EJourney

DETOUR

2011-09-01T14:39:00.000-07:00

Proverbs 3:6 "Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don't try to figure out everything on your own. Listen for God's voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he's the one who will keep you on track."

We have all seen the dreaded “DETOUR” Sign. You are driving on the same route you always take to the office, a friend’s house, or the grocery store… and suddenly you are re-routed. The new direction is usually longer… some times WAY longer. If you are like me, for a moment you are frustrated. It’s human nature to resist change. Yet, the detour serves several purposes… and so it is with our spiritual journey.

The original route is unsafe. God seems to send abrupt changes in our life because He sees the big picture. These come during seasons when, if we were to travel the same road we have always been on, continuing in the same strategy, following the same patterns, it would be hazardous to our spiritual growth.
It gives us a new perspective. Even visionary leaders can get stuck in the routine of the mundane. God sends us on a detour so that we can see new opportunities, new avenues of ministry, a new way to get things done, and new scenery to enjoy along the way. We meet new people along the way that reveal different facets of God’s creativity, and it is inspiring!
It slows us down, forcing us to focus. When we are stuck in patterns – even good patterns – we coast through life, and easily give in to the auto pilot syndrome. Taking a detour forces us to slow down our pace in order to navigate the new direction. It causes us to focus on the most important thing… steering through life under the direction of the Holy Spirit’s GPS.
It forces us to plan ahead. New ventures need careful planning and preparation. When God sends an unexpected detour, you can be sure you will be looking for it and planning your life around the new direction.
It brings assurance that God is still at work. God is widening the lanes of our life, smoothing the surface we travel upon, and opening new avenues that will enhance our future

Every time I see a detour sign, it will remind me of the ways of God in dealing with me. Even when it cramps my plans, causes delays, or incites momentary frustration, I hope I continue to embrace the road signs God puts in my way. It’s a reminder that He is still at work in me.

Flashback

2011-04-23T19:40:00.000-07:00

Today I was at the church doing some menial tasks that nobody really likes to do and it happened. I had a flashback!

I was 23 years old, a senior at North Central University, and serving as an intern with my church’s youth ministry. Life was busy and crazy, but it was one of the most memorable summers of my life!

One day, I found myself doing what can only be described as “slave labor”. Our church was going through a construction project, so the interns had the honor doing the jobs that the construction workers didn’t even want to do. It was dirty, nasty, sweaty, and exhausting. I remember distinctly the feeling of frustration. The job was insurmountable. The thoughts of “I didn’t sign up for this” kept surfacing. To top it off, the youth pastors were in the office wing… where there was air conditioning! I thought, “Why aren’t they in here with us?!” I don’t know how long those feelings lasted on that first day, but all of a sudden, God broke me and taught me three important life lessons.

1. Servanthood is the foundation of Godly leadership. Stop now! Don’t brush by that phrase and say “Oh yeah. I know that.” You and I both have heard that and read it a bazillion times. Hear it again: Servanthood is the foundation of Godly leadership. I am still learning the skills of leadership, and do not claim to be the best leader around. But I have observed that unless a leader’s value system has deep roots in servanthood, they will never develop other servant leaders. They will only give birth to others who, out of a comparison mentality, want the same spotlight that the leader has enjoyed. The leader may be an exceptionally gifted speaker or networker, which buys them the illusion of Kingdom leadership. It’s a trap. Servanthood is the foundation of Godly leadership.

2. The absence of ego-building rewards reveals the heart. The most revealing environment to expose our heart’s buy-in to servanthood has this one important ingredient: Very few, if any, see our work (especially our superiors). Of course, we were created to do good works, and when others see those good works, done with a pure heart, they will glorify the Father. Yet the issue is the heart. The absence of the applause of man is the best environment to reveal our true servant’s heart, or lack thereof.

3. A Godly leader never promotes himself out of serving. This one is so very important, because it’s easy to think, “If servanthood is the foundation of leadership, then I simply ‘pay my dues’ and one day people will serve me, because, after all, I have already built that foundation.” A Godly leader is ALWAYS and FOREVER a servant. And, in the very mission of being a leader, we are to influence others with our life. How else can you impart the foundation of Godly leadership (servanthood) in others if you will not serve them and serve alongside them?

I think it is a valuable discipline to serve in ways that challenge our attitude and reveal our heart. Serve the people God has entrusted to your influence. Instill in them the value of servanthood by serving with them so that they embrace lesson #3 – and not just for kudos, but for their future as a leader.

The last episode in Jesus’ life before the resurrection was the ultimate demonstration of servanthood. He did what nobody else would ever want to do when He carried the cross to Calvary. Let’s emulate Him by nurturing a passion to serve God and others!

Loaded Weapon

2011-03-11T20:00:00.000-08:00

You will either be offended in some way, or impassioned to respond with a heart-felt "Amen!"

I do not normally keep a weapon in the house, and have very rarely, if ever, had a loaded weapon in the house. However, a few weeks ago I was impressed to place my handgun in a place where I could easily get to it (in a safe place the kids could never get to). It was about the time I was loading .40 caliber hollow points into the clip that I noticed my wife staring at me in disapproval. You can probably guess the details of the “discussion”. By the end, she had to agree with me… What good is a gun without bullets? I guess I could throw my Springfield XD Subcompact (that is my gun by the way) at an intruder.

It may be intimidating to see a firearm aimed at you, yet without ammunition, the gun does not serve a purpose… other than deceiving others about it’s power.

The heartbreaking parallel is how this is too often a metaphor of the local church. Let’s bring it even closer to home… it can be a picture of our spiritual lives.

Jesus referred to one level of this deception by calling some religious people “white washed tombs… full of dead men’s bones and everything unclean.” They looked right on the outside to some, but there was no transforming power at work on the inside.

God paid such a supreme price – sacrificing His Son - in order to satisfy His pure justice. This price enables Him to dispense mercy upon those who believe. The result is the salvation of our eternal being. Our response to His mercy – though freely given and unable to be earned – should be that of humble thanksgiving and a life of passionately pursuing Him and loving others.

When we live as though God’s mercy is cheap – ignoring the great price He paid for it – the result is an empty weapon. When we ignore or deny the power of God, we may be able to fake the appearance of Godliness, but on the inside we are spiritually bankrupt.

One of the issues that are so abhorrent to God - so much so that Jesus spent a lot of time battling it in Scripture – is a works-based salvation theology. This, taken to the extreme, is a life so self-righteously consumed with outer correctness in others; the byproduct of inner pride and a heart full of sin…utterly opposed to God. A church, or a person, becomes deceived when they think they can keep all of the laws of God and be accepted outside of grace. Every single time, the result is a church, or individual, that is consumed with external appearance. In the church, the self-willed nature of man is bent towards defining righteousness based upon his own preference (music, dress, who’s in charge, preaching style, etc). In my experience, these empty weapons are characterized by stirring dissension. They never disciple another person, except in their own brand of self-righteous religion, and they never see spiritual births as a byproduct of their own spiritual passion. That sounds harsh, but I think Jesus was even sterner.

We need fire! We need authentic passion within that drives us to be the Church! The power of God that changes us from the inside out – producing fruit authentically spirit-born – should season our very lives, our gatherings, and our mission statements. The mission of the church – God-worship and loving-others – does not need another empty person or another church with a trendy name that is really a powerless, empty shell of wagon-circlers known more for it’s splits than for the mercy they show others. May we be passionate to be that kind of people and that kind of church! For His glory and for His fame! And for those in the Kingdom who are tired of forgoing the power of God in our midst for the sake of those in fear of a loaded weapon!

External Gauges

2010-09-19T19:51:00.000-07:00

I am learning – not as fast as I would like – to embrace the giants that God allows to come my way. Well, maybe I shouldn’t use the word “embrace”, which gives the picture of a warm welcoming “happy to see you” hug. Maybe I am just willing to shake hands, or give it a chest bump.

I am also learning to be more acutely aware of the difference between the pressures I am walking through due to His discipline verses the fellowship of His suffering verses a simple act of his refinement. Each of them requires a different response. There is also an enemy, who wants to take me down, but I am not his child; nothing comes my way without the authorization of my Father. My enemy is only successful to the degree I choose to yield to my sin nature, instead of obeying the spirit.

I think the grace with which we walk through challenging situations reveals our level of trust in His ways in dealing with us. By grace, I mean our attitude and speech, which reveals our heart (Luke 6:45). I am not saying that we need to live in delusion about our trials by not acknowledging them. However, a good indicator of the focus of my heart is the ratio between the communication (speech and attitude) of my “giant” and the supremacy of His sovereignty. This works from the inside out because our communication only reveals what is on the inside. It is not simply an external act (I will just speak faith-filled declaratives) in order to produce a heart that is full of faith. What comes out of us is simply a gauge for what is an internal, spiritual reality. If we do not like what we see, then, by an act of our will (motivated by our spirit), we come to the Father who alone is able to ignite the faith in our spirit, of which He is the author. The result is a hope-filled perspective of our trials that manifests in the natural. It is also a blaring testimony to the world.

I haven’t arrived yet when it comes to this area of faith. There are far too many times that I rant, experience self-pity, fight the wrong enemy, or withdraw form the battle. But I press on to and embrace the Apostle Paul’s challenge when he said:

Philippians 4:4-8 4Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.8Finally, brothers, 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.

Circle the Wagons

2010-07-07T19:59:00.000-07:00

WARNING: Deep concepts follow.

One of the buzz-words among Christian leaders in the last decade is “relevance”. The question is: How do you communicate unchangeable ancient truth to a changing culture? And the communication is not limited to verbal exchange, but to the way we live-out a transformed life in the location of our mission.

The Apostle Paul states relevance this way: “To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.” (I Corinthians 9:22-23, NIV).

From a desire to honor God with our life, many of us have taken on unnecessary burdens; striving to be holy by an act that originates in our soul (mind, will & emotions). It is the nature of our soul to withdraw from the peripheral characteristics of our society that are in reality spiritually neutral. It’s the “circle-the-wagons” mentality. We want to protect what we really have no power to protect (Isaiah 26:3). This misguided bent is most-often instilled in us through the way we were nurtured (discipled, mentored, and/or parented).

Let’s say you have a baby, and out of a desire to protect the health of your child, you place them in a bubble. This bubble is an amazing feat of medical engineering because it protects the child from all external germs and viruses. Then, at the age of 18, we finally let our socially maladjusted teenager out of the protective bubble. What happens? They die. Their body has not been exposed to germs and viruses in order to build a healthy immune system. Okay, so none of us would go to this extreme, but having been a youth pastor for over a decade, I have witnessed many examples that come close to this in a spiritual sense.

I am not advocating that we must be exposed to acts of sin in order to be immune to temptation. However, spiritual parents (not limited to biological parents) are commanded to train a child. Training is a process of instilling spiritual values, then gradually transferring their dependence upon you until their dependence rests solely upon the Spirit of God in them. Part of this process is allowing them to make spiritual decisions themselves, and coaching them on how to hear their spirit in that decision-making process. This healthy process – though inherently difficult – is meant to create disciples whose outer-person is a mirror of a Christ-centered inner-person. Unfortunately, the default switch in our sin-nature is to do outer-acts of righteousness with the assumption that it will create inner-spiritual vitality, and in turn, instill this method to those we are discipling.

Jesus had a conversation with an outwardly religious man named Nicodemus. He said this: “Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.” (John 3:6, NIV.) In other words, external works that are driven solely by the flesh (soul/body) will not produce spiritual fruit. Yet when our spirit is in the driver’s seat – motivating our soul to submit and produce righteous behavior – that spirit gives birth to spiritual fruit. In effect, you can have the same righteous act done by two different people (such as evangelism, stewardship, or even ministry), and yet have these behaviors driven from two different sources; spirit vs. soul.

This, in my opinion, is the crux of relevance. Abstaining from engaging our culture driven by legalism makes the message of the cross through our life irrelevant. The reason is that the holiness we embrace is not driven by a pure understanding and release of spirit-driven behavior.

So, because there is absolutely nothing we can do in our own strength to be saved or even holy (it is all fruit of His Spirit in us), the insecurity of our soul drives us to control our environment, giving our flesh the best chance possible to keep God’s commands. This takes us out of the game. It negates our ability to engage in the Great Commission, because, after all, the world God has commanded us to engage is made up of sinful people. I think the irrelevance that circling-the-wagons produces brings comfort to our enemy.

Today, I chose to allow the unchangeable Gospel speak loudly through my life to those my King has called me to engage. I choose NOT to become irrelevant.

Equilibrium

2010-07-03T16:49:00.000-07:00

Integrity is a word that seems to have lost its meaning. It’s a word that causes people to become defensive when held accountable to its value. “How dare you question my integrity?”! I’m the same way, but I guess that only demonstrates a level of insecurity and a desire to be seen in the best light by others.

Integrity is simply the level at which the inner person matches the outer person. Everyone has integrity; it is simply a matter of reading what I call the “Integrity Factor”. For example: If I say that a core value of mine is being a disciple-maker, yet the effort to learn how to make a disciple is not produced in my actions, then my “Integrity Factor” demonstrates that making a disciple is not in reality a core value. The dishonesty is just the byproduct of what is really inside that is coming out. It could be delusion (I want to have this as a value, I should have this as a value, I believe it is my value, but I am in reality deceived because authentic core values drive speech and behavior). It could be deception (If this was a real core value of mine then others would think highly of me, so if I say it enough they might believe it).

The drive to have a Christ-centered Integrity Factor is the result of time with Christ – meditating on His message and communicating with Him. When we see who Christ is and who He desires us to be, and when we allow His ways to change us at the very core of our being, then we are driven to cultivate values that produce spiritual fruit. Our spirit takes the lead and guides are soul (mind, will & emotions) and our body. The spiritual value of honesty and humility guides us to be transparent with God and with spiritual mentors about our values that motivate our speech and behavior.

Today I choose to allow my Savior to continue to change me from the inside out so that what is seen is the reality of a life surrendered to Christ.

Who's in Charge?

2010-07-01T13:56:00.001-07:00

Yesterday I faxed our application for backcountry permits to hike the Grand Canyon-- rim-to-rim. Three friends and I plan to hike the GC in November, so if we get permits, we will have four months to get ready. The hike has turned out to be the motivation I have needed to get into better physical condition. The fact that there is a clear target to reach with a defined time-frame has somehow given me the ability to discipline my body. So, for the last month, I have stepped up my exercise regimen and, with the help of my wife, I have been eating clean and healthy (1,500 calories per/day, eating five times per day – healthy whole foods). I have also pushed myself to get in better cardio condition by running, lifting more, and hiking. I’m down 22 lbs, and I have another 40 to go.

This goal has turned into a passion that has enabled my will to lead my body and emotions. Before, my body and emotions had a bigger influence upon my will (which makes all of the decisions). Now, that passion (to make the hike without the aid of a helicopter and to be fit) is the driving force. Also… who wants their BMI to read “SEVERELY OBESE”? Am I the only one who prefers the word “fat” to “obese”?

The same thing can happen in our journey with Christ. The “passion” to be a committed Christ follower lives in our spirit, and it is our spirit that is to lead our soul (mind, will & emotions). However, without a clear picture of what could be and should be in our spiritual journey, we quickly default to a carnal life where soul is in charge. Another trap is when the desire to be “righteous” is birthed in our sin-nature rather than our spirit. Doesn’t seem to make sense, but it is exactly what Jesus addressed with the Pharisees. They loved righteous acts because of the status it brought. This is delusion. Today, I choose to stir the passion in my spirit and in others to be a fully devoted follower of Christ – for His fame!

Send the Rain!

2010-06-30T14:02:00.000-07:00

The skies in northwest Tucson are filled with dark storm clouds. After more than a week of temperatures from 101 to 108 degrees, I am anxiously anticipating the clouds to burst with a refreshing monsoon shower. The phenomenon of rain can be simplified to this process: evaporation, condensation, and then precipitation. In Tucson, there is not much water to add to the evaporation process, so the monsoons come from the gulf of California. We get to benefit from a process that began far from our latitude and longitude.

This is a metaphor for the state of my spirit. There is anticipation within for the rain of God's Spirit upon the coordinates of my life and my city. Like the presence of the storm clouds, I can see the evidence of a building visitation of His rain. And, I am aware that friends and family have been sending prayers that are condensing in the presence of a sovereign God who desires to pour out His presence in this dry land. Today, Father, send your rain!

I Won't Back Down

2010-06-29T16:00:00.000-07:00

A few years ago I was at an outdoor concert called "Hills Alive" in Rapid City, South Dakota. The final band was Mercy Me, and they covered an old Tom Petty Song "I Won't Back Down". Here are some of the lyrics: Hey baby/There ain't no easy way out/Hey I will stand my ground/And I won't back down. I am not a Tom Petty fan, but the lyrics to the song could be an anthem for spiritual leadership.

Throughout Scripture, there are examples of people of God who chose to push through overwhelming obstacles and stand their ground. David is one of the most obvious. When he faced Goliath, he was out-matched, inexperienced, unqualified, and too young. The easy thing to do would have been to quit, go home, and leave it up to others. I believe it was more than a testosterone-filled aggression that drove him to stand his ground. It was his passion for God that gave him the ability to see beyond the situation, and a level of faith in God that surpassed all the other so called soldiers around him. This type of persistence and faith, in my opinion, are prerequisites to spiritual leadership. David passed the test and it prepared him to be the spiritual leader of a nation. My guess is that if David would have failed this test, it would have at least delayed his inheritance of the throne or Israel.

God uses resistance and pressure to prepare us for spiritual leadership as well. Embrace it and watch God come through! Today, I am choosing to stand my ground...and I won't back down.

Whispers

2010-06-10T14:35:00.001-07:00

It amazes me as I look back upon the little decisions that I have made and how they have opened significant doors of opportunity and/or relationship. I like to reflect on the fine details surrounding a decision that turned out to unlock the providence of God. I think this is where I learn the voice of God (reflecting) and understand deeper the implications of immediate obedience in the moment.

One of the TV shows that I was interested in this past year was “Flash Forward”. In the show, nearly everybody on the planet experienced a loss of consciousness at the same time. In their blackout lasting 2 minutes 17 seconds, each person saw their life in the future. Part of the storyline of the show deals with how the decisions we make determine our destiny. Everyone was so impacted by their perceived future that it caused them to make decisions that would either change the outcome, or force their vision to happen.

This line of thought is not meant to focus on divine vision, but rather the providential plan of God for our individual lives. I recognize that sometimes those blur. But the truth is that God does not reveal every fine detail of the future even when He gives us a vision. It is only in hindsight that we can see the hand of God setting up scenarios that require our obedience.

God has given us a great gift that is part of our soul; our will. We can plan our steps, and in the decisions we make driven by our desires, we think we can live out our self-made destiny. But God desires for us to tune in to His whispers. He wants to unpack a God destiny in our lives, and that only happens as we give up our right to do it our way and allow our spirit to lead; fully connected, broadband style, to His communication. Today, I want to hear His voice and react more quickly. I want to live in the providence of God. I bet I’m not the only one.

Zoom Out

2010-06-08T19:59:00.000-07:00

My kids are growing up so fast. The truth is every parent steps back from time to time and says the same thing. I think that “stepping back” is an important leadership principle. From time-to-time, we must zoom out to get the type of perspective that reveals nuances that signify growth. Then, we must celebrate! Whether it is the steps someone has taken in their spiritual journey, or the maturing of a spiritual vision; it is difficult to detect what is actually significant growth with the microscopic view of the day-to-day. Today, I am going to step back and applaud what God has done!

Difficult Things

2010-06-07T15:11:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I want to give up and avoid doing the hard thing as a leader. I wonder if I am the only one. I usually snap out of it because I have come to this conclusion: One of the things that make a great leader is the willingness to do the hard thing. This behavior is so crucial, I think, because of what motivates the leader to do the hard thing; the ability to see the big picture and the passion to preserve the vision.

Sometimes the hard thing is proactively addressing a conflict. In spiritual leadership, we often think that avoiding conflict is making peace. I have told myself that far too often, and have the battle-scars to show for it. Those wounds, however, have taught me the difference between fearful retreat and confident leadership in doing the hard thing.

Sometimes the hard thing is simply serving without recognition. I remember some of the early seasons of learning to serve in secret. It was during those times that God dealt with my motivation. It has made serving in secret now in my life a great joy. Don’t get me wrong--I still have to regularly submit my selfish ambition that desires to have some of the fame that only belongs to God. I wonder if I’m the only one.

Today, I have to do some difficult things. So, I am thankful for the big-picture-perspective that comes from God, and the passion to preserve that divine vision.

Not Just a Fan

2010-06-06T22:11:00.000-07:00

We went to dinner with some great friends from our Life Group tonight. I love hanging out with these people. It was interesting how the three guys in our group gravitated to a high testosterone discussion involving our Grand Canyon rim-to-rim hike. As we discussed our plans – dates, gear we need, training regimen, etc. – each of us began to feel the adrenalin rush that every man can identify with. There is no doubt that God made men with a deep desire to conquer goals. We thrive on it. There is something very raw and primal about setting a significant goal and then beginning the process of accomplishing it. I wonder if the world we live in has muted the desire within men to be, well…men.

I am a fan of a lot of things. Nebraska football, the Minnesota Vikings, UFC, The PGA Tour, and I even have a list of guys on The Outdoor Channel I would like to meet. However, nothing really compares to doing it yourself; getting out the box seats and onto the field, so to speak. Make spiritual application now.

Sometimes I Play Golf

2010-06-04T07:45:00.000-07:00

I am playing golf with a good friend in a few hours. I love rubbing shoulders with my guys in the real world. That is where relationships are deepened and the message of strengthening our spiritual journey moves from theory to practice. There are different levels of discipleship, and for a pastor, I would say the platform on the weekend is probably the lowest level of discipleship. Don’t get me wrong; there is power in that ministry and it is humbling to be called to it. When it comes to making a disciple, there is no greater degree of involvement that we can have than by doing life with someone else. In this relationship you can have authenticity and transparency. Others get to know the “real you” and get to see first hand how the message has changed your life. You can’t hide in this level of discipleship - or if you do, you will quickly be found out. I am amazed at how the Holy Spirit can work so powerfully through simply doing life with others - on the golf course, over a cup of good coffee, hiking a trail together - if we simply tune in to His frequency and allow Him to season our relationships. So, I play golf sometimes.

Striving

2010-06-03T14:45:00.000-07:00

This afternoon I have been preparing to lead a rehearsal with our band that will happen in a few hours. It’s the technical side of planning… listening to the songs, thinking through the flow from verse to chorus, planning the peaks and valleys of a song that engages the emotion (soul), all leading to a place of helping people connect their spirit with God in our weekend worship gathering. I am not a gifted worship leader. I have had experience with music all my life, but I have to work at it. As a side note, I am a pastor and not uniquely called to be a music worship leader. A pastor is an equipper, so the area of music worship has been an issue of prayer. I am convinced that God is allowing this season to teach us the depths of worship. In the middle of that, I am praying that He will develop within or bring from outside a person spiritually and naturally gifted to lead in this area. That aside…I think that it is all too easy to neglect the need for God’s grace when either we are exceptionally gifted in an area, or have just enough to get by. When we have a high level of giftedness – musically and in leadership in this case – we can easily default to that natural gift. If we have just enough to get by, we tend to work so hard at the technical details and forget about the spiritual dynamics of dependence upon God’s grace. Today I want to remember to be totally dependent upon God – in my abilities and my inabilities.

Gates

2010-06-02T19:34:00.000-07:00

I recently developed an interest in hiking the mountain trails where I live in northwest Tucson. We just had a gate installed in our backyard opening up to a trail at the south end of Catalina State Park. The irony is I love the outdoors, but for over a year I have allowed a block fence to stand in my way of something that has become a great joy. And bonus... it's great exercise and stress relief, and I need both! It has even inspired me to get in shape to hike the Grand Canyon rim-to-rim. I will certainly blog my progress towards that goal.

I am convinced that there is an application to my spiritual journey. There are walls that need to be modified with a passageway in order to expose myself to new experiences with Christ… and new dreams! The walls are fear, tradition, routine, insecurity, natural limitations, the opinion of others, and more. I believe God has plans for my life that are beyond my ability to imagine in the confines of my spiritual backyard. Busting down the wall is a metaphor of faith, and authentic faith produces action, and faith-driven action produces the supernatural (Mark 16:17 – Signs follow belief). So hiking has ignited a spiritual desire to break through those walls and experience the Grand Canyon sized dreams God wants to plant in my life.