Do you like being outdoors?I certainly do, especially hillwalking and big mountains. I’ve always said: “As long as I can do my mountain climbing, all will be well.”
So what happens when you suddenly can’t any more?”
Here’s a little of my story showing how Jesus Christ is my living hope. And how he can be yours too…
My story
Let me take you back to 2016 when a diagnosis of CFS/ME changed my life. It’s mild in my case, for which I’m truly grateful, but it’s still a challenge.
Before, I could walk 20 miles a day up hills and mountains. Since, I have sometimes struggled to walk 500m on the flat and needed rest for a few hours to recover! No longer able to lead the active life I was used to and having to plan everything with precision to have any fun (meet a friend for coffee, be daft with some kids, bounce around in worship at church etc) I struggled to deal with it: “What’s happened Lord. Why me when you know how much I love mountains, when you know how I thrive on activity?”
But although the next couple of years were hard, I was forced into a closer relationship with God. And soaked in His goodness to develop a much deeper walk with Him.
Then in 2018 I received a promise from God: “You will walk up a mountain again in full health.”
Really? Are you sure? Ooh… if that’s true I say, “Yay! Whoop! Bring it on!” 😁
Since then, that promise has kept me going through some tough times…
After consistently getting better my health deteriorated this autumn. Stress, exhaustion and hormones combined in a great big swirl of waaaaaaaaaaagh and I didn’t know what to do. How could I believe God’s promise now, when I felt so rubbish again?
But of course, He broke into my storm. While listening to one of Phil Wickham’s songs these words changed everything:
“How great the chasm that lay between us, how high the mountain I could not climb.
In desperation I turned to heaven, and spoke your name into the night.
Then in the darkness your loving kindness, tore through the shadows of my soul…”
It helped me seek God, fix my eyes on Jesus and I felt deeply, for the first time in ages: “Your promises are true Lord.” 😊
Where I’d given up on ever climbing a mountain again, felt bleak and like God didn’t give a stuff, His promise had leapt back into life and taken root within. I knew He was still there, He still loved me and would never ever break His promise to me.
While it’s not come true yet – I’m still waiting to climb that mountain – I do now trust my recent health situation is just a blip. And as we move into another year I can say, hand-on-heart, Snowdon, I’ll be back!
In Phil Wickham’s words:
“Hallelujah, praise the one who set me free. Hallelujah, death has lost its grip on me.
You have broken every chain, there’s salvation in your name.
Jesus Christ my living hope…”
(to sing along with me check out this video)
Your story
So why have I shared this with you?
Because I want you to know the Lord will never break His promises to you (Josh 23:14b). However you feel, whatever happens.
As another year begins you can stand firm knowing Jesus will be with you. You can trust completely in Him whatever gets thrown your way (Ps 37:23-24).
Know this: Jesus Christ is YOUR living hope.
So let’s make 2022 a good one 😊
God bless xx
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