Better Together - There is Always a Next Step

A few years ago, I learned about a type of long-distance backpacking called thru hiking. In the U.S., we have three long-distance scenic trails that people try to complete in one continuous footpath. The Appalachian Trail, the shortest of the three, is 2,200 miles in length. It spans 14 states, and starts at Springer Mountain in Georgia and ends at Mt. Katahdin in Maine. There is a phrase that thru-hikers use after a few hundred miles – “I got my trail legs.” There is a type of strength and endurance that is built through the repetition of hiking long miles each day. And, once you gain your trail legs, you can hike even further each day. As followers of Jesus, we're on a thru-hike of sorts. A continuous footpath filled with many highs and many lows, Joy and excitement, challenge and struggle. It's incredibly easy to look at a journey this long and be consumed with the enormity of the challenge. But the truth is, you can't complete a thru-hike if you don't take a step. This Sunday, we get to look at our second core value: There is always a next step.