I thank God for Charlotte and all those like her who have graced me with their love, faith, and friendship.

God is and always has been way ahead of us from the get-go. God not only has watched us with a gleeful eye as we have uncovered the intricacies of the power and workings that are daily revealed but God is also opening new possibilities to the curious and the scientific about new things just waiting to be discovered all the time. I believe God is walking just before us to guide us and lead us in the opportunities that lie before us.

Wilderness to me equates to a desert place—a deserted place—where one is given the opportunity to think, to re-evaluate, to plan, or to discern. It is a place and time to get in touch with who we are and whose we are. It gives us a chance to choose who will govern and guide our lives. It is a time to tune out the noises that work so hard to convince us, to change us, to rule us. What direction is the right way? A desert time is what I need the most right now and I suspect you do too.

Even in the darkest of times, there are these little lights of hope and caring that occur. How important it is for us to feel the blessings of those moments. It also reminds us that we have opportunities to be lights of encouragement or joy to others.

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

I am convinced that God wants us to think seriously about how we are treating the aged, the poor, and the foreigner among us. For us to truly be God’s holy people, to be holy as God is holy, we may need to make some changes in our behavior, our words, and our attitudes toward the foreigner. It will mean we treat the foreigner as ourselves and stand with them through the tumultuous times we are facing.

“As God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. Bear with one another and, if anyone has a complaint against another, forgive each other; just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.”

In and through it all, is Christ, in our midst to bring us peace, safety, and healing. “Peace! Be still!” says Jesus to our winds and storms. Have faith in the ever-present Christ who will never desert you. Sing with the rain drops, dance with the bouncing leaves, smile with the joy that Christ gives to us! Joy is like the rain! With the help of Christ, we can weather the storms and come out with a heart filled with joy.

When someone asks, who is God, it becomes a difficult task to answer. All I can come up with are metaphors or examples from the Bible or my own experiences of God in my life. It is much like trying to take a photo of the wind or attempting to describe electricity. But no one seems to question the fact that there is electricity or wind or a multitude of other difficult to explain phenomena that we daily encounter.

Pastor Tyger Penson shares a reflection about the abundant promise of God’s love and Spirit which God pours out like waterfalls in the Alaskan islands.