Lord, Surprise Me. I love when I am surprised! My husband does this a lot. I’ll go on one of my many long distant hikes and when I come home, he has built something that I never ever imagined. It has become a thing with my friends as they always ask me, what is George building you this time? He changed out our old dilapidated fireplace to a more usable one. He built a gazebo over our bedroom deck with an outdoor fireplace. A Bocce Ball Court with eight different variety’s of grapes, that provide shade it in the hot summer months. But his ultimate project that beats all other builds was our Outdoor Kitchen. That was one crazy big surprise!

The Lord loves to surprise us too. I think of the many blessings that I received from God’s grace. When George and I married, we both were older and had children of our own. I thought it would be a grand idea to have a child of our own. George was adamant that he already had three and with my two, that was plenty. So I accepted the idea that we would not have any more children. But then God surprised us both!

My grandson Sid was born and after years of conflict between his parents, court proceedings and jail time, George and I received Guardianship of our grandson Sid. He was five years old and lived with us for ten years. Sid is the joy of my life, some of the happiest times that I have experienced and still makes me smile just writing this post. I think of what a surprise God had in store for me, and such a joyful feeling to have raised such a wonderful young man.

Surprises are God’s gifts to us. He says that there are many surprises in store and when we ask, He is behind the scenes, working out the fine details. Our part is done the moment we drop to our knees and pray. Every miracle, every blessing, every divine appointment has a genealogy. When we trace back our requests, our Sovereign God has already set it in motion. In my case, He had already planted the seed many years ago. Wow, what an incredibly awesome Lord I serve!

“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.” Ephesians‬ ‭3‬:‭20‬-‭21‬ ‭

Content for Me. That is a double edged sword kind of word. Content can be both a verbal tongue lashing or an all-out physical brawl. When we pray, we hand the battle over to the Lord. Sure, we need to keep fighting, but we also need to pick our battles. There are ones that are ours to fight, and then there are some we just need to relinquish to God. In certain situations it’s best to let go and let God do what He does best. Fight for us!

There’s an incredible documentary called “Monumental.” It is a true account of Christians who were being persecuted for their faith, and the tyranny they were facing from the British Government. With a couple of failed attempts, these Pilgrims finally took sail and landed on the North American Continent. They established a nation, under God, with liberty and justice for all! It was a fight, a contentious battle against an entire parliamentary government and the strongholds they maintained. Do you think this group of Pilgrims were able to do this with their own strength? No possible way! This was God’s fight from the beginning of time, and He was the ultimate MMA Fighter!

Fast-forward 100 years from landing at Cape Cod, the Continental Congress held their first official meeting in Philadelphia September 5, 1774. Their very first act was prayer. Our founding fathers had a full-on prayer meeting that earwitnesses heard blocks away. Eyewitness reported accounts of our bold leaders doubled over in prayer, and General George Washington ending up on his knees. These are the same people that were leading our country! What a blessing to have witnessed this posture of headship to God.

The people who fought for our country were fully aware of the fight they were up against. They wholeheartedly believed that God was bigger, stronger and more committed to winning this battle than ever. And God knew their hearts, as they were following His will. When we are on the side of the Lord, then the Lord is on our side!

“Contend, Lord, with those who contend with me; fight against those who fight against me.” Psalms‬ ‭35‬:‭1‬ ‭

Speak to the Mountain. When we have problems as big as mountains, it can be quite overwhelming. Sometimes it seems that nothing can change. But instead of focusing on the mountain, focus on our God who created the mountains! Our God is a mountain builder, and just as he built them, He can tear them down!

I love the story of David and Goliath. David was a young Shepard who spent his life protecting his father’s sheep. Along with spending night and day in the mountains, he was also chasing after God’s own heart!

After 40 days of fighting, Jesse, David’s father, sent him to visit the front lines and bring back battle news from his brothers. When David arrived, he heard Goliath mocking Israel and his very own God. David was overcome with disgust and persuaded King Saul to let him fight. David carried his sling that he used for years, as a Shepard, to protect his flock from wild animals. David bent down and gathered five smooth stones. As the 9’ tall Goliath laughed at him, David responded that even though you have a sword and spear, I come in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel. David put a rock in his sling and swung one of the rocks at Goliath’s head. The rock sank into the giant’s forehead, and he fell to the ground. David then picked up Goliath’s sword and used it to kill him, cutting off his head.

When the Israeli Army could not overtake the Philistines, one young man named David did. He never looked at the mountain, but focused on his strength from the Lord. We can learn a lot from David, remembering that there are certain battles that we need to drop in the lap of Jesus. No swords, spears, sling or rocks may take out our enemies, but we know who can. Let God Almighty be the problem solver and speak to the mountains that are crushing us!

“The Lord who rescued me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine.” Saul said to David, “Go, and the Lord be with you.” 1 Samuel‬ ‭17‬:‭37‬ ‭

One Day. What a difference a day makes! Can you remember the last time you woke up, only to find out by the end of the day, how your world has turned upside down? Hopefully in a good way!

Back in the 80’s, I had to make a big decision regarding a major career change. After studying Fire Science for a few years, I was recruited by the Highway Patrol. Now that’s not a Fireman, but still on par with safety and service. I jumped through some hoops and before long, I was assigned to the CHP Academy in Sacramento. My Recruitment Officer explained to me that there would be no chance of an assignment nearby, and prepared me to move from my small town of Wrightwood.

My sister Kari moved in and took care of my children while I was away in a six-month live-in academy. While I was learning all things traffic related, family and friends, unbeknownst to me, were praying for a local assignment near my hometown. One afternoon near the end of my training, a woman from Personnel & Training arrived and rattled off our assignments. West LA, Central LA, Santa Fe Springs, SF, Marin, Oakland and numerous locations that were nowhere near Wrightwood. And then she said, “I can’t remember ever sending a Cadet to this location in the past 15 to 20 years, Victorville. Every Cadet in my class of 121 turned and said, Kelly you’re going home! In that moment, my life changed.

God is in the business of making the impossible possible. If you want to experience a miracle, you need to pray daily, or in my case, having others praying on your behalf. I had no idea that there would be any option, any chance except for a miracle, for me to start this CHP Career, in my backyard. But God sure did. His vision was beyond my preception, and He set the groundwork for me to stay right where He needed me. This was the beginning of me dreaming irrational dreams and God answering them. And when He’s paved the way, He is able to do it in one solitary day!

“These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open. I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name.” Revelation‬ ‭3‬:‭7‬-‭8‬ ‭

Plant a Seed. Gardening, oh how I love to till the soil and watch seeds grow into scrumptious, delicious and organic vegetables. When God created this incredible world that we live in, He made sure we had everything we required. Did you know that for minor to moderate inflammation, all you need is a bit of turmeric, and if you have a sore throat, crush up some Colds Foot and sore throat begone. I believe that our sweet Lord has provided us everything we need right underfoot!

When I think of planting seeds, it’s a wait and see process. Sometimes we plant a seed, or an idea, and may not reap the benefits in our lifetime. Take my friend Pam for instance. Pamela loved animals, probably more than people, at times. She dedicated her life to rescuing cats, dogs, birds, ducks, and whatever she could get her hands on. She even attempted rescuing lobsters from Costco, but that didn’t go so well. When she was preparing her estate, she wanted to leave her assets to care for unforgotten animals. Sure enough, I was able to assist with her wishes. She planted the seed, and let it grow. When she passed, her estate helped build a wing for dogs who are waiting to be adopted in Placer County. She never saw the dog adoption center that she built, but the animals she so loved, sure appreciate every square inch of that wing!

We may never know or even reap the seeds that we sow, but those seeds ever so big or small, can grow making a huge impact for others. Sometimes even for our best friends, who may just happen to be animals.

“And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds in the sky and all the creatures that move along the ground—everything that has the breath of life in it—I give every green plant for food.” And it was so. God saw all that he had made, and it was good.” Genesis‬ ‭1‬:‭30‬-‭31‬ ‭

First-Class Noticer. Are you someone who is able to notice others people’s talents, identify potential opportunities or avoid major pitfalls? If so, then you have the qualities of a successful leader! Leaders can see things that everyday people cannot. It’s quite possible that you can develop some of these skills by tapping into your potentials, through a consistent daily prayer-life.

Prayer turns us into first-class noticers. I’m not sure if that is a real word, but God wants us to see what He sees. How we do that is through prayer. The more we pray, the more we notice; the less we pray, the less we notice. Have you ever bought a new car thinking you are the only driver that has that same color, make and model in your neighborhood? Then once you start driving it, you realize that everyone else has that same color, same make and model, same not-so-unique car. It’s because you are a first-class noticer!

So what does this have to do with anything? God wants us to start noticing what He notices. The saying, “it’s all in the eyes of the beholder” or “ the glass is half full.” These are based on our own personal reality. It is due to our perspective. The more you are in God’s word, the more you focus on what’s good and fruitful, the more you are Christ-like. It’s really as simple as that. And then you start focusing on all of God’s masterpieces. You clearly see things like the Lord does!

“When we open our spiritual eyes, we start seeing God everywhere.” We see the image of God in others, in our friends and family. Sometimes even in complete strangers! We start noticing the beautiful things that our Lord focuses on. So put yourself in the elite circle and become a first-class noticer. You and your world will look a lot more like heaven, and wouldn’t that be a great place to be.

“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”
‭‭Philippians‬ ‭4‬:‭8‬

Crazy Faith. We live in a world that can seem unfriendly to followers of Christ. Our Lord is aware of this and he knew that we, as Christ-like individuals need to be resilient and spiritually tough. In the parable regarding the persistence of the widow in both Matthew and Luke, Jesus demonstrates that this spiritual resilience is entirely the product of prayer. Unlike Jesus’ other parables, the main lesson of this one is that God wants us to pray and not give up, or lose heart!

“Losing heart” is a product of the weariness that comes from possibly living in a sinful, and sometimes hostile world. We may be tempted to lose heart because of the injustice we see all around us. Sometimes we consider just throwing in the towel, when we are mistreated or misunderstood. And other times, we can grow weary when we face negative circumstances beyond our control. Prayer is not something that we are permitted to do, or something that we ought to do. Prayer is something that we must do if we are to maintain a courageous, unwavering faith in a rapidly-deteriorating world.

Don’t get me wrong. There are many things that we should be grateful for. Yet there are still some things that may seem out of our control! Prayer is the only answer. When I can’t do it for myself, I have to leave it at the footsteps of our Heavenly Father. And never cease believing that He is working it out on my behalf! Crazy faith, maybe. But why not? Crazy is what makes others pay attention, and our God can handle all our “beyond crazy” prayers!

“In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared what people thought. And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’ “For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care what people think, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually come and attack me!’ ” Luke‬ ‭18‬:‭2‬-‭5‬ ‭

Dream Factory. There isn’t a person alive who hasn’t had a dream. We all imagine of what we want for our lives, the hopes we have for our future, and the dreams we truly desire. The creator of Atari video games, Nolan Bushnell really captures the essence of dreamers. “Everyone who’s ever taken a shower has had an idea. It’s the person who gets out of the shower, dries off, and does something about it who makes a difference.”

When my husband George and I started attending Bayside Church in 1999, we wanted to jump in, head first. We attended a “Get to Know Your Church – 101.” It introduced us to the various ministries available at Bayside. As we walked around, we saw a sign “Adventure Sports.” That was right up our alley. As we sat down, we met the Dream Factory of this ministry and pastor, Greg Weisman. He believed that he could connect with people outside of church in God’s creation, and through relationships and sports, he would bring this flock of people, many unbelievers to Christ. Greg’s idea but Gods’ dream. And so it was birthed. To this day, more than 25 years later, Adventure Sports is still going strong. I can only imagine how many unchurched people have been brought through such a back door. Bravo Greg, and thank you for allowing me to be a small part of this unique, yet God-honoring ministry.

When we have visions, and especially God-inspired dreams, it is up to us to make them come to life. By journaling, we can capture those thoughts and then, take the plunge. Most definitely it will take commitment, grit and determination, but doesn’t anything great require that! So start dreaming, be courageous and then, let God take the lead.

“Take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ” 2 Corinthians 10:5

One God-idea. Have you ever had a thought or plan you needed clarification with? Maybe you desired something so deeply, but just didn’t know how to start! I sure have, and that’s when a God-idea was born.

About ten years ago, I started my long-distance hiking career. I call it a career because it took over much of my free time. Prior to this, I would bring a paper journal and as I hiked to and fro, I would jot down my thoughts. Once back home, those writings were tucked away in some dusty closet and that was the end of it. No one read them, honestly not even me! But as I prepared for my first thru-hike, a friend of mine from church, suggested I started blogging. I wasn’t even sure if I knew what a blog was? Once I understood blog postings, I required a domain name. Lord, if I write a blog, how will I get others to read it? How can I glorify you? As clear as day, he told me I will hike with you and they will come. Really? I went online and was able to purchase the domain name “Kelly hikes for God.” The fact that the name was available was a gift from God. Truly what this platform allowed me to do, was to glorify the Lord in my writings, and bring others to Him.

Weekly, I would write about the lessons that the Lord was teaching me. I was learning so much about His love and grace, especially towards myself. He introduced me to the most beautiful people along the way, including wonderful Trail Angels that supported me and others. The Lord opened doors for me to speak about his love to hikers and many on the trail.

This was a post from my blog in August 2015 while hiking the PCT: “As I finished the last half of Oregon solo, I began to wonder if I was suppose to be out here? The Lord brought me Kathleen and Dwayne from Walla Walla, on my birthday no less, to minister to me. Kathleen prayed over me, prayed for my protection and comfort and reinforced that I was indeed, where God wanted me to be.” I didn’t have my family with me but I found brothers and sisters on the trail because of this bigger than life God-idea!

In the book Draw the Circle Mark Batterson states “one God-idea is worth more than a thousand good ideas. Good ideas are good, but only God-ideas change the course of history.” When we lean onto the Lord, and spend time with Him, we can see what God sees! And that changes us, which in turn, changes lives!

“But ask the animals, and they will teach you, or the birds in the sky, and they will tell you; or speak to the earth, and it will teach you, or let the fish in the sea inform you.” Job‬ ‭12‬:‭7‬-‭8‬ ‭

Put on waders. What is this all about? Let me unpack this idea. Think about Noah. Talk about an ordinary man with an extraordinary amount of faith. From my limited knowledge, rain wasn’t even a thing. But here this Man of Faith is building an ark, for an event that has not happened. There has never been a drop of rain, let alone a flood that will cover every inch of land, springs exploding with furry and every river overflowing its banks. This sounds like a movie scene, and was it ever! Noah built this Ark exactly as he was commanded, and God did the rest. Two-by-two every animal, great and small, approached and then, entered the ark, following the Lords’ urging. Think about that. Even the animals listened! They did not deny God’s presence, did not question His authority but followed his lead. Talk about faith.

As Jesus said, all we need is the faith of a mustard seed. That’s the absolutely smallest, tiniest seed in nature, yet produces one of the largest crops! Some plants grow as tall as 12 feet. I’m thinking what the Lord is asking of us is, why not dream? Why do we limit ourselves to small box items when He has big box opportunities for us! All we need to do is take a leap of faith, step into the water and let God be God.

“Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.””
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭17‬:‭20‬ ‭