Glory to Glory

“You laid down Your life to save us, and You took all our shame

On the cross it was laid..

And now You’re taking us higher

‘Cause we go from glory to glory to glory. We’ll never be the same. We’re forever changed.”

 The Lord absolutely took me and my team higher this past weekend (13,000 ft. higher to be exact.) We traveled from Chichi to meet the other teams on our squad in Antigua to hike a volcano. We hiked dormant, Volcano Acatenango to see active Volcano Fuego. I have always enjoyed a good hike, but this one (woah woah woah!) threw us all for a loop.

 We hiked straight uphill for about 6 hours until we reached our camping site. There might have been two spans of flat land, but it surely, did not last for long. We carried our big packs with our camping gear, plenty of water, and food (looking mostly like cookies, cereal, and pizza for Kel). We had guides with us helping us and making sure we took a proper amount of breaks; I distinctly remember a moment of tiredness when my thoughts were “Man, the view looks pretty great from here; why don’t I just stay, and y’all can keep trucking to the top.” Little did I know at this point we still had about two hours of climbing ahead of us. I recall the words of our kindhearted guide saying, “You got this, Chica.”

I certainly did not feel as if I had it; this resembles our lives too well.

Life is a climb. Some days we have it; others we don’t. We take some tumbles at times. These tumbles can keep us down, or they can light a fire underneath us to take us higher.

I think of ample times in my life where I have let circumstance keep me down; how silly, friends!

We have a Friend, a Refuge, a Comforter, a Father, Our Outstanding God; He goes before us, behind us, and all around us. 

Our confidence should be so deeply rooted in Him; if it were rooted in myself I would still be on that Volcano.

The verse that came to the forefront of mind as we were hiking was one we all know. We wear it on t-shirts, have it on our key rings, and written all over our journals.

Philippians 4:13 “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”

We know this verse; But, do we believe it? Do we walk with such faith and confidence in our God?

I encourage you to take a moment and really take this to heart. The Bible says we can do ALL things through our God who strengthens us.

Our confidence should come 100% from our God. When we are leaning completely on Him and have come to the end of ourselves we should be bold as lions. The word my team has focused on this month is ‘FIERCE’.

I long to be a fierce warrior for my Father’s Kingdom knowing Who it is that goes before me.

My prayer is that the Father is able to take me higher and higher with Him. Every day I long to go further and further out onto the waves with Him leaving my boat completely behind. 

It is when we take the step out of the boat onto the water in full dependence on the Lord that the miraculous happens (Matthew 14:22-23). If Peter would have stayed in the safety of the boat he would have never been positioned to be used by the Father.

Where is your trust today?

Who are you depending on?

What mountain is in front of you?

What boat are you afraid to step out of?

Trust Him completely.

Depend on Him fully.

 Father, Help us to be fierce warriors for Your Kingdom.

Your Beloved, Kel