In a few weeks students across the country will be writing the traditional, "What I Did On My Summer Vacation" essay. Allow me to share one of my summer vacation experiences with you.
After several weeks of pushing hard to meet deadlines, my family's getaway to western Washington was much anticipated and appreciated. Besides enjoying the beauty of the mountains and ocean, I relish the opportunity to get away for some reflection time and re-connecting with God's creation. A six-hour solitary hike in Mt. Rainier National Park accomplished just that.
This hike took me through various terrains--a rocky glacial riverbed, old tree growth, young trees sprouting from decaying logs, and as I reached the higher elevations, a thinning tree line, and finally meadows rich with wildflowers, and even some small snowfields. The meadow, abundant with vividly-colored wildflowers, pollinated by buzzing bees, was my reward for an exhausting hike. Had I stayed in the lower elevations, I would not have experienced the beauty and satisfaction that awaited me in this mountain meadow.
Spiritual growth usually occurs in the same way. When we look back over a strenuous stretch of our journey, we realize that our faith is stronger now than it was before - that our priorities are, perhaps, a bit more aligned with our heavenly Father's. Were it not for his faithfulness on our 'hike,' we would likely give up in exhaustion and frustration. But God doesn't quit - and that's the kind of faithfulness I want to nurture in my life - a faithfulness that takes us through the arduous, energy-sapping stretches, that threaten our diligence. My slow, tedious hike brought me to the beautiful wildflower meadow. God's faithfulness takes us to a place of greater trust, greater Christlikeness.
To encourage and enable you in your journey, we are offering Fulfilling Faithfulness at a deeply discounted price of $4.95 while supplies last. This is a great way to dip your toes in the ASCENDING LEADERS stream of materials.
My 2000-foot hike took dogged determination for this out-of-shape, middle aged man with Gulf Coast-acclimated lungs. The AL team has been working with the same steady determination in recent months to make a number of improvements in our services. You can see the results at our new and improved website. We're excited about the new look, as well as the new features, including reviews of our materials. If you've used AL materials, we invite you to write a review. If you're considering using our materials, we trust you'll find these reviews helpful.
May you experience God's faithfulness and grow in your own faithfulness!
Mike
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