No Fear Here!!

This past weekend Dawn and I took our first multi-night backpacking trip.  We backpacked for 4-days and 37-miles over mostly ice and snow covered Ozark Mountains on the Buffalo River.  I must say that it went great!  We recently changed up most of our gear, and it netted us a combined pack weight reduction of almost 7 pounds.  This trip Dawn felt much more comfortable in her new Osprey pack (last time her old pack gave her bruises on both shoulders).  My new Granite Gear pack was awesome, and I've even managed to grow my fullest beard to date in my 23.9 years of being.

This trip for me was a jog down memory lane.  I've trekked the trail we did a good half-dozen times in years gone by.  It was even the sight of my first backpacking trip when my Dad first took me.  During this trip I kept singing a song I heard in the movie O' Brother Where Art Thou.  It goes "In the highways, and in the hedges I'll be working for my Lord."  I find myself praying a lot while I hike, just spending some quality time with The Lord.  Jesus wasn't lying when he said he would not leave us as orphans but that he would send us peace, and the Holy Spirit as a comforter.  On our car ride home Dawn and I were talking about our experience and we both remarked how vulnerable it feels when we go to sleep.  Everything from wild boars, black bears, bobcats, and coyotes run around at night.  I know that most of them are very skittish, but none the less going to sleep in the dark with only a thin peace of polyurethane between us and the outside isn't the most secure feeling.  That was when I found myself praying the most.  Am I afraid of the dark?  Not in the least, but the mind always tries to play tricks.  Do not be paralyzed by fear, take hold of the promise of peace in Gods' Word and do not let go.  God is faithful to watch over his children, and He is most definitely faithful to perform what he spoke in his word.

All that to say this.  I've come to the conclusion that no matter what we are doing, if it's worth doing there will be challenges.  Fear will come at you and anxiety will try and have its' way with your mind, but God did not give us these feelings.

I'm so excited to go hike the A.T. with my beautiful wife.  She has become the best camping partner, and has been very diligent to learn everything she can.  She was also very forgiving of how I smelled after 4 days of hiking and no shower; it is something she will have to get used to on the A.T.  Here are a couple pics from this weeks hiking adventure.

Awesome fire on the last night

Our very cozy Nemo tent

Ice covered steps

At the very end of our trip.