Trail to Wa Part 1

After growing up in a Christian home, almost eleven years married and several children later, I'm humble enough to finally admit that I really didn't know what it meant to REALLY trust the Lord in ALL things! UNTIL...my trail to Washington began! Before I begin my story let me introduce myself.

The reason for my blogname, TrailsOfMyLife, is simply my love for hiking! I will hike on the beach, in the swamp, in my yard, and in the moutains! It's where I clear my mind, hear the still small voice of God, and rejuvinate my spirit, while becoming completely entranced with God's beautiful works of nature and handiwork! Nothing compares to this. However, I don't intend to just relate my experiences on the trails of this beautiful earth, but also my spiritual trials I have hiked in my Christian life. Some will be of my past, some will be what I'm hiking right now. I hope to be encouragement to those who have not hiked these paths or maybe to warn some of dangers ahead. The best hiking manual or GPS however, is the Word of God found in the Kings James Bible. It will never lead you astray. It is clearly marked! It will always warn you ahead of time the dangers that lurk on your trail. It does not every need an update...it is perfect and sure...you can certainly trust it to lead you to the summit or end of your trail. This wonderful manual can take you safely and securely through every trail of your life!

So back to my Trail to Washington. My husband accepted a job in Washington state, approximately 3,000 miles away from home and most of my family!!! I was scared and excited! Scared because I would be leaving my comfortable home of 7 years and being almost debt free. Life was good and full of friends and possibilities for an exciting future. My kids were doing everything I had always dreamed of giving them, music lessons, horse lessons, football practice, homeschool, great church, and a stay-at-home mom! Yep things were perfect! Or maybe a little too good to be true! I could for sure see the summit and almost there!!!! I was excited also about the move as of course to the hiker this meant an opportunity to scale even bigger mountains, and gain more experience on the trails! Hey Washington is the hiker's paradise!!!

Many times after I was saved at the age of 25, I wondered why God had spared me so many trials or trails that I had watched my fellow Christians go through. Like the loss of a child or their husband. Sure I had my trials, but none I felt were hard enough to kick me down or cause me to understand what fully trusting God for answeres meant. In our generation it's easier to swipe a credit card than trust God for the money, it's easier to call a friend on the cell for comfort than it is to quietly seek the Lord. We don't even give God a chance to prove His promises!!! We got an answer for everything and God is just our religion.

My husband took the job that was offered in Wa. He sent me back home to South Carolina by plane where I would sell my home, sell, everything we owned except for what I could put in my car and wait till he could come back for us in two months! My trail to Wa began that day I got on the plane. God provided the transportation through a phone call that did not even have a clue of the needs we have. We were offered to make payments and five months later have paid off a car! After four kids and being married eleven years, it's a big deal to just sell everything!!! Trying to figure out what you can replace and what you can't isn't a piece of cake!!! I felt extremely overwhelmed and asked the Lord many times for strength. I didn't have to go through it for long. A friend came by and just about bought me out. What I didn't sell I was happy to donate it all to a friend who's co-worker's house had burnt to the ground!

I can't begin to tell all the Scripture that God gave us regarding peace in our move to Wa. Many times I was in tears and anguish over less encouraging words about our move. But to doubt God and my husband??? I chose instead to adjust my "backpack" and my pace, and kept on going in the direction we felt led to go. My husband had visions of leading His own family and embarking on a new direction in life that would hopefully bring us closer as a family and nearer to the will of God. It was always my goal in our decision to move, to only bring us closer together as a family and in a closer walk with the Lord. If it will lead me down a trail that takes me closer to God's will, that's the one I want to be hike on! During my seperation from my husband while is was working in Washington, I received much encouragement from reading the Bible many, many times throughout the day! As a result, my walk with the Lord grew closer and as dark as the trail seemed to get at times, I was getting answers everytime from the Bible and I recalled the verse in Job 42:5, I have heard thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee. All these years of hearing the word of God, and I'm finally seeing God in action for myself in my very own life. To pray for something and God answer you so clearly with Scripture is like seeing God face to face. To go to God in prayer and receive comfort through Him personally is far more encouraging and strengthening than to recieve it from another man!!! What peace and comfort I was missing!!!!! In my weakness, God could reveal Himself to me more clearly. In my trail to Wa with all it's bumps and switchbacks, I could see me Saviour's character more clearly. He IS who HE says He IS! I have seen so for myself.

Pretty much the car mechanic said he wouldn't take our car anywhere much less across the country! We said, Our car's paid for and we were blessed to have it taken care free of charge, but this is where we feel the Lord is leading us!" You better believe I was scared to drive my van with almost 200,000 miles on it across the nation. As a hiker, I'm aware of certain things you should never leave without on a trial and although we had not planned to hike across the country, I was certainly going to be prepared to if the van did not get us there. Uh yea, I'm serious. I took my Northface, wool socks, flashlights, blankets, tarp, waterproof matches, lighter, water purification tablets...ect. I couldn't find it in myself to sell my hiking gear either. Anyway, I praised the Lord every state we crossed we weren't settling there! We never once broke down or got a flat tire! We arrived in Wa about 4 days later. It was a beautiful, scenic drive I won't forget. If you ever have to take this trip the best scenery must be in the Fall. We took the Oregon Trail route. We passed over the Platte River just as the Pioneers did so long ago. We went through a lot of the same mountain passes and passed several historical sites of those pioneers. It was so great! But I love history so this was an awesome experience for me!

At this point of arriving in Wa, little did I know just how rocky and steep this trail would get. But how much I came to realize how great and merciful and loving God is. And how He only asks me to trust Him more when the trail seems overcome with boulders we feel inexperienced to climb. Maybe I can't see the summit anymore...my back hurts and I can't move my feet another step. I keep going because the promises I read when I reached the summit the last time are still as sure and attainable as the last time. I cannot see the summit or end to this trail, but God is leading me and I know there is a summit somewhere and I can only get there by continuing to trust Him and keep on hiking.....