Steep grade ahead, in the wilderness great<\/p>\n
where God\u2019s voice whispers through aspens and pines<\/p>\n
our hearts will not miss a beat for we know what is at stake<\/p>\n
through strife, we will find a blessing for all times.<\/p>\n
for years to come we will look back on these days,<\/p>\n
and remember God\u2019s beauty, which is ours to find.<\/p>\n
As the low clouds shifted and moved to the south<\/p>\n
The snowy mountain peak was revealed<\/p>\n
ten hours we had been confined<\/p>\n
en route to where our true journey would begin.<\/p>\n
Our excitement grew in an instant<\/p>\n
the pines framed the sight<\/p>\n
we paused to take in its beauty<\/p>\n
and pondered what the journey would be like<\/p>\n
The peak seemed close at hand<\/p>\n
as we stood there in awe.<\/p>\n
Intoxicated by the view, before we began<\/p>\n
the long treacherous climb, to answer our call.<\/p>\n
In actuality the mountain was a ways,<\/p>\n
our feet would have to carry us a long distance yet<\/p>\n
to reach our goal in the coming days<\/p>\n
we would not be deterred, in our wilderness dance<\/p>\n
Steep grade ahead, in the wilderness great<\/p>\n
where God\u2019s voice whispers through aspens and pines<\/p>\n
our hearts will not miss a beat for we know what is at stake<\/p>\n
through strife, we will find a blessing for all times.<\/p>\n
for years to come we will look back on these days,<\/p>\n
and remember God\u2019s beauty, which is ours to find.<\/p>\n
We had our gear,<\/p>\n
our souls were not dead.<\/p>\n
we had trained, but were we prepared,<\/p>\n
for there was a steep grade ahead.<\/p>\n
Our beautiful goal had us in a trance<\/p>\n
as we stood our ground and took in the view.<\/p>\n
The mountain trail invited us to dance<\/p>\n
in hopes that our souls would soon renew<\/p>\n
Headwaters start anew, just below the ridge line<\/p>\n
Soon we will stand above and take a long hard gaze<\/p>\n
and view God\u2019s earth as seen before our time.<\/p>\n
Cold, but not alone, atop the ridge are our best days.<\/p>\n
In time thereafter, we must descend,<\/p>\n
for there is witness and the work of our lives,<\/p>\n
families, and responsibilities to which we must attend<\/p>\n
But standing atop the mountain ridge, we are revived.<\/p>\n
Steep grade ahead, in the wilderness great<\/p>\n
where God\u2019s voice whispers through aspens and pines<\/p>\n
our hearts will not miss a beat for we know what is at stake<\/p>\n
through strife, we will find a blessing for all times.<\/p>\n
for years to come we will look back on these days,<\/p>\n
and remember God\u2019s beauty, which is ours to find.<\/p>\n
By Philip Mack Furlow<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Steep grade ahead, in the wilderness great where God\u2019s 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\u2019s beauty, which … <\/p>\n