This blog entry was written by Mandie. Thank you Mandie for your contribution. I consider Mandie and her family as dear friends and fellow servants of the Lord. They are members of Mount Zion Road Church and most importantly, they are faithful followers of our Lord and King, Jesus Christ. I am thankful and blessed that she was willing to allow me to post this entry on my website. In this writing, Mandie uses an example from a family hike to bring insight regarding discipleship. As disciples of our Savior, Jesus, we must endeavor to keep our eyes fixed on Him. He is our hope, strength and encouragement when the trail of life gets difficult. I pray that you find her words to be a blessing as you read. To God be the glory!
In the beginning of June our family went on a hike that took us longer than we anticipated it would (3 hours!). It was an in and out trail and was advertised as 1.7 miles each way. Our goal was a promised vista or beautiful view of the forest scenery. I could not wait to go! As we soon found out, this was not going to be an easy or flat trail as we were met with a steep and rocky incline climbing up the mountain. We had a group of 10 people and so we naturally split into multiple different groups- the young legs of the 6 children with one unlucky adult (that would be my husband) leading the way. Our four year old son was in this lead group for most of the trek but he did end up farther back with me at one point. While he was hiking by me, I would stop often to catch my breath and take a break but I would almost immediately hear his sweet voice saying “Let’s keep going!” So, we did. I know, like my son, I used to not need to take breaks on hikes however that was many years ago! At an early break time, I noticed all the beautiful mountain laurel all around! I was overjoyed at this because I had always read about trails that had a lot of it but never hiked those when the flowers were in bloom. It felt like a special treat to be there! We finally caught the lead group that was in front of us, catching up to my husband. As soon as we were within earshot, I heard him calling out to our son encouragement and accolades for how good of a job he was doing hiking. I did not get those same compliments…and I know why. It was then that I realized some of my son’s determination to keep going- he wanted to get back to his father. While with me, I was focused on surviving and taking care of myself but while our son was with his dad, he was being shown love and spurred on to keep going in the same manner that he was going. Don’t we all want to be around those who encourage us? Soon, my husband and son were again out of sight and I could then take a longer break but I did miss that chipper voice encouraging me to keep going. Soon, another from our group caught up to me, my friend’s 10 year old daughter, and she sat with me to also take a break. I appreciated that she did that and did not just pass me by. We soon got up together and kept going. Along the way, we did have some moments of doubt in ourselves to make it to the top– should we turn around, is it too difficult? Is it selfish to want to make it to the goal so badly that others struggle? After all, the hike was my idea and I was definitely having second thoughts. Those are the questions I had and when voiced out loud, we needed another member of our group to encourage us to keep going when we almost turned back. We did finally make it to the top and the view was breathless! The mountains we saw seemed so close to us. I signed the trail register giving thanks to God for His incredible creativity in nature! It was then I noticed that the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) had been the last entry in the register and they had hiked the almost 2 miles to clear the trail for those who would come behind them.
We saw the evidence of their work in the fallen tree logs that had been cut and cleared away. I was also thankful for their hard work in doing that.
All of this reminded me of how we are to be determined to seek our heavenly Father. To keep our eyes fixed on Him always. For He is the One who will encourage us to keep going in this life that may be difficult at times – just as that hike was. Along our trail of life, we will encounter challenges that we will need take a break from, to be still, seeking God for His wisdom on how to proceed- symbolized by how I had to often take a break. Should we keep pressing on or perhaps God has a different way for us to take? Seek Him! We will be discouraged by ourselves, others or by the enemy. Doubting and forgetting to trust in our Father. Sometimes God will use others in our life to bring encouragement to us and sometimes we will encounter others who we can encourage and spur on (Hebrews 10:24-25)- as my husband did for his son and as my friend’s daughter did for me by simply stopping to sit with me along the trail. A reminder that we can give support to others by our intentional presence. God truly blesses us all when He gives us opportunities to be a blessing to others. When we go through difficult times, we should keep our eyes and ears open to God’s hand working in our lives and take time to thank Him when we recognize it- symbolized by the mountain laurel. Those star shaped white and red flowers added color to the green forest, and God allowed them to be another encouragement to me. Lastly, we can be those who have forged a path for those who will come behind us- as that employee of DCNR did for us. Who knows how much more difficult that trail might have been had he or she not just been there. Can any of us recognize anything our relatives have done that has blessed us in our lives?
In Hebrews 11, it entails the names of the faithful men and women that God called and equipped to follow Him through whatever difficult circumstance they were in. God was with them. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Rahab, Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, and David are all listed. Not only in the difficult circumstances themselves but those listed in that chapter faced their own sinful nature that held them back from full trust in God- sins such as doubt, being deceitful, fear, pride, or lust. But praise be to God that they also had characteristics that God placed in them, for His glory, and He helped them to walk in His nature. Characteristics such as faith, obedience, humility, courage, patience, kindness, and trust. Hebrews 12 verses 1 and 2 say this:
“Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
The “sin that so easily entangles” us may not be the same one that easily entangles another brother or sister in Christ. We all struggle so differently based upon how we have been created. We can not truly know what another person is going through when they are facing a challenge in their life. Not only the challenge itself but their own personal struggle to keep focusing on our Father. Something that may seem like “no big deal” to us may seem like an insurmountable difficulty for someone else. What we can do is pray- pray for God to give them strength to endure, to show them His mercy, to surround them with godly influences- people who will point them to Him for counsel and comfort and we can ask God to show us ways in which we can come alongside Him in His care of them. I give God the glory for the seemingly random thoughts that I have that are related to how I can encourage and build-up a fellow brother or sister in Christ. I may not even know they are struggling but God knows. He cares so deeply for us! Thank you for the ways in which you may already be listening to the Holy Spirit’s promptings to be an encouragement to others. May you be blessed as you bless others along this trail of life we are on together!
– Mandie
By the way, if you find yourself in the beautiful Pine Creek Valley and are looking for a challenging hike – this was the Bob Webber Trail near Cammal, Pennsylvania and my family jokes that I am banned from choosing hikes (at least until they forget this experience).
