It was misty, cold (below freezing at night), and deep in darkness, with a soothing quiet. A number of our team members were not feeling well due to the altitude. Four of our members climbed the summit at over fifteen thousand feet. I would have, but my feet were painfully sore because my boots were a half-size too small. Trekking down the mountain was agonizing, but I had the privilege of talking with Victor, an atheist, about how the Christian worldview answers the four big questions of reality.
The Christian life has many similarities with Trekking. There is beauty, and there is agony. The journey often is long and challenging. There are many "ups and downs" on our treks, and so it is with the Christian life. We never trek alone, and neither should we as followers of Christ - we really do need each other.
As we started this journey, I encouraged each of our team trekkers to think of ways our Christian life is like this trek. When we come back down the mountain, we will share our thoughts. So, we trekked up and up and up to just under fourteen thousand feet and set up camp. We had to leave early because a few of our teammates had severe altitude sickness.
On a beautiful day, we made it down the mountain and gathered together for one of the most amazing dinners I (we) have ever had. We were all famished and exhausted, but each one in turn shared some amazing life lessons they picked up along the trek.
Even Victor, who at the time was not yet a Christian, asked to share his insights. Victor listened to everyone's inspiring stories, and then he spoke. What he said deeply moved all of us. He told us he came because of his friend. He shared that he had never experienced such community and sacrifice in helping each other like we had on the trek. He felt so welcome by all of us. We laughed together. We served each other. We talked. We prayed. We sang. We shared our lives, our dreams, and our hurts.
Then Victor shocked us all by asking if we could get him a Bible. He was hungry and thirsty for more. That night, we gave Victor his first Bible. I met him some months later at a coffee shop to talk about what he thought of the Bible. He had read the Gospels and was amazed by the life story of Jesus. He asked if these stories were really true. They are!
I have since lost track of Victor. But, many Gospel "seeds' were planted along this trek. We plant, and we water, but it is God who causes the growth. May I encourage you as you live or go in Christ, be aware of those around you, be present, be real, be in prayer, and give God space to use you to plant and or water Gospel seeds along your life-trek.
