Countdown to 30: Day 23

(Yesterday life happened and this did not get posted, although it was already written. That just means two posts today!)

For the spring break mission trip in 2000, our college and high school groups went to Flagstaff, Arizona. I learned so much about God on that trip that it probably was the turning point in making the faith of my parents my own. Too often in college children turn away from the teachings of their parents, but I had the opportunity to build upon the foundation that my parents had built.

Our mission trip to Flagstaff was to an Indian reservation where we were to have a vacation Bible school type ministry to the children and attend church on the reservation. When we arrived, it was around 70 degrees and nice enough that a group of us were able to climb a mountain. It was the first mountain I climbed (and I believe the last to this point), and the view from the top made the struggle of the climb worth it. The beauty of creation pointed toward the Creator. It was awesome. The next morning we woke up to a foot of snow on the ground. At that point I learned that a place has crazier weather than Texas!

The church was small and obviously filled with poverty. For example, to go to the bathroom, you had to use an outhouse ... without a door. Did I mention that there was a foot of snow in Flagstaff? Although there was not a foot of snow at that point on the reservation where the church was located, it was cold enough to have a foot of snow on the ground. The outhouse hole acts like a wind tunnel blowing right on your bare bottom. The scenery was also such that you really, genuinely expected Doc Holliday to come riding up on a horse over the hill and declare, “I’m your Huckleberry” while you did your business.

Although the church did not have much, that church was full of love and generosity. The people showed us hospitality providing food for us and serving lovingly even though you knew it was a sacrifice. The faith of the people in the midst of their adversity was a lesson for me. My church at the time met in a grand building, and even showed hospitality to college students, but we did not have the love that could be felt in this small, faithful congregation. My church’s attempts at worship fell short of what this congregation did with a small keyboard, maybe a guitar, and off-key singing that truly came out of a heart of worship. It was unlike anything that I remembered experiencing up to that point.

Since we were in Flagstaff, we were close enough to plan a trip to see the Grand Canyon. First, we went on the reservation to see where the actual start of the Grand Canyon is. Surprisingly, it starts as a small canyon that you can easily climb down into and did not go very deep. It was unamazing except for the fact that you knew that the Grand Canyon was present many miles away. We also, during the midst of a slight blizzard, went to see Sedona Canyon. The rock formations were amazing, and I remember thinking, “I do not see how the Grand Canyon can top this!” Boy, I could not have been more wrong!

I was not expecting much driving up to the Grand Canyon. Sure I had seen pictures that were amazing. However, I had been told that it was not as awesome as everyone acts like it is by someone else who had been there. I thought that the hour that we were planning on spending there would be too much. I was excited, but not overly excited.

I will never forget the first time I walked up to the sight of the Grand Canyon. My first surprise was that the side we were on was covered in snow. I always thought of the Grand Canyon as a desert. The other side looks like a desert. Much to my surprise, though, there is a forest on the tourist side. As we walked through the tourist trail up to the first observation point, I began to think that I might be in for a bigger surprise once I reached the view. Seeing the Grand Canyon for the first time, I was speechless for several minutes. The first statement out of my mouth was, “There is a God.” I knew that, but standing on the edge of the Grand Canyon, you cannot deny the existence of God. God is obvious. There are colors that cannot be described or recreated by man. There is beauty that points to a Creator. Pictures do not do justice to the sight that you see. There is no way to make the Grand Canyon overrated or overcommercialized. It is a creation that God uses to point to Himself and to give delight to mankind. It was amazing.

Later in the trip as I enjoyed more of God’s creation, I read Psalm 139. It was probably not the first time that I read the Psalm, but it was like reading it for the first time. God had planned for me to go on that trip and to see His creation. God had created me just as He has created all of the other beautiful things that I had seen on that trip. God was preparing me to serve Him and had a plan for me. Psalm 139 became one of my favorite passages at that point, and the Grand Canyon is a testimony of the reality of God for me. Although I do not think that I have ever doubted the existence of God, or if I have, it was not for long, I do know that since viewing the Grand Canyon, I cannot deny the existence of God. Everyone needs a Grand Canyon moment.