Tag: nature
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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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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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Fear is Not the Enemy
A black bird catches my attention, bringing me back to the present. I find myself once again in the middle of the woods. I lift my head, watching the bird in the trees, its red wing highlighting its location so I can follow it. As I walk, I find myself contemplating. Is fear really as…
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A Mountaintop Ebenezer
The last stop on our trip was Pretty Place Chapel in South Carolina. When we got married ten years ago, we talked about finding ways to continue celebrating milestones throughout our marriage. I think, as Christians, we sometimes forget that following Christ also means being a people of celebration. Throughout Scripture, God’s people are called…
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Why Places Become a Part of Us
One of our first stops on this trip was Lake Lure and Chimney Rock. If I could describe this post as anything, it would be a hopeful, lament-filled love song to both of these places. They are more than destinations to me. They have become places of respite and restoration throughout my life. These are…
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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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Tending What’s Been Overgrown
If anything could represent my stress level over the last few years, it would be our front garden. Over time, I let it become overgrown and poorly cared for. This year, I am determined to see it cleaned up and healthy again. I have a mixed relationship with gardening. I love the idea of plants,…
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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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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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Discovering Adventure in the Ordinary
“There are seasons when the most faithful thing you can do is remain.” — Morgan Harper Nichols My current season in life doesn’t look very exciting. I find myself in the midst of a transition season. My life has consisted of showing up, so when change comes, everything is prepared. This kind of season leaves…
