I was recently challenged to take my husband on a date and to remember how we met, to think back on our story. To not talk about kids or work, but to reminisce about our journey together.

So we did. And God showed me so much along the way.

We have had some beautiful fall days in Pennsylvania, so I opted for an outdoor date. I picked a trail we had never walked before. A new adventure.

We’ve been to the PA Grand Canyon a few times, but never without our kids. So we’ve seen the sign talking about the Turkey Path but never ventured down it.

Camera in hand, we began our trek on the Turkey Path.

The weather was perfect, partly sunny with a crisp breeze in the air.

On the way down the trail, I felt rushed. We knew we had a set time to leave by or we’d be late picking up our kids from school. But as I leaned in to my hurriedness, I realized I was also feeling rushed because of fear. Irrational or not, fear was present. Fear of the unknown, fear of bears, fear of snakes and crazy bugs. Fear of slipping or falling down the mountain. Fear of being attacked by someone. (I watched too many scary movies in my younger life.)

We began to see more people on the trail, and a few of the fears subsided. At least maybe they’d scare a bear away, or be carrying a weapon for protection, or at least warn us if they saw a bear.

Soon enough we saw a sign that said “halfway point.” Already?! Sweet!

It was then that I started to notice some things about the trail. There were numerous warning signs posted, urging you to stay on the path. There were also different provisions along the way. Sometimes stairs, sometimes a rail, sometimes a bridge. They all had a purpose. Put there for a reason. They were all so different in look but all needed for the journey.

a path with a rail

a path with wooden planks

a path with roots

a path with rocks

a path with greenery and flowers on each side

steps (lots of steps)

a bridge

a bench

a path with drop-offs

(P.S. The drop-offs are no joke. The steep elevation and the long way down, even if it might be quicker… it would be much more painful to fall down the mountain. But it was here that I realized this picture would not do the drop off justice. Unless you were there with me, but even then, you wouldn’t be feeling what I was feeling in that moment. The pictures will never do our individual journeys justice. That doesn’t mean we don’t share them. But that does mean that we need to stay humble and gracious and become better listeners. We may be on a similar path but we will never truly walk in someone else’s shoes. They’re just not your shoes.)

We saw some beautiful waterfalls on the way down but agreed to enjoy them on the way back up. We wanted to see what was at the end of the path. We were eager to get to the end.

I was actually a little disappointed at our turn-around point. I don’t know what I was expecting, but it didn’t seem all that amazing. I’ve seen plenty of roads and rivers before. I was slightly impressed that we had made it down in 30 minutes, and realized it would probably take much longer on our return.

So we turned around and headed back up.

There were a lot of stairs. Yes, we had just walked down them, but it’s much harder going up! Our calves began to burn.

I let my husband in on part of my secret… why this date, why this place. A new adventure, something that would be hard because we can do hard things. Something to help us remember that our relationship, our marriage, is a journey full of ups and downs but we’re not giving up and we’re not taking an easy route.

We enjoyed the waterfalls between our labored breathing.

But before too long exhaustion set it. I honestly questioned if I’d be able to make it back to the top. In my mind I kept asking “Are we there yet?” Everything hurt. I try to exercise on a semi-regular basis, but this journey had me using muscles I forgot I had.

It truly was an uphill battle. We passed the halfway point a second time and started the switchbacks. Eventually my husband turned and said “I think we’re almost there.” That was one of the nicest things he said all day. It was music to my ears.

And then, Holy Spirit spoke to mine: “You have need of endurance.”

“For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised.” – Hebrews ‭10:36‬ ‭(NASB‬‬)

We have need of endurance, friends. I was in such a hurry to get to the bottom, and then in such a hurry to get back to the top… there were provisions all along the path but many I skipped over. Many that I thought I didn’t need, or believed I didn’t have time for. One of them? The benches. What if I had sat down when I got tired? What if that’s included in enduring? Sometimes we need to stop and rest. Sometimes we need to take a break. I’m not saying in marriage that I need a break from my husband, but the invitation is there for us both to come, together, to the bench. To breathe. To sit at Jesus’ feet. To receive. Individually, and together.

We made it back to the top. Finally. And we enjoyed the beautiful, familiar view from the top.

Sometimes we have to walk to the bottom of the valley to have a greater appreciation from the path in-between, and to have eyes to see all the provisions waiting for us on the trail. How much it changes our perspective from the top of the mountain, knowing that we endured to get there, and that soon enough we’ll have another trip to another valley.

We can trust Him for the different sections of our journey. He provides different kinds of paths along the way. And no matter what, He’s with us. We can do hard things. Life, marriage, parenting, work. We can live to tell about it, to encourage others to keep going.

This week’s song suggestions:

• Wide Open by North Point InsideOut Band
• Storyteller by Morgan Harper Nichols
• Good and Loved by Travis Greene & Steffany Gretzinger