The mountain grew taller as I ambled my way past house-sized boulders. This trail was leading me somewhere eternal. I wasn’t seeking a cliffside vista, although a respite from the valley’s humidity seemed nice. I was after something everlasting.
I enjoyed Indeed, I liked it w lot. It made me think. I saw the experience in my mind, which says you succeeded I It was like being on the trail with you.
My echo chamber for you on this piece:
I have always wanted to “discuss” ( think: argue) religion (and politics) with any one that would listen. This affliction was in the water of my youth in West Virginia Thus, your statement of spending a lifetime arguing the semantics and fallacies of scripture with anyone that would listen struck home. You had me with that line
Although I have had many cases of backsliding, my trip to the mountain was more conventional I responded to the invitation in church as a senior in high school as the choir sang “just As I Am.” Something inside me said go and I did.
I found your statement that your journey to your threshold was the result of a “providential pairing” of an atheist and a Southern Baptist very interesting. I know you said you weren’t alone on the journey—that you were with your best friend who picked the place for the climb up the mountain. I thought what is the significance of this atheist’s presence. Was he God working through strange and mysterious ways to bring you to this threshold?
You said you were “after something everlasting” I thought did you know you were heading for this threshold from the beginning or did it come along the way or at reaching the summit!
You said you had to make good on a promise I found that tantalizing and wanted to know more Was it to yourself or to another or others What was the promise?
This was a moment of reverence I get that one and can understand that without more
You said the journey up the trail was rocky and unstable like most of my life to that point I felt the universality of that statement but also the individuality of it for you and for me
The trail was more than a trail it was a pilgrimage from one life to another Again I wondered when the trek became that pilgrimage From the beginning, along the way?
You said: I stood at a threshold I was afraid to cross. I liked that line and the sincerity of it given the reaction you had after crossing it I think this too is universal
You said after crossing the threshold “I couldn’t feign ignorance, and there would be severe consequences from those I’d previously chastised if this thing didn’t stick.” Again, that caused me to wondering what was at the heart of this statement I wanted to know more—another ticker for a future post?
I was moved by this: “Now, I admitted it. I asked to be forgiven of my trespasses, my arrogance, my doubt, and all matters of disbelief. I learned what awe was. The reverence humbled me. I couldn’t stop weeping. There was no going back now.” That you weeped at this point, from joy I am sure, moved and comforted me because as know from our class I am a weeper too
A final thought: I couldn’t help but wonder: what the reaction of your friend the atheist was?
I hope this wasn’t to much but as I said, it did make me think
Hey dude, I promise I’ll answer all these when I get home, in Montana with limited service. I was the atheist in that story prior to accepting Christ. My buddy in the truck in Iraq with me was southern Baptist and he walked with me to recommit / accept Christ on top of Moore’s wall in Nc. I had a conventional experience as a child but then became atheist in high school and came back to Christ a few years after Iraq. I knew accepting Christ would be unpopular in my friend group so I needed to make side it was real. This maybe given proper context but I’ll revisit when I get home and have better signal service.
It’s funny a few people interpreted that differently about the best friend and likely all are applicable but this was literal. The guy with me in Iraq was southern Baptist and was with me on the mountain. I too have had many ups and downs with faith and still argue and wrestle with it all.
Wow. We all come to Him in way different ways. I found Jesus in our living room in Florida one evening. Been going to church all my life but finally realized he was real and he was my lord and savior. No great lightning strikes, just that still small voice told me “I am”. Thanks for sharing as always. Love and hugs!
I enjoyed Indeed, I liked it w lot. It made me think. I saw the experience in my mind, which says you succeeded I It was like being on the trail with you.
My echo chamber for you on this piece:
I have always wanted to “discuss” ( think: argue) religion (and politics) with any one that would listen. This affliction was in the water of my youth in West Virginia Thus, your statement of spending a lifetime arguing the semantics and fallacies of scripture with anyone that would listen struck home. You had me with that line
Although I have had many cases of backsliding, my trip to the mountain was more conventional I responded to the invitation in church as a senior in high school as the choir sang “just As I Am.” Something inside me said go and I did.
I found your statement that your journey to your threshold was the result of a “providential pairing” of an atheist and a Southern Baptist very interesting. I know you said you weren’t alone on the journey—that you were with your best friend who picked the place for the climb up the mountain. I thought what is the significance of this atheist’s presence. Was he God working through strange and mysterious ways to bring you to this threshold?
You said you were “after something everlasting” I thought did you know you were heading for this threshold from the beginning or did it come along the way or at reaching the summit!
You said you had to make good on a promise I found that tantalizing and wanted to know more Was it to yourself or to another or others What was the promise?
This was a moment of reverence I get that one and can understand that without more
You said the journey up the trail was rocky and unstable like most of my life to that point I felt the universality of that statement but also the individuality of it for you and for me
The trail was more than a trail it was a pilgrimage from one life to another Again I wondered when the trek became that pilgrimage From the beginning, along the way?
You said: I stood at a threshold I was afraid to cross. I liked that line and the sincerity of it given the reaction you had after crossing it I think this too is universal
You said after crossing the threshold “I couldn’t feign ignorance, and there would be severe consequences from those I’d previously chastised if this thing didn’t stick.” Again, that caused me to wondering what was at the heart of this statement I wanted to know more—another ticker for a future post?
I was moved by this: “Now, I admitted it. I asked to be forgiven of my trespasses, my arrogance, my doubt, and all matters of disbelief. I learned what awe was. The reverence humbled me. I couldn’t stop weeping. There was no going back now.” That you weeped at this point, from joy I am sure, moved and comforted me because as know from our class I am a weeper too
A final thought: I couldn’t help but wonder: what the reaction of your friend the atheist was?
I hope this wasn’t to much but as I said, it did make me think
Hey dude, I promise I’ll answer all these when I get home, in Montana with limited service. I was the atheist in that story prior to accepting Christ. My buddy in the truck in Iraq with me was southern Baptist and he walked with me to recommit / accept Christ on top of Moore’s wall in Nc. I had a conventional experience as a child but then became atheist in high school and came back to Christ a few years after Iraq. I knew accepting Christ would be unpopular in my friend group so I needed to make side it was real. This maybe given proper context but I’ll revisit when I get home and have better signal service.
I gathered that you were the atheist after one of the comments I couldn’t see that Stan because I had seen the new Stan!!!
Haha fair! Man, I’m glad we met in class brother!
Me too
Great faith story brother.
Thank you sir
It’s funny a few people interpreted that differently about the best friend and likely all are applicable but this was literal. The guy with me in Iraq was southern Baptist and was with me on the mountain. I too have had many ups and downs with faith and still argue and wrestle with it all.
Beautiful testimony!!!
Thank you
Wow. We all come to Him in way different ways. I found Jesus in our living room in Florida one evening. Been going to church all my life but finally realized he was real and he was my lord and savior. No great lightning strikes, just that still small voice told me “I am”. Thanks for sharing as always. Love and hugs!
That’s awesome!
Wow, sounds so similar to a mountain I climbed with a Friend, in fact sounds like the same friend!
Haha yessir