Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.  Proverbs 3:5 NIV

When I was growing up, I recall numerous short trips that my family would take, both near and far. So many memories wrapped tightly around these vacations. One in particular that sticks in my mind was a trip to the Dunes State Park off Lake Michigan. 

Like most of our adventures, my mom had lovingly packed a cooler filled with goodies. Instead of heading straight for the beach we decided to try our hand at one of the trails. After carefully examining the map, we determined to tackle Mount Baldy. It wasn't like we were scaling Mount Everest or even Pikes Peak, just a sand dune in Michigan. How hard could it be?

The trail started off easy. I recall my brother, Jason, and I running ahead, knowing we would hit the cool water in no time. Well, that energy began to wane as the trek got longer and steeper. On the final "hill," more like a mountain in my mind's eye, it was all we could do to crawl our way to the top. It was difficult and at times our feet sunk down and we were barely able to move.

We finally crested the hill and received our first glimpse of Lake Michigan, stretching out for miles. Each one of us had a new perspective and appreciation for the cool waters and flat beach because of the trail we had just conquered.

This is similar to life. You and I are trekking along and everything is going smoothly and then there's a "mountain" that we are forced to climb. It is not easy and there are times that we simply want to give up. However, these struggles or "mountains" in our lives are what make our faith stronger. We may not understand why we have to go through a certain trial or storm, but we can rest assured that God will never leave us alone. He is beside us every step of the way.

What "mountain" are you facing? Spend time with God today and ask for His strength to keep going. Also, take a moment to leave a comment, I would be honored to pray for you. 

Dear Heavenly Father, I come to You today tired and worn. Life is hard and the enemy wants nothing more than to keep me down, discouraged and defeated. However, You promise to not only walk beside me through the struggles of life, but to also help me. Allow me to trust fully in You when I don't understand what is going on and rely on Your help, strength and guidance to see me through. In Your Precious Name I pray, Amen.

Oceans by Hillsong