Neuschwanstein, AIA Retreat, Bear Grylls.

In front of the Acropolis on Mount Mars

Where to begin. It has been awhile since I blogged. Partly because my life has been crazy and partly because I don't really know where to begin. I have been super blessed in the last month to take two amazing trips. My best friend from the states and another friend visited the first week of March and we went away to Athens for a weekend. We decided to leave the phones behind and enter the “dinosaur ages” as we called it and just enjoy our time away with one another. It was super relaxing and we got to see the Acropolis, location of the first Olympics and stand on Mount Mars, where Paul first preached the Gospel. I love seeing and experiencing other cultures. It gives me such a different perspective on life and how big God really is. It was just such a blessing having them visit and seeing my world in Berlin.  

The second trip I took was last week with our AIA team to Southern Germany. To be honest I wasn't really thrilled to go because I had been so busy and all I knew about the trip was that we would be hiking, I needed snow boots, and I couldn't shower for 4 days. I have never been a big "hiker" if you know what I mean. I prefer to just be at the top and have the “mountaintop” experience. But boy was I in for a surprise. We loaded up our hiking backpacks with a couple changes of clothes, toothbrush, and our share of food we needed to carry and strapped them on. I realized about half way through the hike that all my heavy stuff was in the top of my bag. If only I had taken Hiking 101. And Winter Survival 101. The journey started at Castle Neuschwanstein, which was the one thing I was actually excited to see. This was the castle that Walt designed the Disney World Castle after. It was incredible.  At about 4pm on Monday the 5 of us hit the "trail". Boots, snow pants, and "light" jacket because they claimed I would get sweaty; which I wasn't convinced because I train every night in negative degree weather and still prefer 4 layers. What I didn't know

Neuschwanstein in the background

that we would be snowshoeing as well. My only experience of snowshoeing was wooden things strapped on my feet in elementary school. We started our hike and soon enough we were climbing a fence that said "NO TRESPASSING." The last time I failed to follow a sign like this it resulted in almost dying while tubing down the Poudre River. But I figured Mountain Man Harry knew what he was doing. Soon enough we could see an amazing view of Castle Neuschwanstein and we were told the hike to the hut was three hours and the first 90 minutes would be just hiking in our snow boots and the second would be snowshoeing. After we put our snowshoes on, Harry said, "Jetzt geht es wirklich los!" (Now it will really begin!) and I thought to myself, "Great, where is my flippin snowmobile?" At this point it was getting dark as well so we strapped on our headlamps. I thought mine was cool because it was purple, until I realized it would have served great purpose for a candlelight dinner rather than hiking Everest. My logic in life is always the faster I go the faster I am there. So at times I went ahead because we could somewhat see a trail from earlier hikers. After about an hour and a half of hiking, we asked how much longer and Harry said 45 minutes until the hut. He told us that it would be really steep, then

The middle of our hike, when we still thought it was great.

somewhat steep, then really really steep, then the steepest (It’s like waterslides with fast, faster, fastest, but not as enjoyable). I thought to myself, “You gotta be kiddin me, you don’t think this is steep. I feel like I am walking up a vertical wall right now.” We were all tired at this point but there was no turning back because that would take WAY longer. So we trekked and trekked and trekked some more, through 2 meters of snow. Finally we got to the steepest part where we had to be careful of avalanches. The snow and wind had started to pick up. At this point Harry was a little ahead of me and I had hiked ahead of the others, and didn’t realize how much distance was between all of us. All of a sudden I started to panic, because I realized I couldn’t see Harry in front of me or the others behind me. The snow was blowing and I kept losing my footing and falling. Harry’s tracks were getting covered quickly because of the snow. I slipped and laid there and yelled for Harry. No response. I yelled five more times and no response. Then I yelled for the others behind me. No response. My mind

Right near our "hut"

started to race of all the bad things that could happen to me. As you know I have a crazy imagination. Avalanche buries me.  Wind blows me off the cliff. Freezing to death. Bear attacks me (found out that there are no bears there, so wolf would have been a better thought). I then started to think of the little amount of winter survival I know. In this moment I started to cry and pray. I told God how weary and exhausted I was and didn’t think I could go on. I was angry that Harry went ahead and that nobody was responding. But I just kept hearing the Lord saying, “Don’t be afraid, I am with you. You are here alone in the middle of these massive mountains and you know nothing, but I know you, I see you, and I care about you. I will protect you and take care of you.” Then I would get up and just go and literally say out loud, “Ok, Lord it’s me and you. Let’s do this”. Then I would fall again and it was a this cycle of being frustrated, but the Lord just consistently reminding me that He was there with me and it was going to be okay. Eventually when I saw a glimpse of Harry’s light, I was relieved. He told me to wait at the top, while he found the others. I literally just stood in the dark and sang worship songs and prayed. The snow fell faster, the wind blew harder, but I looked around at the mountains (what I could see with my candlelight) and was comforted how big God really is. It is so similar to where I am in life. I don’t really know what the future holds. As of two weeks ago I had a geographic location of where I

Kevin and I fetching "water"

wanted to be in America, and now the options are limitless. But I realize I don’t have to know. God has been reminding me that He knows and He loves me more than I will ever comprehend. Just like hiking to the hut and I trusted Harry and followed his tracks to this place that I had only “heard” about, but had never seen. Similar to my faith, God knows the way and I have to trust Him with my life knowing that I will one day spend eternity with Him in heaven. I may have only heard about heaven, but I have to believe that in the end it will be worth following the Lord.  He sees me, He knows me, and He cares about me.

Call me Bear Grylls (the cliff I would have blown off)

This trip was the most terrible and most amazing trip of my life. First of all, I think I gave Bear Grylls a run for his money. We melted snow and used that to cook and drink. And let's be honest after four days of no showering we were not smelling our best. But the most amazing part was experiencing the Lord in a way I never have before. I have never been pushed so far physically, mentally, and emotionally (I feel that describing it does no justice). Standing on the mountaintop in solitude and seeing how big God really is gives life a different perspective. He created each one of those trees and mountains and we look so small in comparison, but know how much more He loves and cares about us as His children.  I think I decided what my new hobby is going to be once I hang up the boots in May. Hiking and snowshoeing. It is worth the hike to get to the top.