Nature is my favorite place to connect with God. I lift my eyes to the bright, crystal clear blue sky above and take a deep breath. The combination of the clean air with the scent of pine fills me. I feel the trail beneath my boots and the wind blowing softly on my skin. I soak in the beauty of nature.

That beautiful description of nature was written by friend and guest blogger, Erin Lauen. She teaches 6th grade Science, Computer, and Chorus at Fellowship Christian School. She’s been married to David for 16 years. They have three incredible children: Tucker, Arena, and Sadie.

Road trips with her family crammed in the van bring her great joy. “I love putting my feet in every state and seeing something new and unexpected around every corner,” Erin shared. “And my family has to endure hours of me singing songs from musicals. I love it!”

Cairns Point the Way

When I’m in nature, I hear my father’s voice. He is reminding me to look for the cairns, the stacks of rocks that lead you in the right direction. Hikers will tell you those cairns can save your life when you can’t see where the path is, or when you are lost and alone. The cairns point the way to your destination. My father trained me from a young age to look for the cairns, because he loves me and wants me to stay on the right path.

Although this is a memory I have with my earthly father, it is a perfect example of how much my heavenly Father loves me and wants what is best for me. He yearns for me to follow the sound of His voice and look for the spiritual cairns that will point me in the right direction.

Sometimes these cairns come into my life in the form of people. It may be a stranger who offers a kind smile, word, or action, or a friend who calls at exactly the right time, or a student who makes a special card for me. Other times, it comes in a beautiful sunset, the scent of a flower, the feel of my child’s hand when he or she reaches to hold mine, or a song that reaches the depths of my soul.  

Get His Priorities Back in Order

I love the story in 1 Kings 19, where the prophet Elijah reached a breaking point in his ministry. He is running for his life, and he cries out to God to just let him die. That he has had enough. God, in His infinite wisdom, invites Elijah to take a nap and brings him a snack. Then, Elijah takes a hike through the wilderness to a cave. God has chosen this cave to help Elijah get his priorities back in order. Elijah tells God how he feels. God chooses that moment to allow Elijah to “see” Him.

God was not in the strong wind, nor in the earthquake, nor was He in the fire that followed. He showed Himself to Elijah in a gentle breeze. It reminded Elijah that God was bigger than his circumstances and more powerful than the people trying to take his life. God was and is the Creator of the universe and the Commander of angel armies. Yet, as Elijah felt in the soft breeze, God was in the small, delicate details of his life. God didn’t just show Elijah His power, He met needs as basic as a good night’s rest and a healthy snack.  

A Love of Nature

One of the hardest times in my life was when I had to relinquish my earthly father to my heavenly Father. My dad instilled in me a love of nature. He encouraged me to not only look, but to see. He modeled how to appreciate the beauty that can be found in God’s creation. Opportunities to take a break and sit in stillness, to just be in the presence of my Savior, to let His presence permeate my spirit and refresh my soul were offered to me time and again.

Now, escaping to nature is part of who I am. When I am overwhelmed, I find myself heading outside for a run in the crisp fall air, or watching the sunrise over the pond at my mom’s house, or slipping away from the chaos to take a hike in the woods. Going out into the countryside and looking into the night sky to see a billion stars reminds me of Psalm 8:3-4. It says, “When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?” 

When I am in nature, I am able to clear my mind and hit the reset button. Whether I am exercising to re-energize or finding solace in the stillness, nature fills my senses with a purity not found in the man-made world. 

Seek the Stillness of Nature

With our children, my husband and I have purposefully chosen opportunities to teach them how to set aside the chaos of life and seek the stillness of nature. We are following my father’s example. I am also reminded of how Jesus, when He was walking this dusty earth as a man, would often go into the wilderness to pray by Himself (Luke 5:16).  If Immanuel, God on earth, chose to return to nature and pray, how much more should we!

Pictures from a recent family trip to Emery Creek Falls in Chatsworth, GA

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Refreshed by the Closeness of God

Now, when I go on a hike or a run in nature, or sit quietly in the shadow of a mountain, I feel the breeze. I am refreshed by the closeness of God. It reminds me how much my Father loves me. How He gave the ultimate sacrifice for me. How He is bigger than my mind can comprehend. But He is also in the little details of my life.

He cares when I am sad or hurt. He rejoices when I rejoice. And He comforts me when I am weary and don’t think I can take one more step.  He is the perfect Father who loves His children.  And I, an imperfect sinner, can say with confidence that I am His child, and that He is my Father.

Leave a reply (below): Does nature refresh you? Help you refocus when life feels overwhelming? Share your description of what nature does in and for you.