Tag: Grand Canyon

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Spotlight of Hope

View of the Grand Canyon with a blanket of clouds and a spotlight of sunshine on the rocks in the distance
Deuteronomy 30:6 (ESV)—And the Lord your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your offspring, so that you will love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, that you may live.

On the day I visited the Grand Canyon, clouds softened the rays of the sun, except for one brilliant spotlight of sunshine far in the distance. This spotlight offered the hope of warmth on this breezy thirty-some degree day, where the shadows on the rocks made the canyon look like a painting, the layers of red and beige sandstone in stark contrast to one another and the sheer cliff face dotted with patches of snow and shrubs.

In Deuteronomy 30, Moses reminded the Hebrews of this spotlight of hope. He said that if they’d turn their lives over to God, fully and completely, they’d experience a stark contrast from curses to blessings and they’d no longer be scattered like shrubs throughout the lands. God would turn the spotlight on them, gathering them together and circumcising their hearts.

God’s promise reaches us today. If we turn our lives to him, working toward our eternal reward, he’ll shine his spotlight on us, gathering us in Christian community and circumcising our hearts to restore our spirits.

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Arizona Adventure!

From the famed red rocks to ruins to lava fields, Arizona bursts at the seams with amazing sights. Enjoy these photos from my latest adventure!

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Optimistic Yet Cautious Steps

Colossians 3:2 (ESV)—Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.

Snow covered the ground and icy slush threatened my footing. Not ideal conditions for standing on the rim of the Grand Canyon. But I had confidence in my steps because, one year after purchase, I finally slipped my feet into my ice cleats. And, wow, do they work—I ventured closer to the rim optimistic yet cautious, my mind set on a closer view and not on various slip-and-fall scenarios.

Putting on the new self is like slipping into ice cleats. The Holy Spirit gives us a newfound confidence in our identity in Christ, a traction that allows us to take optimistic yet cautious steps in the direction God intends—cautious yet optimistic because, as 1 Peter 5:8 tells us, we need to “be sober-minded” and “watchful” because “[our] adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” The devil lurks with icy obstacles that threaten our footing and make us stumble toward the rim.

We can combat the devil by setting our minds on “things that are above.” This gives us the confidence to navigate the ice and snow and establishes within us a relationship with the Holy Spirit and the knowledge we need to step with confidence toward our eternal reward.