Tag Archives: Lauren Carr

Do you sometimes wish you could hear from God? Do you feel like you are
too insignificant for Him to care about your daily battles with loneliness,
grief, change, and doubts?

God talks to each of us – from the young husband and father who
accidentally torched his home, to the claustrophobic pastor making her way
through a historic tunnel in Israel, to the mystery author having a close call
with a stink bug.

Turn your doubts into divine encounters. Discover how God is speaking to
you today through these 101 inspirational faith stories. These stories will
transform your doubts into powerful encounters with God’s grace, guiding
you to find Him in unexpected places.

UNEXPECTED ALTARS is a collection of stories of faith from real people,
just like you, who have experienced God’s grace and presence in their
lives. Their authors pray that this Christian devotional will inspire your
daily spiritual life. Each story is a powerful reminder that God meets us
right where we are—building altars of worship in the ordinary and the
extraordinary. Perfect for daily devotion, small group discussion, or personal
encouragement.

EXCERPT

The Hardest Climb

The Lord will guide you always; He will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail…. 

Isaiah 32:2

Growing up, my family had the opportunity to visit Israel a few times. On my first trip, we had heard about a waterfall at En Gedi, the desert oasis where King David hid from Saul. Our trusted tour guide started our group on the right path and then left us to find our own way. It was summer, and the sun was intense. After barely five minutes, I was already feeling desperate for some ice water; the lukewarm bottle I carried wasn’t cutting it.

Shortly into the hike, we encountered a man coming down the trail toward us. His face flushed, he looked hot and worn out. As he passed he said, “Don’t waste your time, it’s not worth it.” We paused, discouraged. We’d heard that the waterfall was beautiful, but this new account made us doubt. Was it worth further misery? The unanimous decision was to keep going. We resumed our arduous and uncertain trek.

Somewhere along the trail, the trees that initially served as a canopy for us disappeared. The sky was pure blue and gave the sun’s rays a clear shot. The heat became more extreme and the “path” soon turned to dusty, stone “steps”. Occasionally, we got off track and had to retrace our steps to find where we had gone wrong. I felt somewhat lost in the desert and wondered how long until we reached the end and if I’d have enough strength.

Finally, exhausted, we found the oasis. It was located in a protective rock cove and covered in vegetation. As I descended the path down into the cove, just seeing the water splashing off the green foliage made me feel cooler…or maybe the mist drifting through the air helped. We took off our shoes and waded into the pool. The hot desert we had just endured was a stark contrast to the cold, refreshing relief which now surrounded us. 

Had we turned around any sooner, our efforts would have felt pointless. Had it been a cool day and an easy climb, we may not have appreciated God’s beauty as much as we did. We could have missed what became one of my favorite experiences of the trip. There are several small waterfalls along the way up, and our conclusion was that the stranger must have given up before having reached the waterfall. 

 

As we headed back, we passed others in search of the oasis. They looked hot and weary. We simply advised, “Keep going, it’s absolutely worth it!”

Father, there are times in life when discouragement weighs us down, slowing or even stopping our progress. Help us encourage one another and build each other up. In whatever difficult trials and challenges we are experiencing, help us to not give up but instead remember that the best view comes after the hardest climb. Amen.

Sheerah Allison

UNEXPECTED ALTARS: MEETING GOD IN EVERYDAY MOMENTS is an anthology
written by multiple authors, edited by JoAnne Alexander, and published by
Lauren Carr for Oakland Community Church, a non-denominational church located
in Charles Town, West Virginia.