As Long as There is “Us” In This World

As long as there is “us” in this world, there will be brokenness. We people are in the process of mending or breaking, most of the time. Tearing down junk in our lives can be as good as it is painful.  Climbing mountains brings pain too and the rest after, mends our muscles. It takes breaking to need mending and it’s best when we let Jesus do both.

There are perks to the process like strength and endurance.  This life and journey we are on, the climb we make is not our own or for our own glory and attention.  It is His. 

When I’m climbing mama’s mountain out her back door, I feel my lungs tighten, my quads burn, and I focus on each step in front of me. The path is not marked or easy but leftover from animals and friends before me. I find when I zigzag my approach it takes less strain on my system but it uses more time.  When I go straight up with tiny tiny steps, I am completely winded instantly but the elevation climbs quickly and gets me to my destination faster.  On days when I feel rested and not over taxed from smoke in my lungs or a creeping in cough, I challenge myself to go straight up but usually that follows with lots of discussions with myself as to my sanity within 10 minutes or so of the climb!

The mountain challenge is not an option for me.  It’s the only way to the city from mama’s house.  Sometimes the mountains in our lives are not really a choice either. We walk slowly, zigzag and sometimes crawl when we are desperate. The truth is once we get to the top and feel the recovery or the mending, the play by play doesn’t much matter any more.

Deep breaths of his grace, small steps in his strength, fixing our eyes on the top, the goal…. and putting our hand in His. He never leaves us. He will even carry our backpack and water bottle if we let Him.

Thank you Jesus for sheltering us and walking the mountain with us, only to be ready to mend us when we get to the top.  You are so good.

With kind regards, 

Jennifer Bridges