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!
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