I don’t know about you, but when I hear the word “valley,” I think “downhill”… False. I couldn’t have been more wrong. I can honestly say that I did not expect so much uphill terrain to get to the Valley! But the 1.5 hour hike was more than worth it. Multiple times throughout the journey, the majesty of the surrounding mountains before us left our mouths speechless and our feet utterly immovable. All I could do was stand in awe and breathe in the fresh mountain air, and take in the wonder of the One who made all of it. A simple photograph could never do it justice. Nothing could ever compare.
“But ask the beasts, and they will teach you; the birds of the heavens, and they will tell you; or the bushes of the earth, and they will teach you; and the fish of the sea will declare to you. Who among all these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this? In his hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of all mankind.” -Job 12:7-10
Thankfully, the hike has gotten a lot easier since that first time, but even if it were harder, I think I’d still be willing to traverse the mountain terrain to get there. Yes, quite frankly, the hike sucks sometimes, but the views along the way, the feeling of accomplishment after finally arriving, the peace and tranquility of the mountains, the community we experience, and the opportunity to invest in something we believe in make the hike more than worth a little “glistening” on the way up.