While writing this, I am sitting in a beautiful cabin at the base of the mountains in Colorado. I came out to Colorado Springs last week for the Caregivers Forum, a wonderful network of people who minister to people in ministry. Then I headed further west for a much needed week of solitude, silence, study, prayer and writing. I really need to stay for about a month.

I wandered out Monday morning to explore the immediate area, and lo and behold, I was surprised to find Silver Cliff Ranch! I had no idea it was this close. You must understand, this is holy ground to me. Exactly 30 years ago (am I really that old?!) I stood at the base of Silver Cliff with God’s hands heavy on my shoulders. He asked me for my life. I responded to His call with a commitment to go anywhere and do anything He asked for the rest of my life—a promise He has held me to over and over. I have worn a silver ring since that night as a constant reminder of what my life is about.

And in the words of that great philosopher Jerry Garcia, “What a long, strange trip it’s been.”

Just this week, the temperatures have ranged from 6 to 80. I drove in white-out blizzard conditions across Colorado on Sunday. Tuesday I fell asleep in Chalk Creek in a “hot pot” (a natural spa formed by a barrier of rocks, mixing the freezing cold creek with the boiling hot springs) and received a sunburn while snoozing under warm blue skies. Two days ago I was scraping snow and ice and now I’m sporting that attractive lobster look in shorts and t-shirt.

What a perfect reflection of the last 30 years of life in ministry. It’s been a roller coaster of ups and downs, blessings and pain, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world. What does my calling look like?

Never a dull moment. How many job descriptions look like that?

As I read through my journals this week in a process of writing, I see the threads. I see the cords of God’s faithfulness to me even when my prayers were whiny, even when my choices were less than wise, even when I struggled and doubted and felt my way in the dark to see “Him who is unseen” (Hebrews 11:27). He has held my hand tightly every step of the way, whether or not I could see Him. And oh, the places we've been!

I am so grateful that I said yes to His invitation for the ride of my life. Please keep praying that I will be faithful for the next 30 (or 40 or 50 or…) years.

Holding on for dear life,

Linda