The destination is worth the process getting there.
Our hiking Go-Group (Matt. 28:18-20, doing what we like to do with those who don’t know Jesus…yet!) went to the mountains above Malibu, CA. There were parts of this trail that my wife and I had never taken before.
We were told that at one point in a certain loop there would be majestic views of the Pacific Ocean both to the south and to the north of us.
The map showed this view existed. People who’d taken this trail before said this view existed. But did it? We’ve never been there before. How’d we know?
We couldn’t, but we kept walking, even as the trail took us through high brush and spider webs. It led us over a stream with slippery rocks…twice. It looped through recovering fired burned areas. And, crawled up and down for an elevation gain of over 1100 feet.
Was it worth it? YES! The overwhelmingly awesome view existed and was worth every step when we took it all in.
The ultimate map, the Bible, says it’s worth walking with Jesus today. Others who’ve walked the same path as you, say the view is worth it.
Keep going, no matter how hard each step might be. It’s worth it. Keep walking, no matter when the cobwebs of doubt cross your mind. The view will be magnificent. Keep moving forward, no matter the number of bends or ups and downs your everyday path might have. Your breath will be taken away. This is a living Jesus faith.
Be encouraged. Loving and become like Jesus are worth every step we take now and forever!

When we need it, not always when we want it.
My wife and I took a wonderful hike to an awesome waterfall this past weekend.
The trail for the first 2.5 of the 4 miles up to the falls was not always easy. Nonetheless, the trail was easy to follow. We had all the directions we need to enjoy the hike.
Then all of a sudden, the trail literally turned into boulders that had to be climbed over, down and around. As we couldn’t see what lay ahead, we had a hard time knowing where to go next…until they showed up.
The “they” in this case were arrows painted on various rocks pointing us to the next step. It was uncanny how the next arrow always appeared right when we needed it, though, not always when we wanted it.
Our Jesus walks will be smooth at times. While at others, because we live in a fallen world, it will require slowing down to climb over life’s boulders.
As we slow down, Jesus, in an uncanny manner, will always give us the next step, often just before we need to take it.
We’d like more advanced noticed, but that is not faith. Faith means sticking to the direction He’s already given us until He gives us where our next steps should be.
Therefore, resist getting in a hurry! If you do, your anxiety levels along with your blood pressure will rise quite rapidly.
Instead focus on the truths that will keep your BP low: His promise to always be with and to guide you one step at a time, right on time…His.

Slowing down doesn’t mean stopping.
I enjoy walking the hills around my house. The trails through these hills, however, are shrinking due to fewer hikers using them.
This lower usage is allowing the plants to grow back, effectively making the trails much harder to use.
As you walk the path Jesus has for you through meditating and acting upon the truths He gives from His Word, you’re laying down and strengthening new neural pathways (“trails”) on your brain or what Scripture calls “renewing your mind.”
And though hard at first, the more you keep walking on this trail, the easier it will be to walk on it in the days ahead.
Yet if you stop walking on this trail, the vegetation of your old unfulfilled life will creep back.
So, when Scripture says to slow down and know that Jesus is God, it does not mean to stop and do nothing!
All it means is to keep walking on the trail He’s laid out for you at the pace He wants for you at the moment. He’s in no hurry, so why should you? Enjoy the journey. He’s walking with you!
Man, I needed to hear this!

Unmet expectations lead to frustration, so what are your expectations?
Understand that God never promises to meet our expectations, only His.
Thus, if our expectations don’t match God’s Word, we are going to be frustrated much of the time. And Jesus didn’t come to frustrate us, but to give us life – now and forever.
Think about this expectation: If I just get through this task, life will be good and I can slow down. Sounds good doesn’t it?
But it isn’t true in at least two ways. First, there is always another task at the end of the one I’m finishing! Right?
Second, we love an eternal God. And with each character quality God has, He wants to transform our lives into that quality as only Christlike character makes it from this life to the next.
Therefore, this side of heaven, there will always be another hill to climb and a valley to walk through. The Spirit uses these hills and valleys to shave off our temporal character and replace it with Christ’s eternal character.
This is real life, whether we like it or not. So slow down and enjoy Jesus today, in the moment. The next hill will come soon enough.

Don’t look back, you’ll miss the road ahead.
I was taught a golden rule from the very beginning of my mountain biking experience: where your eyes go, so goes your front wheel. The bike will go where you’re looking – either into the ditch you want to avoid or the trail you want to take.
So keep your eyes on the trail if you want to enjoy the ride!
In one area of my life, the Lord has been making huge progress in changing me. Yet, I found myself saying, “I can’t go back!” I knew where I had come from and didn’t want to go back there.
I was enjoying the ride of Spirit empowered life-change. Yet where were my eyes? Looking back!
I needed to make an attitude adjustment. Instead of focusing on where I’d been, I should’ve been focusing on where Jesus was taking me – toward Himself.
Excuses. We make them. But guess where excuses focus us? Backward to where we’ve been, not to where we want to go.
Learn to exchange those backward excuses with forward looking praises. Focus on wherever Jesus is leading you by focusing on the truth about Him that will get you there. Then praise Him for it even if you land in the ditch!
Praises keep you focused on where you want to be – more like Jesus, all of Who you want to be and all of what you want out of life.