"Hinds' Feet on High Places"

I finished reading the book "Hinds' Feet on High Places"  the other day and can't help but to reflect on it and relate it to my own life. It is a pretty easy read that flows in the form of a story, but is full of truth and little nuggets of wisdom and insight. I don't want to give anything away, and highly recommend that you read it for yourself, but here are some of my favorite quotes I noted while I was reading:

"'All the fairest beauties in the human soul, its greatest victories, and its most splendid achievements are always those which no one else knows anything about, or can dimly guess at. Every inner response of the human heart to Love and every conquest over self-love is a new flower on the tree of Love.'" - The Shepherd talking to Much-Afraid (pg. 48).

"'It is always safe to obey my voice, even if it seems to call you to paths which look impossible or even crazy.'"  - The Shepherd (pg. 80). 

"It is the leap which they have to make, the awful height from which they must cast themselves down to the depths, there to be broken on the rocks... It looks as though they think it is the loveliest movement in all the world, as though to cast oneself down is to abandon oneself to ecstasy and joy indescribable.'"  - Much-Afraid talking about the waterfall flowing from the High Places (pg. 161). 

The book is about the journey from the valley to the High Places and the uncertainty in between. Its about learning to love the Shepherd above all else and to follow his path even when it seems illogical and crazy. Its about having the faith to trust him down into the desert when you want to be up on the mountains, or along the foggy path when you can only see three feet in front of you. 

Much-Afraid's journey reminded me of something I had written in my journal a few months ago: We can't dwell on what we'll lose if we follow Christ, only on what we gain. Because we gain so much more than we could create on our own and we'll feel so much more peace than if we reject him. This way of living and loving with Christ as our guide, this way of surrender and pain, beauty and fullness, it is the best thing we could ever decide to be a part of. 

No matter where you're at in your journey, I encourage you to take a moment to look back and think about the things he has brought you through. Remember the miracles, both big and small, that he has already done. And know that as much as Christ has already done, he will do in the future.