[pct-l] Churches near the pct & God's Freedom of the Hills

[leo-spencer at comcast.net (leo-spencer@comcast.net)]

"Yawn"

-------------- Original message -------------- 

> Finally back from the KO, I find my email flooding with KO discussion. So 
> glad my wife and I made the 20-hour round-trip drive. More on this later. 
> 
> First I want to address the spiritual side of the pct experience, a subject 
> that was sadly missing from the ADZ, yet we all feel it grow within us as we 
> live the trail life. 
> 
> StoneDancer1, Mendonsa, Lonetrail, Akamp, and Flarry all expressed the same 
> vein and I want to thank you for expressing it. Whether we are aware of our 
> spirits or not before embarking on a long hike, somewhere along the road it 
> grows within us. I believe it is impossible to live within God's Creation, 
> devoid of civilization's distractions and temptations, and not feel His 
> Presence. Call it what you will, and I believe we have members on this List 
> who 
> would ascribe different names or titles to this "feeling" or change in our 
> spiritual awareness, but we certainly can't ignore this enlightenment. 
> 
> Yes, WE are His church, once we recognize Him and want to be with Him. 
> Where two or more are gathered together, He is in the midst. So, when we 
> travel 
> in God's awesome High Country with crystal lakes reflecting the incredible 
> work of His hands surrounded by massive granite cathedrals calling out His 
> name, how can we not bear witness to Him? And when fellow hikers travel 
> together 
> and talk about this, what they feel, as well as what they've seen, smelled, 
> heard and lived through each and every footfall along the trail, our Father, 
> God, is in their midst, pleased that his kids noticed Him and what he did for 
> their enjoyment. It is that simple. If you believe. 
> 
> These other five members of this List who mentioned the need to visit a 
> church along the way and chimed in with having experienced Him in their trail 
> life, may be realizing that God is more tangible on the trail than off! Thus 
> Stonedancer1's statement that the blessing God has given us who walk our path 
> called the PCT is that it is His Path to Him, the whole time we're on it. 
> 
> I used to believe, back when I thru hiked the trail, that God was only 
> present in the mountains and when I left them, I left Him. I would even say 
> "Good-bye" as I walked back into civilization! I was 17 years old and didn't 
> yet 
> know that God was calling me to get to know Him and that life would be easier 
> if I trusted Him. I was stubborn, self-centered, selfish, proud of my 
> independence and accomplishments, and controlled by my mind and soul (yes, we 
> are 
> body, soul, and spirit; three in one person). I had no room for allowing 
> someone I couldn't see to direct my path. But in hiking the trail, I 
> unwittingly took His Path. Later, on the Continental Divide, He knocked on my 
> life's 
> door again as He hoped to get my attention. 
> He has carried me through many of life's lessons, ones that needn't have 
> been so painful, on the trail and on the road. I wish someone had told me 
> earlier what I was feeling while I walked in the mountains. At this point, 
> someone 
> did, I listened, I'm free no matter where I am or what I go through, and I 
> am available to help any of you realize the same. 
> 
> It is strange that such a huge endeavor so full with experiences of His 
> Presence can be devoid of discussion of Him. Lets start. 
> 
> I would love to hear your experiences "along the trail" where you narrowly 
> escaped death or were surprised when something hard suddenly became quite 
> easy. He's there! You feel Him! 
> 
> I hope discussion of our spirit within us and His Spirit born on the air of 
> Creation we walk through and so dearly love has not too badly offended 
> anyone. We can't walk this walk without talking this talk, don't you think so? 
> 
> Mtnned 
> 
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> http://mailman.hack.net/mailman/listinfo/pct-l From Mtnned at aol.com  Tue Apr 26 22:23:33 2005
From: Mtnned at aol.com (Mtnned@aol.com)
Date: Tue Apr 26 23:43:17 2005
Subject: [pct-l] Churches near the pct & God's Freedom of the Hills
Message-ID: <1c7.276468db.2fa06dc5@aol.com>

Hi, leo-spencer!
 
I loved your response!  "Yawn"  Sorry I was so long-winded, I  just 
discovered a huge void between what we talk about and what we experience on  a thru 
hike.
 
mtnned