out west

"I am very attracted to the great open spaces of the west,"

-David Hockney.

 There's something about these mountains that calls to your soul and invites you into something that seems both foreign and familiar. I have lived in Colorado for almost four years now, and I still feel as though I know nothing about the vast country that resides out west. Untamed, wild, free… everything I long to be seems to happen so naturally up here where the cars are few and the adventures are many. It leaves me feeling as though the problems and the stress don't matter up here; worry cannot exist in the presence of such peace.

Our mini road trip consisted of Josh Garrels playing through the speakers, waiting out the rain from the back of a jeep, a collection of wildflowers from along the side of the trail and one shocking reminder from the FREEZING water that I am not as invincible as I sometimes assume… Eleven Mile Canyon has quickly become one of my favorites and I am determined to make it only the first of many.

Being away from this place for six months has certainly taken it's toll on me and I feel I am more attracted to the mountains now than ever. And in their complete silence, they provide a place for my wandering mind to think… Do you ever wonder if people will someday tell tales of your life? And if so, what would they say about it? I think one of my fears is that I will leave this place without any evidence that I was here; that there would be nothing to tell. I think there's a hope in all of us that instinctively knows that we were meant to cause change and impact this world for the better. All I have to do is look at the grandeur and beauty of the mountains and I know a piece of me is walking away changed. I guess that's what it means to live your life in Christ… When people encounter you, it's not your wits and skills and love that will change them, but the insurmountable goodness of Jesus that causes them to walk away utterly changed in a single moment.

Thoughts from the mountains always show what you really want to know and I believe in climbing high and driving far in order to loosen your mind to think about what you have always wandered. But that's a thought for another day. For now, I'll keep listening to the song below which always makes me want to get in the car and drive. The mountains are calling, and I must go…