Hello!
Last year during my summer at Yellowstone, the worst feeling I repeatedly experienced was responding to park visitors who were searching for a place to stay. These questions would always come at the end of the day when nothing could be done. The hotels were booked, the campgrounds were overflowing, and camping in the parking lot could result in a ticket. The only solution I could tell them was to drive outside of the park (45 minutes away minimum) and find a place to stay outside the park, either in a hotel or a campground (which were also probably full without any guarantee of reserving a spot). Planning ahead is crucial when visiting a major park; otherwise visitors are met with the reality of discovering there's "no room in the inn".
Working at the front desk of a hotel now, I get the chance to be the innkeeper. This particular week, I was blown away twice in the extent this resort's staff will go out of their way to help people. Early in the week, we had a couple stay overnight. In the morning they took a boat tour, but upon their return, the husband collapsed. After the medical team took the husband to the hospital, one of the managers placed an immediate hold on their room (they were suppose to check out that day), and extended their stay without charge. She then located the company van and offered to take the wife to the hospital to be with her husband. They returned later that evening--the husband was doing much better, and stayed overnight.
Two days later, we had a woman experience some medical issues while on a bus tour. While her tour group continued on to their next destination, the front desk team (I learned later), secured a room where she could stay as long as needed while her son flew from the east coast to take her home. She stayed around the resort for two extra days and we got to talk with her, get meals for her, and help her in her errands. Her son arrived this afternoon after a long flight and drive to Lake Powell (it's a 4.5 hour drive from Las Vegas), and we got to spend time with him, chat, and help put him at ease from several days of worrying about his mother. As the lady left, she shook everyone's hand, saying that she couldn't have been stranded at a better place.
Watching the extent the hotel staff went to help our visitors blew me away. While Lake Powell Resort is technically hospitality services, this was far more service, courtesy, and going beyond the call of duty than anyone could have prepared me to see firsthand. It reminded me of the story of the Good Samaritan: an injured man is found on the road and an enemy rescues him and takes him to a nearby inn. The Samaritan paid for the man's costs while pledging to cover any future expenses this man might incur. The man is left in the care of the innkeeper. This is where the narrative ends, and this is where my story begins.
Jesus finishes the story by asking who was a true neighbor to the injured man. The response: "he who showed pity". Jesus then responds, "Go and do likewise". As an innkeeper, who do I welcome? Who is my neighbor that I go out of the way to care for, patiently tend, and serve? In the array of people who pass through this resort, is there anyone I might not be willing to go over and beyond expectations? Do I treat everyone as a neighbor the way the Good Samaritan did? As the summer progresses, I know that I will find my answer. Unlike last summer, this year I can do much more when someone is trying to find a place to stay while inside the park.
Photos for this week are available at Photos of the Week. There are a few photos from around the resort, including the front desk area where I work. Also, I've included photos from my weekend at Death Valley National Park from the start of April.
Blessings to you this week!
Pump Geyser
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
Thursday, April 25, 2013
Day 35: A Ribbon of Red and a Solid White Line
Hello!
In the midst of a rising work schedule and approaching finals week, I made some time to explore more of the Lake Powell area. I needed a break from all of my learning at the front desk, my hours working on finals papers, and the miles walked while reading.
I should record the list of comments I get from people who pass by me along the road: "Don't trip!", "I could never do that", "You're overly ambitious". While walking, I hold a book in front of me. On the road I get exercise, time in the sun, and make good progress reading through my books, unlike the number of times I fall asleep while sitting on the couch. Still, I recognize that it is an uncommon sight to pass by a pedestrain who is more focused on the content of a book than what's in front of him. The secret to avoid most tripping accidents when reading and walking is to align a portion of the book along the edge of the sidewalk or follow the solid white line of the road to avoid straying from the pavement.
I began noting the number of lines I must remain cognitive of around here. There's the shoreline of Lake Powell...it is still receding, but with the amount of snow Colorado has been receiving, hopefully that will turn around soon. There's the Utah/Arizona stateline...on the north side of this line (and inside the Navajo nation) it is Mountain Standard Time plus Daylight Savings Time, while the Arizona side doesn't recognize Daylight Savings; with this boundary dividing the resort and the Navajo nation just east of Page, people are constantly confused about the current time, arriving early or late for their boat tours, dinner reservations, or checking into their hotel room. I learned quickly not to trust cell phones with automatic time updates--their time adjusts every time they pick up a signal from a different cell phone tower. There's also the boundary of the Navajo nation, in which the Navajo have established a different legal system and way of life that must be recognized and honored.
All of these lines surround me. Some distinguish one thing from another. Some lines prevent advancement. The lines I most appreciate though are the ones that I do not intersect, but walk alongside. I parallel them and they guide me.
Monday morning I woke up before dawn, got ready, and walked to the boat dock. The sun broke over the horizon on a cloudless morning. That morning I took a boat tour that ventured 50 miles along Lake Powell to Rainbow Bridge National Monument. The morning light intensified this thin line of red mesas, canyons, and buttes surrounded by blue skies and water, marking the boundaries of lake, land, and sky. The boat docked at Rainbow Bridge--the largest natural bridge in the world. Its height matches the Statue of Liberty and would top the capitol building in Washington, DC in a perfect arch.
Rainbow Bridge is located within the Navajo nation. It is a sacred site to the Navajo, and in reverence of the location, people are not to stand beneath the rock's arch. I was a bit disappointed with this line--the best light for photography was found on the other side of the bridge, but I could not access that side without walking beneath it. I could revere the line, or break the boundary (as many tourists do), and take the photos I wanted. In the midst of it, I considered how often I disregard lines in order to do what I want or get what I want. It's not like there's an actual line preventing me, but there's some invisible boundary nevertheless.
So instead of getting the photos I was hoping for at Rainbow Bridge, I sat at this invisible boundary line and looked up, enjoying the moment filled with gratitude for the chance to be there, a place I had wanted to visit since I was 12. Instead begrudging the line, the bridge overshadowed me--a line that spans the sky, and I prayed God would guide me as I learn to walk more closely alongside Him.
Photos from the trip are available in Photos of the Week. I hope you enjoy your week!
Blessings!
In the midst of a rising work schedule and approaching finals week, I made some time to explore more of the Lake Powell area. I needed a break from all of my learning at the front desk, my hours working on finals papers, and the miles walked while reading.
I should record the list of comments I get from people who pass by me along the road: "Don't trip!", "I could never do that", "You're overly ambitious". While walking, I hold a book in front of me. On the road I get exercise, time in the sun, and make good progress reading through my books, unlike the number of times I fall asleep while sitting on the couch. Still, I recognize that it is an uncommon sight to pass by a pedestrain who is more focused on the content of a book than what's in front of him. The secret to avoid most tripping accidents when reading and walking is to align a portion of the book along the edge of the sidewalk or follow the solid white line of the road to avoid straying from the pavement.
I began noting the number of lines I must remain cognitive of around here. There's the shoreline of Lake Powell...it is still receding, but with the amount of snow Colorado has been receiving, hopefully that will turn around soon. There's the Utah/Arizona stateline...on the north side of this line (and inside the Navajo nation) it is Mountain Standard Time plus Daylight Savings Time, while the Arizona side doesn't recognize Daylight Savings; with this boundary dividing the resort and the Navajo nation just east of Page, people are constantly confused about the current time, arriving early or late for their boat tours, dinner reservations, or checking into their hotel room. I learned quickly not to trust cell phones with automatic time updates--their time adjusts every time they pick up a signal from a different cell phone tower. There's also the boundary of the Navajo nation, in which the Navajo have established a different legal system and way of life that must be recognized and honored.
All of these lines surround me. Some distinguish one thing from another. Some lines prevent advancement. The lines I most appreciate though are the ones that I do not intersect, but walk alongside. I parallel them and they guide me.
Monday morning I woke up before dawn, got ready, and walked to the boat dock. The sun broke over the horizon on a cloudless morning. That morning I took a boat tour that ventured 50 miles along Lake Powell to Rainbow Bridge National Monument. The morning light intensified this thin line of red mesas, canyons, and buttes surrounded by blue skies and water, marking the boundaries of lake, land, and sky. The boat docked at Rainbow Bridge--the largest natural bridge in the world. Its height matches the Statue of Liberty and would top the capitol building in Washington, DC in a perfect arch.
Rainbow Bridge is located within the Navajo nation. It is a sacred site to the Navajo, and in reverence of the location, people are not to stand beneath the rock's arch. I was a bit disappointed with this line--the best light for photography was found on the other side of the bridge, but I could not access that side without walking beneath it. I could revere the line, or break the boundary (as many tourists do), and take the photos I wanted. In the midst of it, I considered how often I disregard lines in order to do what I want or get what I want. It's not like there's an actual line preventing me, but there's some invisible boundary nevertheless.
So instead of getting the photos I was hoping for at Rainbow Bridge, I sat at this invisible boundary line and looked up, enjoying the moment filled with gratitude for the chance to be there, a place I had wanted to visit since I was 12. Instead begrudging the line, the bridge overshadowed me--a line that spans the sky, and I prayed God would guide me as I learn to walk more closely alongside Him.
Photos from the trip are available in Photos of the Week. I hope you enjoy your week!
Blessings!
Tuesday, April 16, 2013
Day 27: Spreading Roots
Hello!
I've now been at Lake Powell for a week. It's strange to think that I left Oregon four weeks ago; it doesn't feel like I've been away this long already.
This week has been a lot of learning, training, and transition as I've been learning the tasks of my new position, wrapping up my school semester, and beginning to explore the Lake Powell Resort. It's been nice that the weather has been cool enough that I've been able to do a lot of walking around, whether along the shoreline, towards the town of Page, or around the resort complex...and of course, each of these walks have been spent reading homework; I'm enjoying the exercise, the learning, and the tan.
It is very exciting to be here, considering that this is the first summer A Christian Ministries in the National Park (ACMNP) is located here. During my free time, I've been getting to meet people and get to know about the area. On Sunday, I visited a local church in Page, where one of the congregants shared that the town's churches are generally diminishing and struggling. Only two months ago a different church only two blocks down the street closed down and sold its building. Listening to this church member share his love of the church and yet his concern helped me gain a better sense of the situation here as our team arrives and begins to prepare to minister.
In comparison, another day I walked to the boat rental marina at the resort (a complete marina filled with only rental boats!). Lake Powell is rightly labeled as one of "America's Playgrounds", as we cater to vacationers ready to spend large sums of money during their visit. Rental prices for a houseboat here start at $2,500 per day, and it's common for renters to spend a full week on these, while additional powerboats, wave runners, and jet skis are available for daily use starting around $300 for an 8-hour period. Unlike other national parks I have worked at where people come for serenity, this place is for recreation. Water recreation in particular. I know that I'll have the opportunity to spend a lot of time on the water this summer to cool down or take a boat tour of the lake, but right now I am experiencing a lot of culture shock seeing the extent of affluence and luxury this resort affords.
Right now, Lake Powell's waterline is fairly low. Summer predictions aren't very promising as last year's drought near Denver affected the Colorado River flowing west, and there isn't much snowpack in the Rocky Mountain range of Colorado from the winter either. In a climate of receding water and churches, I get to serve visitors who have come to play and re-create. This strange juxtaposition brings me to pray for God's direction for the summer, as this will be a summer unlike any previous one. Just as the region is praying for rain to return, refill, and renew, so I am praying that this will happen in more ways than just physically. Yet this desperation brings great hope and expectation, praying that God reveals Himself in unexpected ways.
Photos from Zion and around Lake Powell are available in Photos of the Week. Photos from the last leg of my trip in Death Valley will be posted next week. In the upcoming weeks, I'll focus upon different sections of the resort, sharing about the people, the resort, and the experience of being here.
Blessings to you! Enjoy your week!
I've now been at Lake Powell for a week. It's strange to think that I left Oregon four weeks ago; it doesn't feel like I've been away this long already.
This week has been a lot of learning, training, and transition as I've been learning the tasks of my new position, wrapping up my school semester, and beginning to explore the Lake Powell Resort. It's been nice that the weather has been cool enough that I've been able to do a lot of walking around, whether along the shoreline, towards the town of Page, or around the resort complex...and of course, each of these walks have been spent reading homework; I'm enjoying the exercise, the learning, and the tan.
It is very exciting to be here, considering that this is the first summer A Christian Ministries in the National Park (ACMNP) is located here. During my free time, I've been getting to meet people and get to know about the area. On Sunday, I visited a local church in Page, where one of the congregants shared that the town's churches are generally diminishing and struggling. Only two months ago a different church only two blocks down the street closed down and sold its building. Listening to this church member share his love of the church and yet his concern helped me gain a better sense of the situation here as our team arrives and begins to prepare to minister.
In comparison, another day I walked to the boat rental marina at the resort (a complete marina filled with only rental boats!). Lake Powell is rightly labeled as one of "America's Playgrounds", as we cater to vacationers ready to spend large sums of money during their visit. Rental prices for a houseboat here start at $2,500 per day, and it's common for renters to spend a full week on these, while additional powerboats, wave runners, and jet skis are available for daily use starting around $300 for an 8-hour period. Unlike other national parks I have worked at where people come for serenity, this place is for recreation. Water recreation in particular. I know that I'll have the opportunity to spend a lot of time on the water this summer to cool down or take a boat tour of the lake, but right now I am experiencing a lot of culture shock seeing the extent of affluence and luxury this resort affords.
Right now, Lake Powell's waterline is fairly low. Summer predictions aren't very promising as last year's drought near Denver affected the Colorado River flowing west, and there isn't much snowpack in the Rocky Mountain range of Colorado from the winter either. In a climate of receding water and churches, I get to serve visitors who have come to play and re-create. This strange juxtaposition brings me to pray for God's direction for the summer, as this will be a summer unlike any previous one. Just as the region is praying for rain to return, refill, and renew, so I am praying that this will happen in more ways than just physically. Yet this desperation brings great hope and expectation, praying that God reveals Himself in unexpected ways.
Photos from Zion and around Lake Powell are available in Photos of the Week. Photos from the last leg of my trip in Death Valley will be posted next week. In the upcoming weeks, I'll focus upon different sections of the resort, sharing about the people, the resort, and the experience of being here.
Blessings to you! Enjoy your week!
Wednesday, April 10, 2013
Day 21: Wandering Amidst Storms
Hello!
I have arrived at my summer location at Lake Powell, where I have begun training for my job. I will have more details soon regarding my location and the experience here.
This past week has been filled with a wide variety of terrains, elevations, and climates. A week ago, I was at 8300' facing sub-zero temperatures and a snow storm, then 4500', 70 degrees and clear skies, followed a few days later at -190' and 95 degrees (in the shade), and now to 3800' with snow flurries, lightning storms, and strong wind. The change was so drastic that I could feel my body reeling from the change, fighting off a fever at one point along the trip.
After leaving the Grand Canyon, my buddy, John and I completed our journey with stops at Bryce Canyon and Zion before dropping him off at the airport. I continued on to Death Valley for the weekend before turning around and returning to Page, Arizona to report for work. What I found remarkable was how we saw God coordinate the weather to make for some incredible photography along the way. We had several snow storms blow over at Bryce Canyon, making for some amazing contrast amidst the low-angled light, red rock, and Ponderosa forest. While storms increase the chance for flash floods amidst Zion's slot canyons, we had perfect weather to hike in a canyon known as "The Subway". And when perfect weather threatened for unbearable temperatures in Death Valley, a cloud cover spread across the valley to keep it (relatively) cool, while at night the clouds would dissipate for spectacular starry nights and cool nights. Finally, the most threatening storm broke across the Colorado Plateau the same evening I arrived for work--sleeping in a warm bed while a storm raged outside. Looking back, I am filled with inspiration and astonishment at how God coordinated each of our locations so we got to experience the beauty of His creation while simultaneously seeing Him protect us along each segment of our adventure. I could not be more humbled at His goodness.
As I concluded my 3,000 mile roadtrip, my "Check Engine" light came on. After two weeks of hiking along canyon cliffs, through questionable weather and wind, and sometimes not even knowing where we would be camping at, I found myself filled with worry and concern. Driving along, I was constantly praying for protection over the car and the final leg of my travels, and it was then that God showed me an enormous contrast: surrounded by God's creation, even when they present precarious situations, I am free to cast my cares on Him and trust that He will take care of me, but when it comes to mechanics, I am not so confident the God of creation is able to take care of me and ensure that I can reach my destination. Here I had trusted Him to get me safely through all of these hikes and locations, and now I struggled to surrender my cares to Him, trusting that He will still take care of me.
After hours of driving--my anxiety spiking over any strange sound the engine eeked--I pulled over to check all my fluid levels and the engine once again. I was reminded that I hadn't eaten anything, nor was I taking care of myself in the midst of my concern over the car; so I took a break to enjoy some good orange juice and a granola bar. When I returned to the car to continue my journey, the "Check Engine" light was no longer blaring on my driver's panel. All of my worries and doubts I had wrestled with subsided, and I was again reminded that the same God who gave us such an incredible trip could also help ensure the completion of this trip--even when the problem is mechanical. How much more can I entrust the rest of my daily life to Him as well?
I hope you enjoy your week. More photos from the trip are coming up. Current photos are posted to Photos of the Week.
Blessings!
I have arrived at my summer location at Lake Powell, where I have begun training for my job. I will have more details soon regarding my location and the experience here.
This past week has been filled with a wide variety of terrains, elevations, and climates. A week ago, I was at 8300' facing sub-zero temperatures and a snow storm, then 4500', 70 degrees and clear skies, followed a few days later at -190' and 95 degrees (in the shade), and now to 3800' with snow flurries, lightning storms, and strong wind. The change was so drastic that I could feel my body reeling from the change, fighting off a fever at one point along the trip.
After leaving the Grand Canyon, my buddy, John and I completed our journey with stops at Bryce Canyon and Zion before dropping him off at the airport. I continued on to Death Valley for the weekend before turning around and returning to Page, Arizona to report for work. What I found remarkable was how we saw God coordinate the weather to make for some incredible photography along the way. We had several snow storms blow over at Bryce Canyon, making for some amazing contrast amidst the low-angled light, red rock, and Ponderosa forest. While storms increase the chance for flash floods amidst Zion's slot canyons, we had perfect weather to hike in a canyon known as "The Subway". And when perfect weather threatened for unbearable temperatures in Death Valley, a cloud cover spread across the valley to keep it (relatively) cool, while at night the clouds would dissipate for spectacular starry nights and cool nights. Finally, the most threatening storm broke across the Colorado Plateau the same evening I arrived for work--sleeping in a warm bed while a storm raged outside. Looking back, I am filled with inspiration and astonishment at how God coordinated each of our locations so we got to experience the beauty of His creation while simultaneously seeing Him protect us along each segment of our adventure. I could not be more humbled at His goodness.
As I concluded my 3,000 mile roadtrip, my "Check Engine" light came on. After two weeks of hiking along canyon cliffs, through questionable weather and wind, and sometimes not even knowing where we would be camping at, I found myself filled with worry and concern. Driving along, I was constantly praying for protection over the car and the final leg of my travels, and it was then that God showed me an enormous contrast: surrounded by God's creation, even when they present precarious situations, I am free to cast my cares on Him and trust that He will take care of me, but when it comes to mechanics, I am not so confident the God of creation is able to take care of me and ensure that I can reach my destination. Here I had trusted Him to get me safely through all of these hikes and locations, and now I struggled to surrender my cares to Him, trusting that He will still take care of me.
After hours of driving--my anxiety spiking over any strange sound the engine eeked--I pulled over to check all my fluid levels and the engine once again. I was reminded that I hadn't eaten anything, nor was I taking care of myself in the midst of my concern over the car; so I took a break to enjoy some good orange juice and a granola bar. When I returned to the car to continue my journey, the "Check Engine" light was no longer blaring on my driver's panel. All of my worries and doubts I had wrestled with subsided, and I was again reminded that the same God who gave us such an incredible trip could also help ensure the completion of this trip--even when the problem is mechanical. How much more can I entrust the rest of my daily life to Him as well?
I hope you enjoy your week. More photos from the trip are coming up. Current photos are posted to Photos of the Week.
Blessings!
Friday, April 5, 2013
Day 16: Resurrection Power
Hello!
What a full week! Over the past two weeks, my buddy, John, and I have been hiking and exploring five national parks and several further beautiful locations. John calculated that we hiked a total of 84 miles during our trip and experienced some magnificent places in God's creation!
While there are so many things to share...and photos will follow sometime soon, I wanted to share about our backcountry hike last weekend. We hiked 24 miles over 3 days descending into the Grand Canyon and back. This was my first time doing backcountry hiking in the Grand Canyon (I had never hiked beyond the rim before this trip), and we had to take extra measures to ensure we had enough water, warmth, and supplies. First and foremost was ensuring that our hikes were safe as we hiked along exposed cliffs and down loose rocks along the trail. By the time we finished our hike, we were sore from descending and climbing over 5,000 of vertical feet along the way, often with full packs.
Simply describing our hike in the Grand Canyon would fill this post, but the experience was as much a spiritual journey as a physical one: our trip corresponded with Easter weekend. We descended into the canyon on Good Friday, reaching the depths of the canyon on Saturday, and re-emerging from the canyon on Sunday morning. When hiking under full packs it is easy to consider themes of suffering, but when surrounded by the majesty of God's creation, something else gained prominence. In the middle of the desert, we were astounded to see the far reaches of life within the heat and formidable landscape of the canyon. In the midst of impossibilities, we saw small trees growing along vertical cliff faces, cacti leaning over ledges, bushes sprouting from stand-alone rocks, and small flowers popping out of sand. Where death was precariously close, life was abundant.
During the early hours of Resurrection Sunday, John and I hiked to the edge of our mesa to watch the sunrise and shared what this journey had meant to us. While hundreds were gathering at Mather Point on the rim for a sunrise service, John and I were alone upon our remote mesa. Growing up in churches, Jesus' resurrection was a powerful act of God, but did not bear the same extent of power that it took for Him to be crucified. In the Bible, others had been raised from the dead, so Jesus' resurrection wasn't anything new--it was expected. My three days in the canyon were spent considering the vast power of God to create such an enormous, yet intricately beautiful place, and here I sat on the edge of a mesa cliff in the middle of the Grand Canyon, surrounded by towering buttes and temples above with looming gorges beneath as sunlight began to illuminate the high ridges. To ponder that the power of resurrection surpassed the creative power that God put into forming such a grand canyon left me stunned. Resurrection power--not just making life exist, but bringing life out of death in places least expected--is what God demonstrated that Easter morning so long ago. That is the type of power we celebrate and give thanks for each year.
And to think that God has given this same resurrection power to each of us for our own healing and to bring healing to others; my eyes began to tear up. Sunlight reached our mesa, flooding me with warmth and ridding me of any residual sleepiness. I was able to make our final climb out of the canyon, re-emerging into a new perspective, one that I pray leaves me changed.
That was by far the best Easter Sunday service I had experienced ever! I am so grateful for such a remarkable gift.
Heading to my summer post this week. I'll have more photos and stories from this trip to share later.
Blessings on your week!
Photos are available on the "Photos of the Week" link.
What a full week! Over the past two weeks, my buddy, John, and I have been hiking and exploring five national parks and several further beautiful locations. John calculated that we hiked a total of 84 miles during our trip and experienced some magnificent places in God's creation!
While there are so many things to share...and photos will follow sometime soon, I wanted to share about our backcountry hike last weekend. We hiked 24 miles over 3 days descending into the Grand Canyon and back. This was my first time doing backcountry hiking in the Grand Canyon (I had never hiked beyond the rim before this trip), and we had to take extra measures to ensure we had enough water, warmth, and supplies. First and foremost was ensuring that our hikes were safe as we hiked along exposed cliffs and down loose rocks along the trail. By the time we finished our hike, we were sore from descending and climbing over 5,000 of vertical feet along the way, often with full packs.
Simply describing our hike in the Grand Canyon would fill this post, but the experience was as much a spiritual journey as a physical one: our trip corresponded with Easter weekend. We descended into the canyon on Good Friday, reaching the depths of the canyon on Saturday, and re-emerging from the canyon on Sunday morning. When hiking under full packs it is easy to consider themes of suffering, but when surrounded by the majesty of God's creation, something else gained prominence. In the middle of the desert, we were astounded to see the far reaches of life within the heat and formidable landscape of the canyon. In the midst of impossibilities, we saw small trees growing along vertical cliff faces, cacti leaning over ledges, bushes sprouting from stand-alone rocks, and small flowers popping out of sand. Where death was precariously close, life was abundant.
During the early hours of Resurrection Sunday, John and I hiked to the edge of our mesa to watch the sunrise and shared what this journey had meant to us. While hundreds were gathering at Mather Point on the rim for a sunrise service, John and I were alone upon our remote mesa. Growing up in churches, Jesus' resurrection was a powerful act of God, but did not bear the same extent of power that it took for Him to be crucified. In the Bible, others had been raised from the dead, so Jesus' resurrection wasn't anything new--it was expected. My three days in the canyon were spent considering the vast power of God to create such an enormous, yet intricately beautiful place, and here I sat on the edge of a mesa cliff in the middle of the Grand Canyon, surrounded by towering buttes and temples above with looming gorges beneath as sunlight began to illuminate the high ridges. To ponder that the power of resurrection surpassed the creative power that God put into forming such a grand canyon left me stunned. Resurrection power--not just making life exist, but bringing life out of death in places least expected--is what God demonstrated that Easter morning so long ago. That is the type of power we celebrate and give thanks for each year.
And to think that God has given this same resurrection power to each of us for our own healing and to bring healing to others; my eyes began to tear up. Sunlight reached our mesa, flooding me with warmth and ridding me of any residual sleepiness. I was able to make our final climb out of the canyon, re-emerging into a new perspective, one that I pray leaves me changed.
That was by far the best Easter Sunday service I had experienced ever! I am so grateful for such a remarkable gift.
Heading to my summer post this week. I'll have more photos and stories from this trip to share later.
Blessings on your week!
Photos are available on the "Photos of the Week" link.
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