Steep grade ahead, in the wilderness great
where God’s voice whispers through aspens and pines
our hearts will not miss a beat for we know what is at stake
through strife, we will find a blessing for all times.
for years to come we will look back on these days,
and remember God’s beauty, which is ours to find.
As the low clouds shifted and moved to the south
The snowy mountain peak was revealed
ten hours we had been confined
en route to where our true journey would begin.
Our excitement grew in an instant
the pines framed the sight
we paused to take in its beauty
and pondered what the journey would be like
The peak seemed close at hand
as we stood there in awe.
Intoxicated by the view, before we began
the long treacherous climb, to answer our call.
In actuality the mountain was a ways,
our feet would have to carry us a long distance yet
to reach our goal in the coming days
we would not be deterred, in our wilderness dance
Steep grade ahead, in the wilderness great
where God’s voice whispers through aspens and pines
our hearts will not miss a beat for we know what is at stake
through strife, we will find a blessing for all times.
for years to come we will look back on these days,
and remember God’s beauty, which is ours to find.
We had our gear,
our souls were not dead.
we had trained, but were we prepared,
for there was a steep grade ahead.
Our beautiful goal had us in a trance
as we stood our ground and took in the view.
The mountain trail invited us to dance
in hopes that our souls would soon renew
Headwaters start anew, just below the ridge line
Soon we will stand above and take a long hard gaze
and view God’s earth as seen before our time.
Cold, but not alone, atop the ridge are our best days.
In time thereafter, we must descend,
for there is witness and the work of our lives,
families, and responsibilities to which we must attend
But standing atop the mountain ridge, we are revived.
Steep grade ahead, in the wilderness great
where God’s voice whispers through aspens and pines
our hearts will not miss a beat for we know what is at stake
through strife, we will find a blessing for all times.
for years to come we will look back on these days,
and remember God’s beauty, which is ours to find.
By Philip Mack Furlow
