The air is crisp, windy, and the sky threatens to open. I go anyway. “God, open my ears, eyes and heart to you.” I begin to walk…and see a cross? Nope, it’s the utility pole, but definitely strikes me as a cross. I see God is here.

I listen to the birds- speaking all at once and moving together gracefully in the sky. I hear God here. There is the paved path to walk on, but my interest takes me down through the crunchy leaves, between bare trees, and down to where the water meets the soft ground under my feet. I always stay on the paved path- perhaps because it’s safe, or because I know it was meant to go in that direction. Yet, this time I feel that going off the paved path is the right way to go. I have an instant attraction to water, and the sounds of the water trickling over the rocks. I stand, listen, look around, and see a fallen tree laying in the water.

I think, how many times have I fallen away from God? Or felt broken inside? Okay, stop thinking about the negative, but reflect on the joy God brings to me. Moving back on my own created path. What is that I see? Sign of spring, renewal, new life. Fresh green leaves sprouting through the dead leaves suffocating the ground. God is here. I see joy.

Walking the rest of the way up the hill, I think which direction should I go now? Look to my left “Do Not Enter” sign. Well, that made the choice easy. Oddly, I’m turned away on the paved path-the safe path-the easy path. God show me the way.

A bridge with stairs are in the near distance, let’s check it out. God is here. Direction, beauty and a bond to “bridge” my holes together. I can do this. I stand on the bridge and watch the water flow. Like God’s love- always flowing. As I stand and reflect about what this walk is teaching me, I embrace the solitude, the beauty around me, and knowing that God is here.

Okay, I’m walking again. A massive tree is toppled over with its exposed roots mangled and destroyed. How often have I felt exposed and uprooted in my faith? Are those roots me when I decide I can do life on my own? God is here.

I am on a journey to grow deeper in a relationship with Him, but first I need to allow myself to feel vulnerable. It’s the only way I can truly allow God to have full control of my life. Who knew so much could be revealed in a walk. I walk back, and there it is up on the hill “the cross” again. God is here.