In the Mountains and at the Sea

This past week, I walked parts of the Mountain to Sea Trail near the Folk Arts Center on the Blue Ridge Parkway in East Asheville. I had not been on a mountain trail since the storm. Stretches of it remain closed after Hurricane Helene. There are places where huge trees have fallen across the trail; climbing over their massive circumference is the only way to proceed. Debris is everywhere, though crews have already removed tons (literally) of it. Along some ridgelines, the trail has washed away. Though the day was crisp and clear and the sky vividly blue, near the ground, grey and brown were the dominant colors. Despite—because of?—the extensive devastation, I experienced a stark beauty and felt the assurance that it is from this kind of barrenness that new life comes. Spring follows winter, yes; even more, resurrection rises from death.

The previous week, I had walked a short segment of the same trail in Surf City, Topsail Island. I stood on the edge of the Atlantic Ocean, in chilly air, under a cloudy sky, and in the face of a brisk and gusting wind. As the tide came in, the crest of the waves was higher, and the sound of their crashing was louder than usual. I was drawn into reverie about the mystery, might, and vastness of Love.

At the ocean and in the mountains, in the presence of the wide surging sea and of the broad bleak woods, I felt God’s presence. God is both already there and always with us.

For other reflections, visit my website.

Heard Beneath the Roar of Traffic (Signals, rather than noise, at the intersection)

“When you discover something that nourishes your soul and brings joy, care enough about yourself to make room for it in your life” (Psychiatrist Jean Shinoda Bolen)

“Recognize the difference between the end and an end. Articles matter” (Maggie Smith, Keep Moving: Notes on Loss, Creativity and Change)

“The church is not asked to invent an identity; it is to live the life of Jesus Christ in the world” (Jurgen Moltmann, The Church in the Power of the Holy Spirit)

Upcoming Events

April 4-6, 2025

Spiritual Growth Weekend

Fifth Avenue Baptist Church, Huntington, WV

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