For those “who have been crucified with Christ,” there is now no decision to be made other than to go where Christ goes. We’ll find ourselves in all sorts of micro-terrain along the way, times of grief, joy, loneliness, abundant companionship, loss, and plenty, in every moment, may the resolve be to not lose the macro for the micro.

“Stagnant, stunted, wilted, scarred, scorched, shredded, torn.” Do any of these descriptors pair with your Christian journey? For any gardeners, horticulturists, or botanists, you will recognize that these verbs are some common signs and symptoms of struggling plants.

Day four of rain and cloud cover on this five-day mountaineering trip in the Coastal Range of B.C., Canada, had me imagining all the avenues through which I could pursue a refund. The promises and slideshows of wildflowers and mountain views were replaced with muddy bogs, wet sleeping bags, and a cold you couldn’t shake.

A Snowy Winter Night at Snoqualmie Pass

True Colors: The Necessity of Loss and Change in our Lives