Reflections from the Trail

Hiking is sometimes just an excuse to be outside. As adults, we don’t usually “go outside and play.” We need a reason, a purpose, or even a destination to justify our time outside the buildings where we work, live and learn. Exploring a new place—instead of our well-known, well-loved backyards or neighborhood parks—can be the best purpose of all. A new hiking trail offers a wonderful, refreshing excursion out of our comfort zones to enjoy nature.

While wandering a new beach path, an unknown forest, a different wetland boardwalk, a new section of desert, an untried steep mountain pass, or other new-to-us trails, we often reflect on how God made all we see. Our loving God crafted the vast views, the smells we aren’t accustomed to, and the feel of the earth under our hiking boots. The animals we will encounter, the unique geology surrounding us, the plants native to the area, and even the clouds in the sky above are all different than what we will find anywhere else on Earth. Each place is unique. And yet God made it all. Certainly, he’s also responsible for the human-made things in our homes and in the communities where we live. He’s helped people design buildings, roads, city green spaces, and more. But experiencing these new wild spaces and the flora and fauna that live there can bring a renewed sense of awe and wonder at God’s creation.

Hiking is a fantastic way to bring us to new places to discover God’s beautiful creation. It’s a hobby that helps keep our bodies healthy and feeds our curiosity and wanderlust. It can also enrich our sense of belonging and connection with hiking partners. The beauty of creation can also help expand our sense of stewardship and gratitude for the earth that God made—for every inch of ground, every leaf, and every tiny creature is his and reveals so much about him. There is so much to explore: so many places on earth we have not been to that can draw us closer to the Creator and help us appreciate all he made.