KEEP on GROWING

"I pray that your love will overflow more and more, and that you will KEEP on GROWING in knowledge and understanding.  For I want you to understand what REALLY matters, so that you may live pure and blameless lives until the day of Christ's return."  Philippians 1:9,10 NLT

The time I spend in the Drakensburg Mountains must be my God-given sabbatical because every time I go, the Lord works such amazing things in me. 

This past trip, as we took a beautiful hike through the Fern Valley, we enjoyed seeing plush greenery, trickling streams and felt the comfort of damp cool shade trees.  We continued on.  The hike was relaxing as we approached a row of steps that shot upward into further unknown territory.  The trail had been, thus far, marked well, but as we viewed the steep row of steps, our destination seemed a little uncertain.

  We began the climb upward.  The trees became thin.  As we topped the rocky climb beyond the row of steps, the plush greenery was left behind, being exchanged for a dusty, uninhibited trail.   There we stood looking out over a blazing hot, mid-afternoon, sun-scorched land...no trickling stream, no green ferns.  Just a lot of chapped and parched grime and a path that rolled hill over hill of seemingly oblivion.

  "Do you have the map?" I ask.  Kyle's response was no.  "Do you know where we are going?"  His answer was "No, but I think this is right."  "I don't see any markers and the nearest thing I recognize is some Hotel way, way, way, beyond those trees!! Are you sure? Maybe we should go back down the mountain climb and back the way we came?!" Kyle's response was "I think this is right."

   My confidence in that man was a bit wavering to speak honestly.  I wanted the map.  I wanted to know for sure that this was the right way.  There were no markers of any sort.  There was only the scorching heat, 5 kids that had already hiked for well over an hour, an empty bag of snacks, only drops of water left in water bottles and NO sun-screen...I thought we were hiking in the ferns.  My concern for children was escalating by leaps and bounds.

 We hiked on...and on. Over every hill we hoped for some respite, some acknowledgement of accuracy that we were heading in the right direction...then, it would be another hill.  "Are you sure we are going the right way?!!!" Kyle's response was, "I think this is right." He had skimmed the map he said. 

As you would guess, we were headed the right way.  As you might be thinking, I should not have doubted for a minute.  As you would spiritually say, don't worry.  As I might be advised, get a grip.  True.  It's all true.  Life sometimes has a way of turning paths down very unknown territory and the walk seems very dim, lifeless, empty.  Even for believers in a Risen Savior our hearts can be drawn towards things that really don't matter.  Our eyes can only see the heartaches, the hopelessness.  The distress of life situations can become consuming.  I see people everyday in this country who struggle to just find bread.  Their needs far outweigh anything most of us could imagine.  They fight to see that there is a glimmer of green beneath the rock of life that weighs heavy.  

 As I saw this plant growing beneath this stone, it was such a reminder of how we can flourish even in the midst of drought.  May you truly keep on growing, knowing what really matters so that you may flourish all the way to the end!