A Strategy for Living

By Tara K. E. Brelinsky

At the start of 2021, God’s Plan began on a mountain hike and it is still unfolding. As the world spins into chaos anew, I’m understanding the value of this present moment. Big picture thinking, while important for mapping directions and establishing goals, can rob you of the beauty, peace, and fellowship that exists in the present moment.

A Family Hike

Last year, my son wanted us to visit his college campus. Though I’d seen the expansive university grounds and the mountains cradling them, his father and siblings hadn’t. As a restaurant owner/operator, scheduling the five-hour road trip and time away presented some challenges, but I determined to make it happen.

However, I couldn’t manage more than a one night retreat, so I advised my son to make the best use of our limited time. He chose a family hike.

So, on the day after our arrival, we stepped onto the path of a three-mile journey up and down an autumn mountain. Taking my first steps, I’d figured the day would be a simple exercise in family bonding and physical exertion, but God had other plans.

Will Over Ability

I admit, at 49 I’m softer than firm (okay, firm has never been a descriptor for my body). My regular exercise includes moving laundry bins and used drinking glasses, bending to pick up stray socks and forgotten books, and climbing the three sets of stairs in our house. When I planted my first step on the trail, I knew my will, not my ability, had to propel me forward.

Laying my running sneaker shod foot down, I heard the crisp crunch of the dried leaf carpet. Inhaling the cool mountain air, I tugged my zipper a little higher and crammed my hands into my pockets. I put the next foot forward, leaning in against increasing resistance.

Labored Breath, Aching Muscles

Quickly, I fell to the rear, as the rest of the party-line had more stamina and lung capacity. Not more than a few yards into the ascent, my breathing was shallow and labored. My calves stung from the contraction of my out-of-shape muscles. I realized I needed a strategy in order to complete the hike.

So, I committed to let-go of the bigger picture and focus on the details. Rather than concentrate on the three-mile trek before me, I’d think about the next one step. Often big picture thinking leads me to anxiety. Whereas, attention to details tethers my mind to the present reality. I resolved to savor each observation and not stew in the what if’s (what if my legs quit, what if I ran out-of-steam halfway through, what if I couldn’t keep up the pace, what if I failed).

Starve the Negative, Feed the Positive

In addition to remaining attentive to my senses, I decided to sing an internal litany of thanksgiving. Because, I not only wanted to starve my negative thoughts (the big picture what if’s), I wanted to simultaneously feed the positive.

I started with the obvious. “Thank You, Lord,” I sang in my heart, “for the ability to walk, for shoes on my feet and sweater on my back, for clear skies and moderate temperatures, for family and the opportunity for time away…” I counted the big blessings and expressed gratitude to the One Who provided. Unsurprisingly, the more I praised, the more my eyes, heart, and lungs expanded.

Seeing the Unseen World

Soon, my mind was so enraptured with the beauty of creation that I forgot the big picture scenarios altogether. My ears attuned to the gentle whistle of the wind and the rustling of leaves beneath the joyful chatter of my children. I felt a flush of warmth radiate across my skin as my body worked to keep pace and sensed the subtle relaxation of my chest as my lungs adapted to the exercise. The soft green hue of plants still in bloom on the mountain floor caught my eye, as did the puzzles of bare, twisted vines in the fall canopy. Awe overwhelmed me and I praised the Creator for every inch of the magnificent landscape He’d placed me into that afternoon.

Then, my mind’s eye opened to the unseen world of inhabitants above, below, and beside me. Stepping on the hard soil, I conjured images of insect armies marching nearby. I day-dreamed about the lives of so many creatures who inhabit the same world. Birds nesting in bare trees, rodents burrowed underground, and countless bugs climbing, flying, and marching, I considered the myriad company through whose territory I passed. And I thanked the All-Good God for every single creature.

God’s Faithfulness Appears

At one point, I stopped to take a picture of a tree stump because I wanted to remember the now-decaying tree was part of God’s Plan for this mountain. In time, the stump will disappear, but its donation will be absorbed into the mountain itself. Just as I focused my cell phone camera on the dying tree, a rainbow streamed across the image. Like Moses, I remembered the covenant between God and humanity. I recalled that it continues today and I thanked Him for His faithfulness.

Having reached halfway on the trail, I expected the second leg to be a downhill stroll. Unfortunately, I quickly discovered the return trek required just as much endurance and strength. Thankfully, I understood the strategy needed to complete it.

Strategy for Living

My steps came easier when I wasn’t counting. The journey became light when I laid down the yoke of what-if’s and invited Christ to walk alongside me. Additionally, whenever temptations tried to push in, I drew closer to Jesus. Rather than denying the challenge or becoming overwhelmed by it, I offered a prayer of surrender and entrusted my walk to His care.

The Blessing

Had I focused on the length of the hike, the challenge it presented, and my insufficient capabilities, I might have chosen to sit out. Or having started, I could’ve quit when my chest burned and my muscles ached.

But because I didn’t, I discovered a treasury of beauty and blessing. My eyes opened to the reality of the vast world of creatures and living things who traveled along with me. Each one with its own place and purpose, making its own contribution.

Freedom Awaits

Instead of looking at the big picture of 2021, focus on the present moment. Snuggle on the couch with a loved one and read a book aloud. Pour yourself a mug of coffee and inhale the aroma. Call a friend and laugh together. Smile and wave hello to your neighbor when your paths cross. Take a walk and enjoy your surroundings. Sit in a spot of sunlight and feel the warmth on your face. Say please, excuse me, and I’m sorry. Be attentive. Love, in word and through action.

Honestly count your blessings and express gratitude. Say thank you to your cashier and delivery driver, your priest and neighbor, your spouse and children. Teach gratitude by example. And, above all, give thanks to the One Who supplies you with every good and perfect gift.

Adopting the Strategy

The strategy God led me to practice on that mountain, a strategy of being attentive to the present moment and expressing gratitude for the blessings in it, made my hike easier, more enjoyable, and overall more memorable.

You can adopt this strategy. Adopting it will not only make the course ahead easier (whether that course is a hike up a mountain, the completion of a daily task, continuing to bear a heavy cross, or living through this unprecedented time in history), it’s the key to unlocking freedom, freedom no one can suppress. For Christ is in the present moment. Look for Him there, you are sure to find Him.