Meet my son, David. He wrote this as he looked back over his journey to the summit of Mt. Rainier in August 2019. I found it inspiring as he related his climb to Scripture. I hope you, too, will be inspired!

Good Morning to you all,

I pray strength, wisdom, grace for you!  I have been blessed by our LORD immensely, whether by good or bad.  My mom sent me a quote, “It’s not calling bad things good…RATHER, it believes that goodness will be the result.”

Habakkuk 3: 17-19 “Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation. The Lord is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds’ feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places. To the chief singer on my stringed instruments.”

I have seen the mountain wholly engulfed in clouds, partially covered, and in full, unbridled majestic beauty. I work at Mount Tahoma High School and am given a spectacular view of the mountain all the time. Recently, the boss asked me to do something, I did not want to do, but he is the boss! It was about sunrise, and well, you can guess, the illuminating colors cast visions of enormous majesty across the sky, an awaking of a new day! Just a small thing I could had blown off with my boss, but my doing what I was told packed a pretty good reward. The small decisions by the 1000’s upon 1000’s is what makes up life, not the very, very, very small number of life-altering choices we make. And one day, I decided I would climb that mountain!

When I gazed upon the mountain and His creation, I remembered and thought of our God and “strength, hinds’ feet, and walking on high places.”

The mountain is often encircled with clouds mid-way up in a ring and only touching around the mountain itself. As I looked at the mountain, I could see the circle around it and know people on the bottom of the mountain look up, seeing only clouds at about 10,000 feet. Well, there are about 4,000 more feet to the top for a view from the summit. At 10,000 is the base Camp Muir with huts for climbers. At this camp, I knew it was socked in, barely able to see a few feet in front of your face. I know the people at the bottom say, “Why go? You can’t see at the top.” The people in the middle may think the same. The people at the top can see fine and are given a grand view more closely resembling God’s view of your situation. Of course, God sees everything all at the same time, the unseen included. Some people may say, “Maybe today is not the best day to climb the mountain,” and then the next day never comes. Or the weather changes and you can’t go.

TO WALK ON HIGH PLACES

Whatever little things, you know stuff that life is made of, whatever little things come our way, we must go by strength from a heart empowered by HIS SPIRIT. We show love to those we cross paths with, not by saying what is most important to me, but by what is most important to you. God, please show me to your cross today that I may take it up to invest myself in your kingdom work today.

How does my experience relate to the Word of God? 

As we climb higher towards the summit, we encounter dangers. When we can’t see Jesus has given us a path as our “forerunner” with flags marked even in harsh weather conditions when you can only see one or two at a time, you make progress from flag to flag. “They go from strength to strength, every one of them in Zion appeareth before God.” Psalm 84:7

When we have gone off course and are lost, we may seek God, who hears us and delivers us from all our fears. “I sought the LORD and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.” Psalm 34:4 (This is my dad’s favorite verse.) Well, we have maps, GPS, landmarks, and other team members who may have more excellent knowledge than ourselves.

We always have our feet secured well in crampons for the slippery slopes of compact glaciated snow and ice during our journey upward. We are careful and sure-footed one step at a time, fastening in each step secure before proceeding with another—what comfort these crampons are. No forward progress is made without them. “And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace.” Ephesians 6:16

I have on my helmet in case of impending rocks falling, and they do. I know one way or another, I will see that mountain top.😊 “And take the helmet of salvation.” Ephesians 6:17

Sometimes rock hazards are caused by one of the team members I am roped up to. I don’t hold a grudge against my team member for casting rocks upon me. I, too, have cast stones!!!!!!! “And be ye kind on to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God has for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.” Ephesians 4:32 

And then it happens … Disappointment Cleaver! 

Navigation through this massive surmountable obstacle of rock separated the prepared from the unprepared, the destined from the wasn’t meant to be. Many without proper physical training or the right gear drop out and climb no further. At this rock outcropping, each team member must decide if they have what it takes.

There is no turning back once you take your next step!

All who venture on may not turn back. We all have our doubts. Can I, will I, what if? Do I have what it takes? Trust what Jesus has called you to do.

“Being confident of this very thing, that he who began a good work in you will perform it until the day of Christ Jesus.” Philippians 1:6

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13

Below is the view from the top of Disappointment Cleaver looking down at little Mt. Tahoma. It was large, and now it is getting smaller and smaller as we ascend.

We need each other for our safety as well as the other members of the team. If one falls, we hold fast and break their fall. When one is unclipped from the safety line and is stepping out away from safety to fasten to the next stronghold, the rest of the team holds on braced and ready for the impact of their fall.

“So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.” Romans 12:5

“Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer.” Romans 12:12

When we come to an insurmountable wall of a cracked glacier, someone must go before us to prepare a way past the sheer wall of ice.

John 14:3-4 “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.  And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.”

John 14:16 “And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever.” 

Deciding to continue upward, you pace yourself using the ‘rest step.’

“Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28

PUSHING THE LIMITS

It is so physically demanding, pushing the very limits of one’s body and mind. The body is exhausted, the muscles burning. You are having a constant conversation with yourself. All you hear is the rhythmic crunch of each step into the snow, the endless howling echo of wind in the ear, and your struggle of breathing in the thin air; all the sounds mix as a rhythmic clock ticking away indifferently.

Taking one more step after the other, we dig in with a small kick of the crampon, letting it do all the work. As you stand one foot in front of the other, briefly, your frame is supported before you kick in the next foot and do it all again and again and yet again. The slope angle increases, as does the energy it takes to keep plugging away slowly. Like a staff, your pickax stabilizes you, and it’s a most powerful tool for all situations we face together. It is a safety net as you always keep it in your hand that is closest to the mountain so that you can dig in and stop an all-out freefall that could kill you and your team “… and the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God.” Ephesians 6:17

Along the whole journey from the car, you have been working on your ‘pursed-lip breathing’ like blowing out a candle from the depths of your lungs. Now you are glad you did because the air is getting thinner and colder. You must breathe with more intensive energy for each breath of life-sustaining oxygen.  “It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the works that I speak unto you they are spirit, and they are life.” John 6:63

 

We all take glances upward to see how much further. At some point, we all know the top is approaching. The pace quickens even though we are physically and emotionally exhausted. We begin to understand why we trained as we did.

 

 

Up and over the crest to the top

 

The vast landscape full of other mountains, seas, and grandeur is revealed. If only the others had trained harder or used the proper equipment (the armor of God). If only they had gotten out of all of life’s so-called comforts and tried.

To stand on the mountain’s highest elevation, you must proceed a little further to Columbia crest at 14,410 feet above sea level. It reminds me that if I had died yesterday, I would still be awaiting my new body even though I had arrived in heaven.

 “In a  moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet:  for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.” 1 Corinthians 15:52

As you approach the final stages of the true summit, there is a registry book of all who have been there before you. 

 “He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.” Revelation 3:5

My mother always wanted to climb Mount Rainier, so I put her name down in the registry book. I did not know it at the time, but she had held off telling me she had cancer until after the climb. That is a whole other inspiring story.

A few more steps and we are at the top of the top.

The summit reminds me of the new heaven and a new earth. ”And I saw a new heaven and a new earth:  for the first heaven and the first earth are passed away; and there was no more sea.” Revelation 22:1 

Well, I would like to end here, but actually, the climb is only half done. We all still have to get down off the mountain safely. As the sun sets and the darkness covers the mountain and the last few rays of sun filter away, I am trusting in my guide and headlamp to light the way.

 “They word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path” Psalm 119:105

“And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.  For whosoever will save his life shall lose it:  but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.” Luke 9:23-24

Boy, I sure am thankful my guide knows the way back. It is getting dark; in a little while, I will only see by my headlamp, a few feet at a time. And man, there is a lot of stuff to kill a fellow. Doesn’t this sound just like the 1000’s upon 1000’s of small everyday decisions that make up life. Let’s all do it together!