Wow! Mt. Tikimani is huge!

A beautiful and powerful story in the bible is the one when David confronted and killed Goliath. God gave David the opportunity to trust Him and to faced a giant. What I think was the core of victory? What come to my mind is faith and risk! In1st Samuel 17:45 David says: "You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD Almighty... and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves; for the battle is the Lord's, and he will give all of you into our hands." Wow!

Let praise the Lord for that! A week ago I went backpacking to Uma Palka, a trail that Randy (my brave boyfriend) loves to explore. James and Julie, my really good friends went with us. We had great adventures, beautiful landscape and amazing conversations during those three days. Please enjoy the pictures.

When Randy told me that we were going there I was so excited though I never imagine what I was going to face. I have problems with hights which means that I couldn't find a better place to face it. At some point I was shaking, and even though the landscape was gorgeous my head was saying you can't do it, you are going to fall, this is a big fear to face. Two interesting things I thought those days: The first one was that when Randy was saying all the time: "Ada girl (I don't know If I spell it right, but it means well done), for me it was as he was saying: "You can do it", "You see, another step and you are almost there", "it is not as impossible as it seems. The second was that that I felt that every step I was making was the result of God making me do it but also the risk of believing in Him. Trusting that he will guide me if my eyes, heart and mind were focused on Him. After such an amazing experienced I remembered David and his giant. And asked the Lord to tell me what that meant in my life. Sometimes fears, problems, dreams, society, people, my past, present or what the future is asking of me, even my church are big giants in my life. When I was meditating in this especial trip, I come to realize that I have more giants in my life that I could ever imagine. Giants that are there for the simple purpose of not let me grow in Christ. Giants that the enemy puts in front of my path so I can get discourage and with the desire of giving up. Giants that in whom I put my trust instead of the Lamb of God. Something beautiful is that giants are not as bad as we think they are because they teach us how to trust, love and walk in righteousness with God. They are part of a deep growth in Christ. They are there so I might face them and give the Glory to my God. and so he can reveal his divine presence and power to me during this journey. The problem is not the giant, the problem is when I don't trust God, and it is even worst when I try to do it alone and lean into my own understanding.

Hal Abelson said: "If I have not seen as far as others, it is because giants were standing on my shoulders." Giants are everywhere, in my daily life, but also is God, and the battle is His as our brother David the psalmist said once.

I fail a lot my friends, I would say most of the time, especially when I see those giants in my life and I get so discourage and want to walk away. John Ortberg said: "It is willingness to risk failure that helps us to grow," he also said: "waiting on the Lord is the hardest part of trusting . It is not the same as -waiting around- it is putting yourself with utter vulnerability in his hands." That weekend I learned that facing my fears are in God's hands, that weekend God used Randy (a wonderful leader and godly man) to help me faced my fears (my giants) and keep trusting in God and in the abilities that he has given me. When the trip was over, I was so happy! I not only have fun, good chats, delicious food, wonderful landscape, and the honor of getting to know more Randy, but also I had the privilege to understand the power of Christ over my life, and his victory over my fear!

I was so happy because I made it. It sounds better to say, I am so happy because we made it! I think it is much better to say, YOU MADE IT AWESOME GOD! because at the end of every single thing in my life is for your Glory and it is all about your precious son! UMA PALKA SEE YOU SOON!