How close are you getting to the LIVING WATER?

Wednesday evening I was asked if I would be interested in going on a hike as they were putting together a group hike for Thursday morning. My friend Doris had been wanting to go to this particular place and had to seek permission as the majority of the path was on private property but the actual location was on National Forest property. She asked and was given permission and then she also lined up a guide that knew exactly how to get there and where we were going.


**Our guide, Bruce. He leads several hikes each week in this area during the month of July. But not on this particular hike and he was so kind to give of his time for us! Thanks Bruce.




This morning I see so many spiritual truths to this with my walk with God. I have a desire or a dream with-in me, a want to. I would be much wiser if I would seek God's permission to "go" or to "do" instead of just blundering my way through. And my Guide is the Holy Spirit, and am I allowing Him to lead me?

**This is one of the very first things that my eyes noticed after we left our vehicles and began our hike.




There were 15 of us total ranging in age from 8 1/2 to at least 72 years of age. This group also consisted of three women without spouses, for various reasons. There was such a form of unity on our hike, every one was so kind and in the really tough spots every one helped one another.




We need one another as Believer's, (The Church) and that we also have a wide range of ages, even as far as our conversion. Some come to Jesus at an early age, and some of us come much later. But no matter our age, we need to be helping one another not only when life is easy, but when life gets down right hard as well. We need to mentor and be mentored. Sometimes the road we are on is uphill, often times we have to go through a valley, and even walk through some dead things to bring our healing such as seeking forgiveness.


**I enjoy flowers, animals and wildlife. But I wonder out of the 15 of us yesterday, how many noticed this butterfly? I wonder how many times each day I miss God because I have my eyes elsewhere?


The hike was absolutely spectacular from the very beginning, we just stood in awe several times. Even when it was a treacherous spot, it was still gorgeous. About a 1/2 mile from our destination we walked up into a clearing and this is what we saw:





The spiritual truth is that even when life is hard, beauty still surrounds us and if we keep ourselves pliable and mold-able God gives us sweet glimpses of beauty and hope to spur us on.

As we hiked we didn't really see what we were after until we were just a few feet from our destination. This is also where we would rest and have lunch. Isn't this beautiful?



The spiritual truth that I recognize is that God lights our path for only the next step, He doesn't reveal the whole picture to us, as we need to step out in faith, one step at a time.

We dined here where this waterfall pooled and I got up close to enjoy the lunch I had prepared and placed in my backpack. I wanted the coolness of the water to splash on me.





In the spiritual what are we dining upon and is it truly healthy for us? What are we carrying on our backs and in our hearts that perhaps we should not be and need to be placing in God's hands as well as are we allowing Him to splash on us?

And so, today, this very moment, I desire for the coolness and revitalization of The Living Water, Jesus Christ, to splash on me, to refresh me, to encourage me, to cause my heart and His to be delighted.

Dear Friends, I have written to you to stimulate you to wholesome thinking. **My paraphrase of 2 Peter 3:1 If there is anything that I have shared here that you would like to know where that is at in God's Word, please don't hesitate to ask.

With love,
Yolanda