A Brush With DEATH In The Mountains

A mountaineer’s true account of survival

It is a close encounter not only with nature but with the God of nature Himself.

Elwin Deo Arroyo 

The hut we’re in shook violently as the howling wind blew hard against it. Although the creaking noise was very annoying, I fell deaf to it. I could do nothing more but slump my body on the floor in utter tiredness.  The coldness of the dark night could render anyone helpless in its temptation to deep slumber.  Even as I closed my eyes to float away into oblivion, sights and picture of the day’s experience still overwhelmed my thoughts.

As I looked blankly at the flickering flame of the kerosene lamp struggling to stay alit against the tease of the wind, I reflected on how my companions, Allan, a fellow student and Jonas, a professional, and I fought hard to stay alive.  The three of us have found shelter at a shanty owned by a widow and her children who warmly welcomed us when we pleaded for help early afternoon.

Knowing God As Our Father

Written by Dr. Charles Stanley

     Happy Father’s Day! Read The Father’s Love Letter, a      “letter from God” artfully composed with verses from scripture.

“So he said, “When you pray, say, Father, Reveal who you are. Set the world right. Keep us alive with three square meals. Keep us forgiven with you and forgiving others. Keep us safe from ourselves and the Devil.” Luke 11:2-4

God has many names that reveal various facets of His character, such as Creator, King, and Shepherd. But there’s a name that meets one of our greatest human needs in a special way: Father. Each of us was born with a deep desire to be loved unconditionally – so many of our hurts and scars come from this desire never being fully met. What security and wholeness there is in knowing that we can call God “my Father”! Scripture tells us He is “a father to the fatherless” (Psalm 68:5) and that He will never leave us, even if our earthly parents abandon us. (Psalm 27:10)