves.

Walking slowly down the mountain isn't just for me as a dad. Nope, it's for me as a Christ lover, a wife lover, a friend, boss, leader, Pastor. Every area of life! God owns the record, not by His speed, but by His hand! This life, it's never been a race run by speed...nope, by pace! I'm running to win...and that's only going to happen if I slow down. Be intentional about my steps. Remember my calling is more than just enduring...its about delighting!

Walk Slowly Down the Mountian

(Please forgive any typos...there's no computer at the bottom of the mountain, so I had to use my phone)

Remembering What I've Forgotten

Today begins a sabbatical week for me. A time the church so lovingly allows me to get away from the day to day things of church and get refocused and recharged for the year to come. I arrived late last night to our cabin, beautiful, it even has a wood burning fireplace!

When I woke up this morning, 40 degrees outside, beautiful view out the glass doors to the patio, I decided that all I needed was a roaring fire! That would make the perfect setting for my morning time with the Lord. Let me ask you something...

Do you know how hard it is to get a fire going? It may seem a whole lot easier when its a wildfire in the forrest, a house fire...one that's destructive, but try getting one started in the fireplace when all you've done for the past 15 years is push a button and...viola!

Let me tell you, it takes a ton of work! After 45 minutes of me vs. the fire...I have a sustained fire. Not a roaring fire mind you, but it seems to be holding heat ;)

I know, all you boy scouts out there are not impressed. Some of you build a fire weekly and it takes you 10% of the time that it took me. Actually, that's the point. As a chid I remember starting fires at my granddaddy's house almost every time we went. The fire would get so hot, when you'd sit next to it your shirt would start to feel like it was on fire! It was raging! I know what to do...I've done it before...but I've gotten out of practice. I've forgotten. Oh, I pulled it off, but barely. It took a long time to remember and apply. Many ups downs (a newspaper and half a roll of paper towels). 

As I begin this week, I needed to struggle with this fire. I've had a push button routine in my faith for so long, I find the grind of getting to the deep things of God harder than I remember. You know what I mean? I think we sometimes  (maybe its just me) get discouraged when the raging fire that we remember in our spirit doesn't ignite so quickly. Maybe we're tempted to go back to the push button day to day routine of our faith. DON'T! That push button faith is convenient. It is easy. It's clean. It also doesn't put out a ton of heat. 

 But that's not the Messy Faith...the wildfire of life we've been called to! A our life in Christ is meant to ignite the world around us! Spread and heat up our life! It's meant to change the world, starting with those closest to it! 

Many of us have forgotten that. We've gotten complacent in our walk. Hurried in our prayer life. Discouraged by the disappointments of trying to start the fire...and our lives just aren't catching/sustaining the flame. 

DON'T QUIT. DOUBLE YOUR EFFORTS. REMEMBER YOUR FIRST LOVE. 

His promise is that He will help you! 

But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. (John 14:26) 

You and I can't quit! We need the heat that comes form walking with the Spirit. It's that life changing relationship that you and I were created for...but it won't come easy. We have to tend the fire. We have to burn anything we can put our hands on to ignite it...and once we ignite it, we have to pay attention to it or it will go out again. 

Even as I've been writing, I've had to stop multiple times to tend the fire. I've added a log. Picked up the hottest pieces that fell from the center of the stack...Let me give you a little hope. Even though it's work, it's rewarding to tend the fire...to keep it going! When I look at it I am reminded and encouraged by its very existence! 

How much MORE will we experience when the fire of our faith gets burning hot again!