I climbed a volcano

I reached an altitude of 5000m. I have never been at such high altitudes before. Trekking up was so strange. Your body just does not let you walk fast. You have to keep stopping. I didn’t feel too out of breath and neither did my legs ache very much, but I had to keep stopping. I was weak and vulnerable. I was not in control of the wind, the sun, the rain or anything in this situation. Such the opposite to how I often like to live my life; being in control. I like to decide what to do, where, when and how I get there. The ground was so ashy and so it was very difficult to get any grip. Just taking one step up and you would then slide down most of that step. It was hard work, but worth it. Walking up I felt like an explorer. I did not walk far, neither did I reach the summit but I accomplished a little. I enjoyed the walk up, in a funny sort of way! I couldn’t hear people talking, was not distracted by my music, Spanish homework, or anything else. I could only hear my footsteps and the wind whistling in my ears. The wind was strong and kept blowing the volcanic ash into my face. I kept glancing up and realising how huge this volcano is. It really magnified to me how big God is. I thought the wind was strong, the sun bright and the volcano so huge. I was so small in comparison. It put me in my place. God is so big and powerful, creating that amazing volcano, and yet he still cares for me! He is interested in us and wants us to gain a greater experience of him. I cycled back down to the bottom.

It still feels like I still have the ash in my hair, grit in my teeth and dust in my eyes. I am tired and exhausted but have experienced something more of God and for that, it was worth it!

“Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” Isaiah 40 v 28-31.