It was 2017 and we were getting tired. One of my daughters was in tears not wanting to continue. In her mind she didn’t have it in her to continue the journey up the mountain. She struggled with wanting to quit and give up even before gaining the reward that awaited at the top. Exactly whether or not this journey would be worth it was yet to be known. None of us knew what awaited us once we arrived. We had never been there before. What started as a pretty moderate hiking adventure was quickly starting to get more and more rough the higher we climbed. The switchback trail was getting thinner the further up we got. The rocks were getting bigger and tougher to climb over. This was no beginner hike.
It had been a very long time since I hiked anything like this. My kids had never hiked a trail this tough before. My husband, Andy, was in the lead forging his way making sure we were on the right path. I followed in the rear making sure no one was left behind and needed to stop. We took several water breaks and rest stops. At each break we encouraged our girls that they were doing well and they could do this. That we can finish what we started. We were not quitters and we were not going to give up.
Once we got to the top the reward was magnificent. You could feel the collective mood of the group change from exhaustion to one of complete awe and exhilaration. The view was amazing. My girls were thrilled that we had made it. And all the way back down the mountain the conversation had now switched from comments of “I can’t” to “I am so glad we did.”
At the top of that mountain I told my eldest that climbing this mountain was a lot like our faith journey. While going up the trail we didn’t know what to expect and therefore it could be so easy to quit moving up and going forward. Like faith, when you are believing for something, especially something you’ve been believing for a long time about, it can be so easy to just give up on it. And yet, if we push through and continue to trust God, even when the going gets tough, the reward is so sweet and well worth it.
It takes faith to climb a mountain. That is why it is so important to keep yourself in the Word of God daily. That is how God gives us the pep talks we need. He gives us those “You’ve got this” scriptures to let us know we can finish what we started. On the way up the mountain I kept quoting Philippians 4:13 over and over to my kids. Putting it out there in the atmosphere to remind not only them but myself that we (I) can do all things through Christ who gives us strength.
When it was all said and done we were all so happy that we did it. We didn’t give up. We finished and the reward was truly amazing.
Here we are in 2026 and just a few weeks ago hiking another trail only now it’s nine years later. I am not in the shape I would like to be in. But this time instead of me encouraging the family to keep going it was my oldest who was reminding me that it was important to keep forging ahead. We can’t stop because that is us stalling. We won’t get back to the car if we don’t keep moving forward.
I’m still standing, still moving forward and still climbing a mountain, only this time it’s not a literal one. It’s part of my faith journey, it’s something I’m believing for. I will NEVER give up because when I’m at the end of my rope I remind myself that with God I can do all things because my strength is found in Him.
Now for some real life application for you: “Don’t give up!” No matter what the world may throw at you, remember that: “YOU CAN DO THIS!”
If you enjoyed this article and would like to read more of my faith posts check out: What Does the Bible Say About Love?
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