High Places and the words that made such a difference
I amworking on a couple of writing projects. Every time I start a big project, I go through theangst of wondering if I can do it. Staring at a blank page can be intimidating,especially when you know you have at least two hundred and fifty more of them in frontof you. But I keep hearing words I received years ago--words I believe came from the Lord. I originally wrote this piece as a segment in a travel memoir called "Dream Summer," which you can search for on my blog. I’m dropping inas our family navigates Yellowstone. This is an excerpt from a piece called “HighPlaces.”
At thelower falls of the Yellowstone, it seemed we perched on a few rocks thrown togetheralong the canyon walls. I peered over a ledge and gasped. It had to be a dropof at least 50,000 feet.
But Iforgot my fear as I gazed at the thundering falls-- awesome, powerful, andastoundingly beautiful. An incredible work of God—a high place, indeed.
“Mommy,you’re hurting my hand,” our youngest daughter said. I loosened my grip a bit togive her relief but continued to hold it. My seven-year-old had proven herselfuntrustworthy by jumping off the walkway at Mammoth Hot springs to inspect alittle hole in the ground. Thankfully, her landing spot was solid earth and notmolten lava.
On ourexodus toward the North Gate of Yellowstone, meadows and wildlife surroundedus, and then we went through a pass in the mountains gliding on to nothing. Ididn’t know we’d been in a hanging valley and the road at this point wassupported at times not by good solid earth, but suspended over the canyon by Idon’t know what. When the road did lie on terra firma, the wheels of ourconverted van barely made traction along the top of the sheer cliffs. I’d lookout the window at the drop and feel my stomach leave me.
We were ridingthrough the air on four wheels—anotherhigh place.
But ashigh places go, nothing could prepare us for the spiritual heights to which Godwould take us as we headed to a family camp high in the Montana mountains.
It washere, near the timberline, that God confirmed in my heart the long-held dreamof writing a book.
“Beverly,”I heard the worship leader say one evening as I was leaving a meeting. Heapproached me, “I sense God saying that you’re afraid to go after what God istelling you.”
He wasright about that.
He went on,“I believe he’s saying, ‘Do it afraid.’ And that he will confirm whatever thisis to you.’
I’d justmet this man days before and wondered if he was indeed hearing from the Lord.
But, thatnight in a dream, I saw a book, and the title was, “Ask and it shall be givenyou.”
“Do itafraid,” I’ve repeated often through the years as I’ve come up against the oldenemy of self-doubt.
Just likePeter wanted to put up shelters on the mount of transfiguration, I wanted tostay on this mountain. But, if we want to get to beauty, we must face our fear.So, when we left the camp on Friday, we were making a descent in more than oneway. Oswald Chambers says,
“We haveall had times on the mount when we have seen things from God’s standpoint andhave wanted to stay there; but God will never allow us to stay there. The testof our spiritual life is the power to descend; if we have power to rise only,something is wrong. It is a great thing to be on the mount with God, but a manonly gets there in order that afterwards he may get down among thedevil-possessed and lift them up. We are not built for the mountains and thedawns and aesthetic affinities; those are for moments of inspiration. That isall. We are built for the valley, for the ordinary stuff we are in, and that iswhere we must prove our mettle”(My Utmost for His Highest).
In theweeks after our return home that summer of 2001, it felt like a valley. Thesituation with my mother who had been in rehab, spiraled downward as she receiveda terminal diagnosis days after our return and died six weeks later. We began ayearlong fight against cancer for a dear friend, faced a difficult ministrysituation, and of course suffered 911.
Iremembered in my pain, and sadness, and grief that God had called my name oneWednesday night on a Montana mountain. I remembered that I’d seen the rarebeauty of the wild earth God created. I remembered and prayed that I’d be ableto give away the hope God had planted in my heart in the high places and that Iwould be able to “Do it afraid.”
As a 2024addendum, I later used the theme “Do it afraid” in my book Home to Currahee.When I see the wall in my office with my book covers now numbering seven, I oftenremember those words I received on a Montana mountain. If I’d let my self-doubtwhich had been so huge continue to hold me, those covers would not be on thewall. Those books would never have been written. The people God hopefullytouched through those books would not have received words of encouragement theyneeded. If there is a situation in your life from which you draw back becauseit seems so daunting, press ahead. God will help you to “Do it afraid.” All theglory goes to Him!
"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you" (Matthew 7:7).
var _gaq = _gaq || []; _gaq.push(['_setAccount', 'UA-24260977-1']); _gaq.push(['_trackPageview']); (function() { var ga = document.createElement('script'); ga.type = 'text/javascript'; ga.async = true; ga.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https://ssl' : 'http://www') + '.google-analytics.com/ga.js'; var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s); })();Beverly Varnado's most recent book is In Search of the Painted Bunting, a middle grade historical from Elk Lake Publishing, #1 in new releases in its category. She is also the author of several small town romances from Anaiah Press including her latest, A Season for Everything. All are available at Amazon. To explore the web version of One Ringing Bell, please visit bev-oneringingbell.blogspot.comTo sign up for her newsletter, go to http://eepurl.com/dHNdsX Beverly Varnado copyright 2023
