"The Mountain" Part 2 (read posts below first, then above)

I probably twisted my ankles or slid or stumbled about every ten feet because of the steepness of the mountainside paired with the loose rocks and dirt (and my obvious lack of mountain climbing shoes! HA!). If I had it my way I would have done anything to get down quickly because I was hungry, dirty, tired and really needed to pee! But two of our girls were ‘in tow’. One didn’t make it to the top, but made it farther than she ever imagined (because of her physical limitations) and was waiting for us a bit further down. The other was the one who cried out of embarrassment the way up. I walked and talked with her first and last. We hiked down until we reached the girl waiting, the first girl went on, I stayed the slower pace with this one now. I prayed every two seconds while talking with this girl (for several reasons). I held her hand or her shoulders, at times she leaned on me for support when she had pain or was tired or hot. I caught her several times when she stumbled and nearly fell.

I was honored! I kept feeling like, it wasn’t me!! I was experiencing what it was like to be the hands and feet of Jesus. He gave me the words to say, even scripture! At one point I bent down, with no motive or plan, surprisingly to me, and got a handful of cold water out of a mountain stream to put on this girl’s face and neck. I almost started crying!! God was pouring over me supernatural love for this girl. He was showing me what Jesus would have done for her, for me - and was acting through me to do it. I get goosebumps just thinking about it! I was honored and humbled and in awe at what these moments meant, and who was really directing and orchestrating them – it was too much!! We got down to the half-way point and the other girl was waiting. I left this one with the CAT (golf cart-ish thingy) to take her the rest of the way down. Now I continued my slow pace with this other girl. It was just me and her now, and she apologized for crying on the way up the mountain and explained why she was so embarrassed. She said she didn’t want her peers to see her, sick, tired and unable to stay with the group, making her the last one up. She went on to say that prayed for strength, and knew what faith was at one time, but had lost assurance and at times had doubts.

God gave me the words again!! I told her she should be proud she was last, because in that, she was actually first. It’s easy for some, yes. Just like in life, but that’s not how faith is grown. Faith is believing - moving through around, among, over and into situations that are difficult and sometimes seem impossible – because you know who is in control. Relying on Him in those trying times, learning through those times to lean on Him for everything, is just like the mountain we climbed. In life you can take the easy route, or make decisions that would ultimately make your life (here) easier, or just plain give up, but that’s not faith. I told her what she did on that mountain was inspiring and surprising even to her, and should couldn’t have done it without the drive, the support, the faith to see her through. I told her to not look at her experience as negative, because out of all the kids on that mountain, she wasn’t last, her experience caused her to learn and grow, just like her faith in the ‘real world’ and for that, she is in first place. She said she’d never thought of that way, and now she was proud.

I was the last person down that mountain that day, the last on the last bus back to camp. God spoke to me and refreshed me and revived me and taught me about faith and having a servant’s heart. I was uncomfortable being met with applause at the end, because to me it wasn't something worthy of praise. It wasn't about me. It was about letting go, and being empty of myself to be used by Him. What I was happy and thankful and honored for was that I was chosen, given the opportunity to be a vessel, making that trek, up and down, humbled and amazed at every turn as we climbed, just me, that small few and God.