Welcome: An Introduction

Sharing the insights I discover as I explore and experience the mystery that is our reality. Join me in my journey and share yours.




Saturday, May 21, 2011

Awed Adoration



"The life of true holiness is rooted in the soil of awed adoration. It does not grow elsewhere." ~ JI Packer









I remember when my husband and I, early on in our relationship, travelled across our country's beautiful landscape, from east coast to west,  in search of exploring its natural treasures. I had hardly been outside of Connecticut, with the exception of a few high school trips to Canada, where the distance and views in between, went largely unnoticed. And there was that trip to the Bahamas on Spring break my first year of college, memories thinly lined by sandy beautiful beaches but mostly consisting of the inside of clubs and chartered cruises overpacked with swelling crowds of college students feeling free and careless. Youth's wasteful days!


It was only until that trip cross country that I began to realize the sheer beauty and diversity that adorned  the mantle on the part of earth's crust called "America". Mountains the likes I had never imagined rose up, like giants, standing tall and proud, their peeks reaching to the heavens.  Colorado forever changed my perception of what I always imagined the Rockies looking like.  The pictures do no justice. We trekked across the badlands, stepped carefully through the bubbling geysers of Yellowstone, slept on the mysterious shores of Oregon, got caught in blissful rainstorms in the rainforests of Hoh National Park as our clothes, wet, became plastered to our bodies. Laughing together as heaven rained down, exulted by the radiance and energy of creation all around us. My passion for nature blossomed.


It wasn't until we arrived at Glacier National Park, in Montana, by the border of Canada that my heart nearly stopped in my chest as it decidedly found God in that meadow of wildflowers, encircled by mountains garbed in a patchwork of iceburgs and lush green.  I'm not sure why it was there, considering there were so many other amazing places we had been, but I just froze and took in my surroundings, breathing in deep the life that pulsated with the glory of God all around me. What seemed like infinite species of wildflowers in an abundant array of colors and forms gave my heart the impression that I now stood in a garden, planted by God. I remember reverently standing in silence, in awe, at the handiwork of our Creator. I turned to my husband, whispering, "If someone doesn't believe in God, they just need to come here."


I had always thought of God as far away, distant, and removed. But it was there that I realized He was part of the beauty and miracles that abound in nature. He was the very author of Creation itself.  When one really thinks about that, what that really means, it's an amazing thing. It makes me, anyways, completely amazed and at awe. His creativity and love, grace and mercy, are interwoven in the DNA of life. God wasn't just about who goes to heaven and hell.  He was so much more than that.  He is what holds all of reality together. He is reality. He is love.


The rolling meadows of Montana, with its wildflowers planted by God and lined with mountains was the first place I really stood in awe at the magnificience of the reality and love of God. His power, His love, His mercy and grace gently whispering through the tender wildflowers and powerfully carving out mountains of stones. It makes me heart sing out with joy to our great God :)


It was at that moment, also, that I knew, if I ever had a daughter, I would name her Montana Skye, after the place where I experienced a deeper and fuller reality of God's love and beauty than I had ever known before. I proclaimed it on that warm breezy morning to my husband and we wrote it years later on a birth certificate, as our daughter, just having entered this world, lay in my arms;  warm and new, a gift from God filling my heart with a whole new adoration once again of God's mercy and handiwork.


What has made you stand in awed adoration of our great God? Please share in the comments section!



24 comments:

  1. Hi Jessica -

    I don't believe I've ever seen a meadow of wildflowers with my own eyes before. It sounds that you were touched and inspired; moved to the max. I love the sense of joy I feel during those spiritual moments when I am moved by nature. It's happened to me often as severe storm clouds pound us from the western open prairie to the far west of Chicago-land. I live where 3 major air currents meet and create unbelievable images in the sky. I love you post as usual. :)

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  2. Wow, I bet the skies get amazing during those storms. I can almost hear the resounding thunder as lightening slashes the sky. Thanks for stopping by and sharing :)

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  3. First of all, I enjoyed your moment of awed adoration Jessica, the rolling meadows of Montana… wildflowers… mountains. You paint a vivid and beautiful picture of the glories surrounding you.
    I’ve had a few such moments of wonder: while visiting the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina; while walking on the beach and watching waves crash on shore. But the most awe-filled moment for me was when we drove onto the grounds of Aqueduct Conference Center in Chapel Hill. As we journeyed up the narrow path and through those woods I sensed we were traveling on Holy Ground. This was truly a place set apart, sanctified territory, and a place where I was able to commune with God like nowhere else on earth. A transformational terrain.

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  4. Descriptive.... I can imagine and see it so vividly...... Nature in its full glory is to be admired and taken in and to be loved by all.

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  5. We have so many beautiful areas to discover where I live in England. A favourite area of mine is by the coast, where there is a steep climb through wild flowers with the coast raging against the rocks. I have often said to my family if I was cremated, that's where I would want my ashes scattered!

    I posted a nature inspired blog the other day, check it out at http://talkingchristian.blogspot.com/2011

    Ever Faithful Seasons.

    God is an amazing artist!

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  6. About 15 years ago I went upon my dream vacation to Ireland and while driving amidst the stunning Irish countryside, I had to pull over as tears of wonderment filled my eyes. The scenery was so breathtaking that it choked me up, it could only come from the divine touch of God. It made me think that if earth is this lovely then how amazing will heaven be??

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  7. Wonderfully written, it's like being there with you x I don't have an awed adoration right now, but one day I will

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  8. Debra, thank you so much for sharing your experiences of awed adoration. I can relate to what you wrote-that there are places that just seem especially attuned to singing out God's praises, reverberating his glory to all who has hearts whose eyes are open and can see-and in those places it makes it less hard to see, the glory of God that abounds all around. Thank you for stopping by, I always love hearing your insights and experiences. ~blessings sister

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  9. Savira, thanks for stopping by...nature is indeed amazing :) ~blessings

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  10. TC...that's so true...God is an amazing artist of all...inspiring man to create, to imagine, to draw hope through the power of His love.

    That place by the coast, sounds beautiful! Thanks for sharing your experience. I'm enjoying your blog :)
    ~blessings

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  11. David, what a powerful moment of experiencing God through creation, the revelation of His presence, His glory, His love in the place you were in Ireland. That's one place I've always wanted to go, perhaps someday :) Thank you so much for sharing :) ~blessings

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  12. SJ, I'm so glad you enjoyed the post. Thank you for stopping by, I always love when you do :) And someday when heart is fertile and moment is right, you will experience such a moment! I have no doubt about that :) ~blessings

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  13. I turned to my husband, whispering, "If someone doesn't believe in God, they just need to come here."

    LOVE LOVE LOVE the line, Jessica!

    What has made you stand in awed adoration of our great God?
    --Being in my "secret" places in Lisbon, Connecticut. When I was growing up, as I wrote in a previous comment, Jessica, I found two places close to where I lived where I'd go to meditate. They were quiet places. I ALWAYS knew I'd be alone and I could drift off to wherever I needed to go.

    --The other instance of my awe is whenever and wherever I am when I'm w/my best friend. It doesn't matter what we're doing, I completely see God's work in my life when I'm w/my friend. I still find it amazing that we all find each other at all.

    I wrote a blog post about this in October called:
    Life's Questions here:
    http://cjpwisdomandlife.com/2010/10/12/lifes-questions/

    Be Happy! Be Well! Be Positive!
    Blessings to you.
    --
    Chris

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  14. Thank you Chris, headed to church shortly but when I come back I'm going to make a point in reading your blog post! I always enjoy stopping by there, you are full of insights and inspiriation. Thank you for sharing your moments...I remember the places that you speak of...those places are surely to be treasured :)
    Thank you so much for stopping by :) ~blessings

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  15. God bless you Chris, beautiful blog. Greetings of Carlos from Brazil and many thanks for sharing with us.

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  16. I read through the St. Bonaventure's Major Legend Ch.8,#6 on St. Francis:

    "From a reflection on the primary source of all things,
    filled with even more abundant piety,
    he would call creatures,
    no matter how small,
    by the name of "brother" or "sister,"
    because he knew they shared with him the same beginning..."

    although the whole passage spoke of St. Francis love of animals... he did call everything his "brother" and "sister"...

    http://www.appleseeds.org/canticle.htm

    God's creation---in its perfection and beauty is God's manifestation of love...

    I have yet to experience this awe all over again... to stay more in God's presence in whatever place He puts me... I am very grateful to God that he placed you in such a beautiful garden... and bore 'Montana':)...keep inspiring people with your experiences... loved it Jessica ;)...thank you for sharing...

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  17. May God Bless you too, Self. Thanks for stopping by. I'm glad you enjoyed the blog, hope you come back again sometime soon :) ~blessings

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  18. Melissa, I have always loved reading about St. Francis, thank you for sharing that :) I love your beautiful passion towards God and am glad you enjoyed the article...thank you :)

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  19. What a reminder for me to get out of my cooped-up home & see the beauty God created. That it's so warm & pleasing to the eye shows me His love.

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  20. Thanks for always making me think. You are talented and should be putting together a devotional book for publication. xoxo

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  21. Jeff...some good thoughts! May you find some time in nature soon and find yourself surrounded by His love! Thanks so much for stopping by :) ~blessings

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  22. Sitting on the front porch of my Mom and Dad's log cabin on Lake Bruin as the sun sets. What still brings me into reverent awe are the memories of such brilliant colors reflected in the still lake waters. How magnificent that He has never created the same glory twice. Each day's end is different and spectacular. How marvelous that He takes such care to end each day with such a show. Beauty and magnificence, tenderness and mercy, these things declare His presence.

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  23. Rachel..thank you :) I love when you stop by. Wow, I'd love to put a devotional book together, that's an idea! Wouldn't know how to publish it, but a good idea nonetheless! :) ~blessings

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  24. Gina..thank you...you just filled my mind with some beautiful images as I imagined such a sunset, colors tenderly playing on water's rippling surface. Everything is continually changing, from one glorious manifestation of God's glory to another...you're right...what a marvelous display and reminder of God's continual presence He gives us! Thank you so much for stopping by..you blessed my morning :)

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