Seeing Life Clearly - Martin Wiles

For we walk by faith, not by sight. 2 Corinthians 5:7 NKJV

We stood gazing across the river at what our eyes couldn’t see clearly but couldn’t believe.

My daughter and I were backpacking. On our third day out, we came to a swinging bridge that crossed Horsepasture River. But as we looked at the other side, we noticed that a large pine had fallen across the stairway ascending the neighboring mountain—the mountain we had to climb. Without binoculars to view the situation up close, we had two choices: turn back or move on. We moved on.

What we couldn’t see from the other side was that the mess was passable—with a little ingenuity. Since my daughter was only twelve and skinny, she easily passed beneath the tree. I wasn’t so fortunate. I removed my pack, hugged the tree tightly, and shinnied over. Had I slid down the tree, I would have also slid down the mountain.

Just as my daughter and I couldn’t see the full picture from where we stood on the other side of the river, we typically can’t see all aspects of life’s journey either. Nor could the greatest missionary who ever lived. He said he walked by faith and included all believers in the journey. Faith helps us see that the real picture isn’t as frightening up close as it may appear from a distance.

With faith eyes, we can see God’s plan. His plans for us are good. He wants to bless, not harm. His plans have a purpose, and if we pursue his plan, we’ll live a more abundant life than we could possibly find through power, possessions, or pleasure.

With faith eyes, we’re reminded that spiritual warfare is taking place. God wants us to enjoy his best while Satan wants us to pursue his plan. The first brings lasting joy and peace, while the second brings only temporary satisfaction—along with eternal torment.

With eyes of faith, we can see that the victory is won. Christ assured the final victory on Calvary’s cross. By relying on his Spirit’s power, we can win every spiritual battle we encounter.

And with the eyes of faith, we can believe there’s a way through every one of life’s trials. God has the path mapped out and will point us in the right direction when we ask.

When your way appears blocked by life’s obstacles, God can help you see the real picture.

Father, help me see life as it really is—not as it often appears. 

If you seek hope and healing because of hurts you have faced, then Hurt, Hope, and Healing is for you. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.

Perplexed by Trials - Martin Wiles

Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” 2 Corinthians 12:8-9 NLT

Rain is not a deterrent—just an inconvenience. 

I’d heard the saying from seasoned hikers. And since I loved to hike, I’d said it a few times myself. Had I postponed hiking trips because of the chance of rain, I would have stayed home more than I hiked. Unless the forecast was for a total washout, I proceeded with my plans and prepared accordingly. 

One such trip was to Tray Mountain in northeastern Georgia. Before reaching the summit, hikers come to a rocky mound with a 360-degree view. But not on this trip. Clouds covered the peak and valleys like a blanket. Occasionally, the stiff winds blew away enough clouds for me to see the surrounding beauty. 

My desire to hike or camp always overruled the inconvenience of rain. I simply prepared for inclement weather by taking a raincoat, a pack cover, and quick-drying clothes. Rain didn’t perplex me. In fact, I learned to expect it when hiking in the mountains—which make their own weather. 

Perhaps Paul was perplexed by his trial—an unidentified thorn in the flesh. He wouldn’t be the first. Old Testament Job—and a host of others—was as well. When living righteously and loving God supremely, it didn’t make sense for life to be tough. Shouldn’t it have been easy?

God has the power to initiate or allow trials. When He allows them, Satan is the instigator. He hopes the trial will make us bitter and frustrated or make us want to give up. That’s never God’s intention when he initiates or allows them. He has good intentions—along with the power to turn around Satan’s plans and overrule them for good.

Rather than getting perplexed by trials, we can focus on their positive effects. They can grow us, making us stronger spiritually so we can face life with a different attitude. They can draw out our ingenuity. God doesn’t usually fix things automatically, but he will give us wisdom, under his power, to discern the correct course of action. Trials cause us to look at life differently—to examine our priorities. And they also propel us into actions we might not otherwise take. 

Instead of being perplexed by your trials, let God show you the positive side effects of them. 

Father, when I move through difficult seasons of life, show me the positive things that can result. 

If you seek hope and healing because of hurts you have faced, then Hurt, Hope, and Healing is for you. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.

Like a Rock - Martin Wiles

The LORD is my rock, my fortress, and my savior; my God is my rock, in whom I find protection. He is my shield, the power that saves me, and my place of safety. Psalm 18:2 NLT

Rocks were either my best friends or my worst enemies. Encountering them was a common experience when hiking in the mountains. During the years that I hiked, rocks became a common feature on the trails I traveled. Sometimes they slowed me down significantly. 

Getting to one of my favorite destinations required passing over a mountain appropriately named Rocky Mountain. Especially in the winter months, I had to choose my steps carefully. Rocks were wet, and water turned to ice during the cold months. These same wet rocks attract algae in the summer months, making them as slippery as when they are coated with ice. 

But rocks are also advantageous. When on a steep incline of a particularly high mountain, rocks provide firm footing that soil itself doesn’t give, making the climb easier. 

Using a metaphor, David said his God was a rock. Certain characteristics of God reminded David of rocks, which he was no doubt familiar with. He had been a shepherd who allowed sheep to graze in fields dotted by rocks. 

I’ve discovered the same truth as David did. Like a rock, God remains when others walk out. Large boulders are immovable without heavy equipment or geographical upheavals. Likewise, we can depend on God to be there when others aren’t. He will never disappoint. Rockslides are common in the mountains, but God is not like any of those rocks that were dislodged by water, construction, or tremors. He remains steadfast.

Like a solid rock, God also provides better footing for life. When we stand on a relationship with him and the principles of his Word, our life footing is solid. Even when troubles and trials come, he gives the footing of grace, wisdom, and faith to press on without bitterness, anger, and frustration. 

Like many rocks, there is more of God than we ever see. The bulk of many rocks is underground. The evidence of God’s work is never as apparent as what is happening. He is forever behind the scenes, molding us into the image of Christ and working for our good. In tragedies, crises, and tough times, he may seem hidden, but never is. 

Let God be the rock in your life. He will never disappoint you but will provide the stability you need for every life event. 

Father, be the rock of refuge I run to and upon which I stand. 

I invite you to try my book Hurt, Hope, and Healing in eBook or paperback. If you seek hope and healing because of the hurts you have faced, this book is for you. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.

What a Walk - Martin Wiles

And Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him. Genesis 5:24 NKJV

He was the first to do what I longed to do . . . but probably never would. And what a walk it was. 

In his book, Walking with Spring, Earl Shaffer details his account of being the first person to thru-hike the Appalachian Trail—a footpath extending more than 2,000 miles from Springer Mountain, Georgia, to Mount Katahdin, Maine. The new trail was a mess and not as well attended as it is today. Nor did he have the modern equipment available presently. 

I once dreamed of taking a walk like Earl. Taking six months off from work and living in the wilderness, enjoying God’s creation. Although I’ve hiked numerous sections of the Appalachian Trail from Georgia to Virginia, I’ve never hiked the entire trail. Now, age and health concerns would prevent me from doing so. 

Enoch took a walk of a different variety. A walk with God. And when his time came to leave this earth, God just took him. He didn’t have to pass through the scary experience of death. He merely disappeared into God’s hands and entered heaven. 

To take a walk with God means going in the same direction as he does. God is characterized by holiness and righteousness. Walking with him means we must pursue the same traits. While we can’t be purely holy and righteous in practice as he is, we can be in position by accepting what he allowed his Son to do on Calvary’s cross: pay for our sins. When we accept that act, Jesus’ righteousness—which was as pure as God the Father’s—is applied to our lives.  

Walking with God is often taxing, as it was for Earl Schaffer as he maneuvered a rough and unkempt trail. But God promises to walk with us and give us the power to make it through the rough spots. 

Taking a walk with God requires obedience. Jesus says if we love him, we will obey his commands. Doing so isn’t always easy, but he will give us strength to do that as well. 

When we walk with God, we can also expect rewards. God gives us the desire to serve him, the power to obey his commands, and then rewards us for his accomplishments through us. The assurance of his presence and love now and throughout eternity keeps us taking another step. 

Walking is good exercise. Take a daily walk with God and reap the benefits.

Father, thank you for the privilege of walking with you. 

If you seek hope and healing because of hurts you have faced, then Hurt, Hope, and Healing is for you. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.

Looking for Evidence - Martin Wiles

I won’t believe it unless I see the nail wounds in his hands, put my fingers into them, and place my hand into the wound in his side. John 20:25 NLT

We were looking for evidence, and it was overwhelming. Yet, we followed something we feared.

Panthertown Valley is just outside Cashiers, North Carolina. But if someone is looking for a directional sign, they’ll be disappointed. But my brother and I had directions. Numerous trails run through more than 10,000 acres of protected land, and we planned to hike one of them.

As we made our way along the trail, we noticed scat. Since it was filled with berries, we knew which animal left it. Although we enjoyed the scenery, our eyes roamed our surroundings. Every noise made our hearts race and our eyes dance. When we reached the end of the trail, a tree with claw marks greeted us. A bear scratching post. We never saw Smokey, but the evidence convinced us he was near.

The evidence convinced us, but not Thomas. Jesus had been resurrected from the grave. Women saw him, as did some of the other disciples, but eyewitness reports weren’t enough for Thomas. He wanted to see the marks. So Jesus showed him. Then Thomas felt ashamed that he’d asked.

The evidence for God’s existence seems overwhelming to me—but not all agree. When I look at nature and how natural laws operate according to an unseen plan, I wonder how anyone could doubt, or even deny, the existence of a Higher Being. Theologians disagree over the methods God used to create. Did he initiate a Big Bang or perhaps use evolution as his process? Or was everything a fiat act of creation out of nothing?

Jesus showed Thomas the evidence he asked for and listened as Thomas shamefully confessed him as Lord and Savior. He should have believed without the evidence. God won’t appear to us and say, “Yes, I exist and created,” but he has given enough evidence to know he does and did.

The evidence at Panthertown Valley convinced my brother and me that a bear was in the area, whether or not we physically saw him with our eyes. The universe, along with a still small voice that speaks to my spirit, convinces me God exists, loves me, and wants to be included in my life. What I do with the evidence is up to me.

Evidence for God’s existence is overwhelming. Believe he exists and invite him into your life.

Father, I acknowledge you as the Creator and Governor of the universe and my life. 

If you seek hope and healing because of hurts you have faced, then Hurt, Hope, and Healing is for you. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.

God Remembers Me - Anita van der Elst

But God will never forget the needy; the hope of the afflicted will never perish. Psalm 9:18 NIV

“Oma has a walking stick!” 

The announcement by my grandson, not quite three years old at the time, stated the obvious. Not a random branch found where it fell from a tree, but a designed and carved wooden staff made special because it was given to me by my son. It still serves a necessary purpose. On unlevel ground, it keeps me balanced as I walk.

As my physical body ages, my need for assistance in strength, stability, and endurance increases. My afflictions are not severe, but they do restrict me in some ways. As time passes, these will continue to worsen. Mentally and emotionally, I find that my own thoughts attack me and cause me stress and shame. But my spiritual need is the greatest since I can do nothing to save myself.

Therefore, I am grateful for my neediness and affliction—conditions that let me know God remembers me. He remembered that I desperately needed a Savior. He sent his Son, Jesus, to bear the punishment for my sin. He suffered death on a cross so that I could experience forgiveness. The Holy Spirit reminds me to carry my sins, shortcomings, and hurts to the foot of that cross in my prayers. In leaning on that cross, I find freedom, stability, and assurance of eternity in heaven.

Put your trust in Jesus and lean on him as you walk.

Anita van der Elst finds joy in creating with words, believing God gifted her with the desire to do so. Married to her best friend, Edward, since 1976, she is a proud mom of four adult children and Oma to three of the most delightful grandchildren ever. Other joys in her life include bringing beauty to Facebook through photos she takes on her iPhone, exploring the state parks in the PNW, facilitating a small group of women, and participating in a Bible study.

I invite you to try my book Hurt, Hope, and Healing in eBook or paperback. If you seek hope and healing because of the hurts you have faced, this book is for you. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.

Hiding from God - Martin Wiles

Destruction is certain for those who try to hide their plans from the Lord, who try to keep him in the dark concerning what they do! Isaiah 29:15 NLT

The four deer thought the landscape hid them, but they stood in plain view.

Around 11 am, my wife and I started on a hiking trail in the Great Smokey Mountains National Park. We quietly talked about various matters and enjoyed the beauty of nature as we watched evidence of spring appear all around us. As I glanced up the mountainside, a doe appeared. Then we noticed several yearlings with her. The little family strolled along, nibbling on greenery, obviously thinking the foliage concealed them.

 

Just as the deer imagined the bare trees concealed them, so many in Isaiah’s day thought they could get through life by making their own plans and ignoring God.

 

Adam and Eve started this failed attempt to hide from God when they disobeyed God’s instructions about not eating from a particular tree. When they realized the consequences of their disobedience, they tried to hide. God found them. Then they played the blame game. Adam blamed Eve who in turn blamed the serpent.

 

Since God is everywhere at once, our attempts to hide from him because we’ve sinned—or to hide our plans from him because we don’t want His input—are useless. God sees all things at once, us included. But a more important question is why we would want to hide ourselves or our plans from him in the first place.

 

As with Adam and Eve, sin is the normal reason for our attempts at hiding. Adam and Eve played the denial game, then the making excuses game, and finally the blame game. None of their games worked then, and they don’t now. I’ve tried them all.

 

When we sin or stray from God, hiding isn’t the answer. God isn’t mean, nor does he sit in heaven waiting for us to mess up so he can get joy out of punishing us. He loves with an eternal love and wants to be involved in our lives so we can experience a level of living that can only be known with him as our guide. Coming out into the open with the details of our lives might be frightening—after all, it’s a faith thing—but doing so is the only way to live life as he planned.

 

Instead of camouflaging yourself from God, come out into the open and let him have full control of your life.

Father, when I try to hide my sin or plans from you, pull me into the open through confession and trust.

I invite you to try my book Grits, Grace, and Grands. If you have grands, this book is for you. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.

The Steps of Life - Martin Wiles

The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives. Psalm 37:23 NLT

Sometimes, steps can lead to uncommon sites. 

Porter’s Creek Trail is popular in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The first mile of the trail is a wide gravel path that passes the remains of several old home sites surrounded by rock walls. In the middle of an odd area, a set of rickety stone stairs leads upward. As I climbed to the top, a small cemetery awaited me—a family cemetery from long ago with mostly illegible headstones. 

The psalmist was confident God directed the steps of his followers. Delightfully, he walks along with his children as they traverse the steps of life. 

Like the steps leading up to the old cemetery, life’s steps can be slippery, uneven, or solid. Had it recently rained, I would have scaled the ancient steps more carefully. The green moss on them would have slowed me down as well. I know what moss on a wet surface can do. Although some may have fallen on these particular steps, the steps have stood the test of time. Hundreds of years later, they still carry visitors to the old cemetery. 

Our life steps will always lead somewhere. When ordered by God, a destination awaits—one that will be brighter than the spot we’re currently in if we let him lead us all the way through. On the way, the steps may take us through valley experiences, desert depths, and mountain peaks, but with God’s guidance, we don’t have to fear any of those experiences. 

Whatever steps God takes us up, we can rest assured he precedes like a shepherd leading sheep to greener pastures. The shepherd has already been there, removed poisonous weeds, and checked for danger. While climbing the steps, God will be beside us. If we slip, he will pick us up. If we twist our ankles, he will mend the hurt. 

God also designs the steps of life to test our character. Numerous biblical stories and countless testimonies by Christian saints relate it. God never concocts steps intended to destroy but to build up and make us stronger spiritually than we’ve ever been before. 

As you climb the steps of life, remember who built them and that God designed them to lead you to a place of stronger character.

Father, I climb with confidence that what awaits me at the top will be better than what I’ve experienced below. 

I invite you to try my book Grits, Grace, and Grands. If you have grands, this book is for you. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.

The Road Ahead - Martin Wiles

Your own ears will hear him. Right behind you a voice will say, “This is the way you should go.” Isaiah 30:21 NLT

The road ahead often winds and maneuvers in ways we could never imagine. 

My wife and I were at a retreat in the Tennessee mountains. One morning when we had free time, I invited her to hike on a nearby trail. Moderate in intensity, the trail meandered by farm sites hundreds of years old and through panoramic views of the numerous wildflowers growing in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. As we trudged along, my wife snapped a picture and said, “Look at the road ahead.” 

Isaiah reminded the people of God’s road before them and how often they had chosen their own roads. Following God’s road would lead to his blessings, but they often chose the more heavily traveled road—the road of disobedience. 

God’s road often has steep inclines. I’ve been on many mountain trails where I had to stop numerous times before reaching the top. Only with periodic rest stops and by guzzling fluids did I finally reach the pinnacle. However, as my wife and I discovered, what goes up must come down. Our return hike was downhill the entire way. 

The road ahead contains unforeseen elements. I had hiked this particular trail sixteen years ago and remembered only scattered images of interesting things along the way to the waterfall at the end. Walking the trail now was like experiencing a new adventure as I anticipated what was next. God doesn’t give us a point-by-point map of where his road will take us—only the assurance he’ll be with us as we travel. 

God’s road is sometimes uneven. This trail was. Some places were flat, but rocks, roots, and washed-out gullies dotted other spots. We slowed down when we approached these areas and chose our steps carefully. Trials and tribulations are parcel to life—some placed there by God to challenge and increase our faith. In those times, we need God’s guidance even more. 

Taking God’s road also puts us in touch with fellow travelers. Porter’s Creek Trail is a popular hiking area because of the plethora of wildflowers. Hundreds of people preceded and followed us. Whatever road God leads us down, he’ll always provide fellow travelers to help us make the journey. 

Regardless of your road, God and others walk beside you. 

Father, I ask you to guide me as I walk the road through the valley, up and over the mountain, and through the wilderness.

I invite you to try my book Grits, Grace, and Grands. If you have grands, this book is for you. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.

Safe in the Shelter - Martin Wiles

Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty. Psalm 91:1 NLT

The shelter was only a few hundred feet away, but at the moment, it may as well have been a mile.

I had grown accustomed to storms while hiking in the mountains. Which is why I started early in the morning so I could finish before late afternoon, when storms were known to arrive. 

On this particular day, my brother, daughter, and I were on the Appalachian Trail in northern Georgia. We planned to arrive at our destination around noon, set up camp, and then ditch our packs before hiking for a few more miles.

We reached our destination on time, but as soon as we unloaded, thunder rolled across the mountains. We quickly set up our tents. No sooner had we driven the last stake than powerful pelting rain, sharp peels of lightning, and booming bangs of thunder slithered across the mountains. A trail shelter was only three hundred feet away, but we couldn’t reach it at the moment.

During a brief lull in the lightning and thunder, we ran for the shelter like deer from hunting dogs. Soaked to the skin, we huddled in the crude building for the next four hours, listening as one storm after another marched across the mountains.

The psalmist also discovered a shelter in the God he served—a shelter that provided rest and comfort.

The mountain storms I’ve encountered were nothing compared to some of the life storms I’ve experienced. During these times, the shelter of God’s protection often seemed close but unreachable. But it only appeared that way. 

God always has a shelter for our troubled souls. The storm may continue to rage, but we're protected from harm when we rest in God’s sheltering arms.

Just as we had to make an effort to get to the shelter, we, too, must run to the shelter God provides. Our efforts demonstrate to God that we recognize our need and love for him. And that we understand we can’t handle life on our own.

Shelters of various styles dot the length of the Appalachian Trail. God is our ultimate shelter, but he manifests himself in different ways. Sometimes, he shelters us through the presence of others.

God’s shelters are always close when the storms of life pummel. Run to him often, and find the protection and peace he offers.

Father, may I remember that you are my ultimate shelter in the storms of life.

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I invite you to try my book A Whisper in the Woods in eBook or paperback. If you seek hope and healing because of the hurts you have faced, this book is for you. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.

God’s Light - Martin Wiles

I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the wonderful future he has promised to those he called. Ephesians 1:18 NLT

My world came crashing down, but it was too dark for me to see it.

On one of the first few camping trips my brother and I and my two children took together, we discovered the need for a good tent. I had purchased two small tents—one dome shaped and the other military style. My son and I slept in the military style.

During the night, our tent came tumbling down. I fumbled for my flashlight, and after turning on the light understood why. My son had dislodged one of the poles. Not only had the pole collapsed but the guyot line had unhooked from the stake. Luckily, I located the stake, re-attached the line, and re-erected our tent. But only because I had light.

The light Paul wanted early Christians to be flooded with didn’t come from a flashlight—or in his time an oil lamp. Rather, it would come from understanding the wonderful present and future they had because of God’s light of salvation.

When God’s light shines into our lives, it enables us to understand Him. While the process of fully understanding God is never complete—His ways and thoughts are higher than ours—knowing Him as our Lord gives a fuller understanding of who He is. He’s not just a far-off deity who really doesn’t care about our affairs. He’s a close-up friend and Savior who has our best interests at heart.

God’s light helps us comprehend His plan. He has a unique plan for each one of His followers. We don’t have to aimlessly wander around pondering what we’re supposed to do. We can know God’s desire and join Him in fleshing it out.

God’s light shining into our lives allows us to see a bright future. Life on earth can be abundant, but life in the future will be more so. Regardless of what we have or don’t have on earth, or regardless of how we’re treated, we will be loved for eternity by the one who gave His life for us.

When God’s light of understanding pours into our lives, we’ll see the matchless inheritance we’ve been given. Everything that belongs to God’s Son belongs to us. We are joint heirs with Christ.

It’s amazing what a little light can do. Make sure you are experiencing God’s light.

Father, flood my heart with light so that I might understand all You have in store for me.

I invite you to try my book Hurt, Hope, and Healing in eBook or paperback. If you seek hope and healing because of the hurts you have faced, this book is for you. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.