A Quiet Place

As most of you know I am an avid hunter. As I was enjoying the 50 degree weather, I was thinking about how much colder it is supposed to get the next few days and realized that my deer hunting for this years license could be over today. I started to reminisce about the fantastic time that I had this year as my hunting started in October when archery season opened. Having 3 teens, a husband and working 2 jobs, I don't have time to hunt all day, so I would just go out from 2:30 pm until dark on days that time would allow.

As I thought about what an amazing season it was, watching nature go from lush green, to the flashy colors of fall, to browns and bareness all around, I could not help but think about what a wonderful time I had in the presence of the Lord. To some, it may seem that I spent a lot of hours doing nothing, especially if I'd come home empty handed, but in fact this time has become very precious to me. I have allowed it to become a time of fellowship with the Lord, almost as if the outdoors were my prayer closet.

Isaiah 26:20 says "Come, my people, enter your chambers, and shut your doors behind you; hide yourselves for a little while until the fury has passed by." This (hunting) for me is a place from the helter skelter of life. A small but special place where I can escape TO reality, yes, true reality, the way God intended it to be. A place of peace. The outdoors are a constant reminder to me of God's magnificent hand, his perfect craftsmanship and his awesome presence. There is no place I would rather be than in the quiet of the woods, or near a stream, taking in God's beautiful creation and watching wildlife. What better time to share my thanks, lift up my praise and express my cares to the Lord himself and even have the freedom to cry or talk out loud if I want to. I talk with God through out each day, but there is nothing quite like that intimate time where I can be free, totally free to be myself, to be still and allow myself to hear from him. I am humbled by his love for me. He is my strength, my ever present help in time of need, my strong tower, my very perfect friend who is everything to me. I am so very thankful for my love of the outdoors for it is in this, that I have learned better to pray and have grown closer to God.

How about you? Where do you go to pray? If you don't have a place where you can go to spend quiet time with the Lord, I encourage you to find that place. A place where you can go with no distractions and you can connect secretly with God.