Inquisitive Adventures

Miles 7-9

“We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.”
Hebrews 6:19 (NIV)

By the time I turned back toward the trailhead, I had already walked farther than I normally do. Somehow, knowing I was aiming for nine miles instead of seven energized me with a new determination to finish this long walk.

Both of my legs now ache, accompanied by back pain in my upper back from my backpack, its straps pulling on my shoulders. I make a point now to stop more often, allowing my body to rest.

I was blessed with almost perfect weather for today. The sun is bright, but there is a breeze. The week before this adventure, the temperature would have been in the nineties with a heat advisory, but the sun is not overbearing.

I pass a family with a protesting teenager who has defiantly lain in the grass beside the trail, exclaiming something about the temperature.

I find myself once again in the quiet of the path before me, and my mind drifts to the distance and my love for endurance.

I think one of the beautiful qualities of endurance is that it allows us to remain standing in the midst of hardship, discomfort, or pain. I think this is one of the problems with our world today. We numb discomfort when it is required for growth and perseverance. There is a difference between rest, diluting our emotions, and experiencing them.

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As I come to the last couple of miles, I hit my second wall.

My calves begin to feel like someone has placed weights around my ankles. My mind becomes tired. It’s more difficult to find thoughts to occupy my mind. Being tired begins to create a veil over my mind.

I keep repeating that central prayer of this journey:

“Guide my steps.”

After a while, a few lines from a worship song randomly appear in my mind, and, as if God is revealing something I need to hear, I add those phrases to my prayer.

“Lord, guide my steps.
Here’s my life.
Here’s my oil.
Here’s my song.
You can have it all.”

I begin envisioning myself on my knees, the little clay lamp filled with oil resting in the palms of my hands, holding it up to God.

As I walk, that prayer continues on repeat, and I focus on each phrase.

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The last half mile, I finally made it to shade.

An iridescent blue butterfly flew past me and landed on the ground.

Despite my pain, I took the time to notice it. Surprised, it stayed still long enough, giving me permission to photograph it. The deep blue was illuminated by the neutral gravel and dirt. I noticed the pattern on its wings.

Then I continued.

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Whether we choose hardship or life chooses it for us, we find that anchoring ourselves to Jesus through prayers, songs, and noticing the world can carry us through difficulty, keeping the hope in our hearts burning, even if all we have left is a small flame.

That simple prayer carried me through until I made it to the parking lot, and I joyfully entered the air conditioning of my car, victorious.