It has been a while since we last posted, but so much has happened since. First, the Lord has fully funded our hiking budget 2 ½ months ahead of schedule; meaning, we will have that much extra on the hike. Having more than enough is a good thing! Second, we received our Thru-Hikers Companion. It is a comprehensive guide to all things pertaining to the A.T., which will be useful when we need little things like food, water, and a place to rest our heads. Third, and greatest of all, the Lord has been growing us in his Word, daily.
For
me, backpacking has been a life-long enjoyment. My father began taking me to the Buffalo National River when
I was seven years old. We would go
religiously at least two times every winter from then until my mid-teens. I learned a lot of lessons on these
trips, but none rings more relevant than the time our stove broke. It was our first night out of what was
supposed to be a three-day adventure along a 12-mile trail. We had already finished cooking and
boiling water for the night when my dad noticed white gas (stove fuel) seeping
out of the fuel line. At that
point, I didn’t grasp the gravity of the situation. I figured we could just patch it up with some duck tape and
keep on keeping on. Little did I
know, I was to learn another lesson the next morning.
As
I mentioned earlier, we always went backpacking in the winter. We did that because there are less people,
bugs, ticks, and snakes this time of year; therefore, making it perfect for a
father and son get away. When we
woke it was probably hovering in the mid-20’s, and I was ready for my hot
oatmeal to warm me up and get me going for the day. I was greeted with cold oatmeal, a pop tart, and no
coffee. Being at the ripe age of
12, I became unhappy with the situation to say the least. I asked my dad, “What do we do
now?” His response has always been
my “go to” when things get tough. “We
keep walking,” he replied. What a
simple idea; what a valuable concept of life. Countless times I have witnessed people at work, school, and
church confront a tough time and become overwhelmed by it. Now, if I was
confronted with that same situation I had when I was 12, walking the remaining
eight miles to the end wouldn’t be that much of a challenge. However, my perspectives have changed,
and I have grown from my experiences. Without that “get it done” attitude I would venture to say, I wouldn’t
have matured into who I am today—the person who is planning to walk from
Georgia to Maine.
Jesus
never promised us an easy life. In
fact, He told us we would encounter many of the same problems as everyone else
and often persecution for our beliefs, but He never said to take it lying
down. Jesus said in Mark 4:35,
“Let us cross to the other side.” I like to focus on Him stating it would be “us” crossing—as in Jesus and
I crossing together. He will never
leave me nor forsake me. So, whether
it is a 12-mile trail on the Buffalo River, the 2,175-mile Appalachian Trail,
or living life from beginning to end, Jesus is always right there with us. He knows what it’s like to carry a
heavy burden through blood, sweat, and tears. Dawn and I will follow Him close, and we will always “keep
walking.”
