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Fear Not

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

I will fear no evil, for you are with me;

your rod and your staff comfort me.

~ Psalm 23:4

#anaturewalk #WalkwithGod #FearNot

Fire Quenching Love

Firehole River, Yellowstone National Park

Love quenches the fires of bitterness, envy and hate. Let us follow Christ’s example and love and pray for those that oppose us and might even hate us (see Matthew 5:44 and Luke 23:34).

#anaturewalk #WalkwithGod #FireQuenchingLove

Leap for Joy

Black-bellied whistling duck and ducklings, Galveston, TX

Aren’t babies just wonderful! This duckling’s leap for joy reminds me of the passage in the bible where John the Baptist leaped for joy at the sound of the pregnant Virgin Mary’s voice.

Luke 1:44: Elizabeth, John the Baptist’s mother, said, “For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy.”

May God bless mothers, fathers and babies.

#anaturewalk #WalkwithGod #LeapforJoy

Follow His Light

Boardwalk Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” ~ John 8:12 As we enter into the year 2020, many of us will have challenging paths to follow and decisions to make, let us follow our Lord Jesus Christ in all we do so that our path will be illuminated by his light.

#anaturewalk #AimHighWalkwithGod #FollowHisLight

Close to the Heart

Red Rocks of Roxborough State Park, Colorado with insert of Statue of St. Mary and the child Jesus from All Souls Catholic Church, Englewood, CO

Have you ever been this close to God? This is how close God desires to be with you.

Mary, mother of Jesus, mother of God, show us how to hold Jesus close to our hearts. Amen

#anaturewalk #AimHighWalkwithGod #ClosetotheHeart

The Eyes of Christmas

Live Oak forest, Avery Island, Louisiana with insert from mosaic from Basilica of our Lady of the Rosary, Lourdes, France

Look into the eyes of Mary and Joseph,

the shepherds and saints,

the angels and wise men.

Their eyes reflect humility and love,

awe and wonder,

thanks and praise.

Lord, as we prepare our hearts for your coming this Christmas, help us find the humility and love, awe and wonder, thanks and praise of those that celebrated the first Christmas.

Mary, mother of God, pray with us that we may seek and find your son, Jesus, in a new and profound
way this Christmas.

Amen

#anaturewalk #AimHighWalkwithGod #EyesofChristmas

Give Thanks

Columbia Spotted Frog, North Fork Coeur d'Alene River, Idaho

Lord thank you for…

frogs, clear water and shiny rocks;

mothers and daughters;

fathers and sons;

family and friends;

but most of all,

thank you for being our Lord and God;

our savior and friend.

Amen

#anaturewalk #AimHighWalkwithGod #GiveThanks

High Upon a Rock

Rocky Mountain Big Horn Sheep Ewe, Castle Rock near Buena Vista, CO

One thing I ask of the LORD;

this I seek:

To dwell in the LORD’s house

all the days of my life,

To gaze on the LORD’s beauty,

to visit his temple.

For God will hide me in his shelter

in time of trouble,

He will conceal me in the cover of his tent;

and set me high upon a rock. ~ Psalm 27: 4-5

Lord Jesus Christ, you are the rock upon which we rest. You have made our hearts, your temple. May we make this dwelling place worthy of your presence through all of our thoughts, actions, and deeds. By your grace. Amen

Come Holy Spirit, Come.

#anaturewalk #AimHighWalkwithGod #HighUponaRock

Listen to His Call

Bull Elk Bugling, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

It was a cold, rainy autumn evening when I heard the call of this magnificent bull elk. I have heard the scream of bull elk hundreds of times; and yet, each time I hear the eerie sound of a big bull bugling something deep inside of me begins to stir.

This stirring of something deep inside reminds me of the Holy Spirit. It was Elijah that heard the call of the Holy Spirit while waiting out a storm inside a cave on the mountain of Horeb.

“There was a strong and violent wind rending the mountains and crushing rocks before the LORD—but the LORD was not in the wind; after the wind, an earthquake—but the LORD was not in the earthquake; after the earthquake, fire—but the LORD was not in the fire; after the fire, a light silent sound. When he heard this, Elijah hid his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave.” 1 Kings 19:11-13

Elijah heard the sound of the Lord in silence. For many Christians the voice of the Holy Spirit cannot be easily discerned. The Holy Spirit does not often manifest himself like the scream of a bull elk bugling. The Spirit’s soft, silent voice often seems to get lost in the hustle, bustle and events of our daily lives.

An active participation in the life of the Church including prayer, fellowship, sacraments, bible reading, and fellowship enhances our ability to hear the Holy Spirit’s direction in our lives. However; the lives of Jesus, the Apostles and the Saints point to two items that are fundamental to hearing the call of God in our lives. These items are forgiveness and humility. The bellowing loud voices in our souls of contempt and pride can drown out the soft, yet persistent voice of our Lord.

Contempt for others and pride, I have found for myself, have often hidden themselves from my casual notice. I have asked the Lord for the grace to know myself, so that I can identify my sources of hate and pride and begin to change. Hopefully in doing so I will be able to better hear the beautiful call of our Lord.

In what areas of your life might contempt for others and pride be hiding? Ask the Lord for his grace to know yourself and to change.

I pray that the call of our Lord will stir all of us and renew our souls.

#anaturewalk #AimHighWalkwithGod #ListentoHisCall

Faith to Swim Ashore

Young Bull Moose swimming across Monarch Lake, Colorado

On a walk around Monarch Lake in Colorado I noticed this young bull moose swimming across the water. He swam with ease until suddenly he seemed frightened, perhaps he hit deeper water. He began thrashing violently in the water until he finally regained his composure and calmly swam across the water to the shore.

In life we have all hit the deep water - times when our faith is tested.

He said, “Come.” Peter got out of the boat and began to walk on the water toward Jesus. But when he saw how strong the wind was he became frightened; and, beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!” Immediately Jesus stretched out his hand and caught him, and said to him, “O you of little faith,* why did you doubt?” ~ Matthew 14:29-31

Peter took his eyes off Jesus, became frightened, and began to sink, but Jesus was there to help Peter, just as he is with us.

What causes you to take your eyes off Jesus?

What steps can you take to keep your faith in a tumultuous world?

#anaturewalk #AimHighWalkwithGod #Faithtogetashore

Treasure and Heart

Near Lewis and Clark Caverns State Park, Montana

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and decay destroy, and thieves break in and steal. But store up treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor decay destroys, nor thieves break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be.”

~ Matthew 6:21

#anaturewalk #AimHighWalkwithGod #TreasureandHeart

Everything is Grace

During times when the sky is blue and the water is clear everything may seem to be grace, but what about the times when the sky is dark and the water is cloudy? St. Paul says during these times grace also abounds, “we even boast of our afflictions, knowing that affliction produces endurance, and endurance, proven character, and proven character, hope, and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.” (Romans 5:3-5)

God, through the passion and resurrection of his son Jesus, shows us his desire to convert suffering into love. We may not see or understand God’s grace that is present even in the darkest of times but we know, through faith, that even our times of suffering are moments of God’s loving grace. The Christian lives in the firm hope that when we get to heaven we will see and understand these unseen moments of God’s grace in our lives. As St. Paul writes, “At present we see indistinctly, as in a mirror, but then face to face. At present I know partially; then I shall know fully, as I am fully known.” (I Corinthians 13:12)

So the Christian, in both good times and bad, trusts in God and gives him praise knowing that with God “everything is grace”.

#anaturewalk #AimHighWalkwithGod #Everythingisgrace

Closest Friend

The Christian is always walking with, and often leaning on, Jesus (see John 13:23). It is Jesus who gives the Christian strength, peace, understanding and love. As Pope Benedict wrote, “Christian’s are people who have been conquered by Christ’s love.”

#anaturewalk #AimHighWalkwithGod #closestfriend

Freedom and Love

Mule deer buck in an early fall snow, near Roxborough State Park, Colorado

Have you used your freedom to love totally, wildly, unconditionally? Jesus did and he asks us to do the same.

“Come you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me ” Matthew 25: 34-36

St. Pope John Paul II said that “our freedom exists for the sake of love”. We all know someone that is in need in one way, or another, either mentally, emotionally, spiritually or physically. Let us be Christ for them. Let us love them, wildly, unconditionally. Let us turn our world on-fire with the love of Christ.

Lord, grant us the grace to love the way you do!

Before the Mountains were Born

San Juan Mountains above Ridgeway State Park, Colorado

Wow! Let us live in awe of God, the Creator and our Savior!

#anaturewalk #AimHighWalkwithGod #inAweOfGod

Fatherhood

Great Egret parent and chicks, Avery Island, Louisiana

It was a hot summer day. I had spent most of the day scrapping paint off the old house. My brother was on the ladder next to me scrapping away, while dad was using the electric sander on the tallest ladder. It seemed to me that we were making no progress in completing the job. Dad had got this side-job, in addition to his normal full-time job, so we could earn enough money to go on a family summer camping vacation.

We finished the house. It was a great vacation but more importantly dad taught me that love is an action, a giving of oneself for the other.

Happy Father’s Day to all the father’s that give of themselves for the good of their wife, children and neighbors. The kingdom of God is built by one unselfish act at a time. God Bless!

1 Corinthians 15:58 ~ “Therefore, my beloved brothers, be firm, steadfast, always fully devoted to the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.”

#anaturewalk #AimHighWalkwithGod #fathersday

In Your Wisdom

Eastern Pondhawk dragonfly, Palmetto Island State Park, Louisiana

“each creature has its own purpose. None is superfluous. The entire material universe speaks of God’s love, his boundless affection for us. Soil, water, mountains: everything is, as it were, a caress of God.” ~ Pope Francis, Laudato Si’, On Care for Our Common Home, Par 84

#anaturewalk #AimHighWalkwithGod #loveallgodscreatures

Alone with Him

Field Sparrow, Goose Island State Park, TX

What is contemplative prayer? St. Teresa answers: "Contemplative prayer in my opinion is nothing else than a close sharing between friends; it means taking time frequently to be alone with him who we know loves us." Contemplative prayer seeks him "whom my soul loves." It is Jesus, and in him, the Father. We seek him, because to desire him is always the beginning of love, and we seek him in that pure faith which causes us to be born of him and to live in him. In this inner prayer we can still meditate, but our attention is fixed on the Lord himself. ~ Catechism of the Catholic Church 2709

#anaturewalk #AimHighWalkwithGod #stteresa

My Soul Thirsts

Have you ever had a drink of cold water when you are really, really thirsty? Wow! But we are all thirsting (desiring) for something even more basic than water…. God. “The desire for God is written in the human heart, because man is created by God and for God; and God never ceases to draw man to himself. Only in God will he find the truth and happiness he never stops searching for.”(1)

But what is even more amazing is that God thirsts for us…. he thirsts for you. “Jesus is God, therefore His Love and His Thirst are infinite. He, the Creator of the universe, asked for the love of his creatures. He has thirst for our love …”(2)

(1) Catechism of the Catholic Church, par 27

(2) St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta

#anaturewalk #AimHighWalkwithGod

Happy Mother's Day

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