This picture reminds me of the mountains of New Mexico. We lived in El Paso for five years, which is right in the middle of West Texas desert. I often found myself daydreaming about the mountains just two hours north of us and more specifically, being in the middle of this view on a trail run or hike.
However, speaking of the trails of New Mexico, one time on a trail race I got lost. I took a wrong turn and ended up running in circles for awhile before realizing that yes, indeed I was lost. Needless to say, I freaked out a bit. I didn’t see any other runners. My phone was at 10%. I called good friends and asked them to come get me. But until they could get to me, I was still by myself and couldn’t just wait around. I had to make an effort to find my way back. In the end, I did make it back to my car without assistance.
I think sometimes in talks about our faith we overemphasize our side of it. Yes, we have to make an effort to get out of the wilderness. We have to surrender. We have to be willing and open the door. In the end, God does the searching and finding. At least that’s been my experience. All the times I’ve found myself in the wilderness of depression or anxiety, I do what I can to alleviate the situation. And all those things are good, but I can’t make it out alone.
mercies per mile 