Well, I recently went to Texas for spring break. I went with a couple of other students from the college, and we went to Camp Eagle to help them get ready for the summer. And boy, was it beautiful down there.
I think sometimes I forget what I really love. I love being outside and being in nature. Here in the middle of small-town Nebraska living in a college dorm I don't get a lot of outdoor time, besides walking to classes. And being in the Texan wilderness really revived my love and excitement for being outside.
What I really love about being outside though, is that it gives me such peace and joy and contentment that nothing else can. I feel safe and like there are no worries in the world. Especially when I'm in the wilderness hardly tainted by man. At Camp Eagle I got some free time and wandered off by myself. I went down by the river and found an old dock and just went out and laid on it.
I just sat there and looked at the fish in the water, a turtle popped it's head out of the water every once in a while to get air, and a duck was swimming around, diving under the water to try to catch a bite to eat. I also got to watch a little sparrow fly around the cliffside trying to catch insects to eat, and there was a black squirrel that occassionally peeked out of the rocky wall.
And that's all I did. I sat there and took everything in. I prayed a little and thanked God for His wonderful creation and told Him other things that were on my mind, but out there in His creation, I felt closer to Him than ever before. And even though I was giving Him all my problems, I felt content and assured that everything was okay.
You know how long I sat there? Well, I don't think I even know how long. I don't know when I went off on my own, but it had to have been at least an hour, because I was fifteen minutes late for dinner.
Anyways, even though we worked hard down in Texas, we got enough free time so that I could go off on my own for a little bit everyday. And it was when I was on my own, in the wilderness, that I felt closest to God.
Now, I have a feeling that if you're passionate about something, and if you apply it to God, it's an easy way to make a connection with your Heavenly Father. So if you love being outside like me, find a private place in God's creation where you can sit comfortably and talk with Him. Maybe you're a people person, and spending time with people and sharing your faith with them is what makes you feel closest to God. If you're a server and just love to help others, praise God while you serve. I don't know what your passion is, but use it to grow closer to God.
This is one of the great sights down in Texas.
I'm like you, as you know, when it comes to outdoor passion. In my woods I have a creek that I call the Living Waters, because it is where I go to sit and pour out my heart to God. I think it is important to have one of those solitary places either indoors or outdoors, so that you can sit in silence and hear His voice, or to keep from being sheepish because of judgemental human glares.
ReplyDeleteThough I love reading your description throughout the whole piece, I must admit my favorite part of this entry is the last paragraph because it holds so much truth. We all have different comfort zones, and God knows this because He created each one of us individually. Thank you for reminding us all, Amber, that there are many ways to serve and praise the Father; the only wrong way is the way that leads you to NOT do it at all.
Less than three you <3