Tag: Adventure
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Sitting with Cardinals
Since I can remember, I have been captivated by nature. When I was a child, I was determined to grow up and become the next Jack Hanna. I also loved science magazines and would read them in my school’s library. I can’t remember the name of the magazine, but eventually, this led to a fear…
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Baby Steps: A Return to Running
When I initially started this blog, I published a post with a similar title. Unfortunately, I deleted that post and can no longer find it. Ironically, I find myself in a similar place. After my nine-mile adventure, I realized that somewhere in the middle of life, with all its unpredictability and the pressure to fulfill…
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Waiting
I waited, searching for your voice in the breeze taunting the trees. Then I heard a bird’s song ring through the quiet, lingering in the noise. I turn to look and find you. Stillness. I think I will sit in the crumbling dirt, waiting to find you. Holding my breath. Waiting for you to move…
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Hello, Fall
Out of all of the seasons, summer is probably my least favorite. I am not a fan of heat or humidity, even though I am learning to accept them. I have found myself enjoying moments of stepping outside and allowing myself to be hugged by humidity. Fall is different. There is something rejuvenating in crisp…
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The Gift of Sabbath and Rest: Answering the Call of Adventure
Light peeks through the edges of our bedroom curtain as my eyes slowly open. My mind is a mess of sludge from the wave of sleep inertia overcoming my not-yet-caffeinated brain. The more my eyes open and my mind adjusts to waking, I become keenly aware of every muscle my body owns. I think the…
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Hope as an Anchor:Answering the Call of Adventure
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…
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The Problem with Endurance: Answering the Call of Adventure
Miles 5–6 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that…
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Reclaiming Movement: Answering the Call of Adventure
Miles 3-5 I continue the walk. Just my thoughts, the chirring of the cicadas in the background, and the crunching of the gravel under my feet. Every now and then, I am passed by distance runners. My thigh muscles are the first sign of fatigue and become sore. I miss this feeling of achy muscles…
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The Art of Noticing: Answering the Call to Adventure
Miles 2–3 The warmth of the humidity hovers over my skin like a comforting sheet. The rough texture of our porch’s reclaimed wood grounds my feet. I sit on our outdoor couch as rain pours, hitting the wood, causing a swirl of mist to spray rhythmically around me, softly hitting my skin. Thunder plays its…
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Guide My Steps: Answering the Call to Adventure
Miles 1-2 Psalm 119:105“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” (ESV) I woke up early. The night before, one of our dogs kept waking up. My Oura ring informed me that I was sleep-deprived. Regardless, I felt energized. I carried a determination I haven’t felt in a long…
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The Journey Begins: Answering the Call to Adventure
“If I find in myself desires which nothing in this world can satisfy, the only logical explanation is that I was made for another world.”— C.S. Lewis Do you ever have memories spontaneously find you? A memory surfaced of myself hiking and sliding down a hill. Another of attempting to roller blade twelve miles with…
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Beneath the Trees
Through the portal, we made our way from the city to nature’s sanctuary. As we walk, the humidity clings to our skin. I am overly aware of the mosquitoes, gnats, and flies drawn to my sweat. Even amid the battle with the winged fiends, I find myself noticing. I am vividly aware of nature surrounding…
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Returning to Wonder: The Awe of Grandfather Mountain
As we drove to North Carolina and the mountains came into view, I felt something deep within my body both unsettled and calm. This always happens whenever we visit my favorite part of the U.S., an unexplainable peace in anticipation of visiting wild places that have stolen my heart, places where I go to meet…
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The Power of Silence and Solitude
We live in a world full of noise, distraction, and constant movement.But I have always been drawn to silence. When I was a child, I could sit for hours simply thinking and letting my mind wander. Looking back, I realize that silence has always felt natural to me. I’m not sure whether it is our…
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The Sacred Invitation of Stepping Outside
There are seasons when life doesn’t feel calm or steady. It feels loud. The kind of loud that settles into your chest and leaves your spirit tired. Lately, I’ve found myself in that kind of season. Between uncertainty, responsibilities, and the quiet weight of things, what usually grounds us can become hard to reach. During…
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Goals Rooted in Peace, Purpose, and Preparation
As we conclude the first month of the year, I wanted to share my goals for the year ahead. I have always had an unsettling relationship with setting goals. Every January, I treat it as a reset—a time to reflect and prepare for what I hope to step into next. This year, setting goals felt…
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Fully Alive in the Quiet of Winter
(A Winter Hiking Reflection) It’s quiet. Snow crunches under my feet. The world is still dim, and the cold air meets my face as I wait for the sun to wake. There is something deeply peaceful about being welcomed by nature. I set out this winter with a quiet intention: to look for beauty and…
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Preparation
A New Year’s Reflection Happy New Year! This New Year’s was spent relaxing and keeping one of our dogs calm while our neighbors set off fireworks. Nothing special, just slow and quiet. My husband watched the Buckeyes game while I alternated between reading, playing a video game, and getting caught up on a favorite show…
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Six Gentle Ways to Reset Before the New Year
As we transition from Christmas, we find ourselves looking towards the New Year. It can bring excitement, apprehension, or both. Maybe this year was good to you, and there’s some grief in saying goodbye. Or maybe 2025 was difficult, and you find yourself bracing for the unexpected. Not surprisingly, I love the New Year —…
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When Love Arrives
An Advent Reflection Christmas has come! This year, our Christmas looks a little different, and next year’s will too. We’ve had doctor’s appointments, caring for a family member recovering from surgery, and navigating family gatherings. We ended Christmas Eve by attending our church’s candlelight service, where we lit candles and sang worship songs. It feels…
