Walking up to the Cross on the Hill
“Take off your shoes for this is Holy ground,” I heard whispered in my mind as I approached the spot. Ouch, I thought as I looked down at the pebbled ground. Yet, I knew this was indeed Holy ground, so I sat and took off my shoes. I winced as I continued barefoot closer to the altar rail of this worship space on the side of a hill overlooking the Guadalupe River. Then, I kneeled on those rough pebbles at the altar and prayed as long as my knees allowed, remembering that morning so many years ago.
“Do not come any closer,” God said, “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.” Then he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.” At this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God. ~Exodus 2:5-6
As a teenager, I’d spent several years falling away from God. Although I’d grown up in the church and even continued to attend regularly, I had trouble believing. For me, it was a battle of science over religion. I would spend hours arguing with myself to disprove religion. God created all of the earth in just seven days? What about the dinosaurs? What about evolution?
This went on for more than year. Arguing numerous other points of contention between science and religion. However, I could never quite get that opposing voice out of my head; the one arguing God was real.
Finally, God decided He would win the argument for good. I was on a youth group retreat in the Texas hill country. We were having morning worship at this cross on the hill.
The Cross on the Hill at Mo-Ranch, overlooking the beautiful Guadalupe River
As I stood around the altar with my friends, not singing along with their songs, I heard a voice say, “See this? All of this? This is MY creation. I made all of this.”
And that was it. I had wrestled with God and God won. I knew without a doubt in that instant God was real, those words were spoken by God, and God was the creator of everything.
With my high school youth group at the cross – likely the morning I met God.
I’ve struggled to share this story. Except for my best friend, I didn’t tell that story to anyone else for more than 20 years. I didn’t want to be the “girl who heard voices”. I didn’t know anyone else who experienced God in such a real, tangible, physical way. I was afraid.
But, God is real and tangible and we can experience Him in physical ways. He touches our hearts, so we’ll share that love with others.
God lets us hear His voice, so we’ll be bold to use ours.
For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline. ~1 Timothy 1:7
Will you join me in boldness today and leave a few words in the comments describing how you experience God? Do you hear His voice? Feel His embrace? Sense His presence? See His words written across your mind? Or, something else? Join with me in a community of people who experience and believe in a real and tangible God – and who are bold enough to share!
Look at the beauty of this place! Of course this is the handiwork of God! Being in this Holy spot still takes my breath away.
[callout class=”callout”]Subscribe today and receive these posts via email. Also give my new Facebook page a “Like”!
NOW AVAILABLE! “Surrender Your Heart” A 21-day devotional to draw closer to the Holy Spirit. Subscribe today to receive your FREE copy!
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Linking with: A Little R & R, Wednesday Prayer Girls, Titus 2 Tuesday, Coffee for Your Heart, #TellHisStory, Thought Provoking Thursday
My 24 Year Secret – How I Met God – Prayer & Possibilities
Walking up to the Cross on the Hill
“Take off your shoes for this is Holy ground,” I heard whispered in my mind as I approached the spot. Ouch, I thought as I looked down at the pebbled ground. Yet, I knew this was indeed Holy ground, so I sat and took off my shoes. I winced as I continued barefoot closer to the altar rail of this worship space on the side of a hill overlooking the Guadalupe River. Then, I kneeled on those rough pebbles at the altar and prayed as long as my knees allowed, remembering that morning so many years ago.
“Do not come any closer,” God said, “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.” Then he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.” At this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God. ~Exodus 2:5-6
As a teenager, I’d spent several years falling away from God. Although I’d grown up in the church and even continued to attend regularly, I had trouble believing. For me, it was a battle of science over religion. I would spend hours arguing with myself to disprove religion. God created all of the earth in just seven days? What about the dinosaurs? What about evolution?
This went on for more than year. Arguing numerous other points of contention between science and religion. However, I could never quite get that opposing voice out of my head; the one arguing God was real.
Finally, God decided He would win the argument for good. I was on a youth group retreat in the Texas hill country. We were having morning worship at this cross on the hill.
The Cross on the Hill at Mo-Ranch, overlooking the beautiful Guadalupe River
As I stood around the altar with my friends, not singing along with their songs, I heard a voice say, “See this? All of this? This is MY creation. I made all of this.”
And that was it. I had wrestled with God and God won. I knew without a doubt in that instant God was real, those words were spoken by God, and God was the creator of everything.
With my high school youth group at the cross – likely the morning I met God.
I’ve struggled to share this story. Except for my best friend, I didn’t tell that story to anyone else for more than 20 years. I didn’t want to be the “girl who heard voices”. I didn’t know anyone else who experienced God in such a real, tangible, physical way. I was afraid.
But, God is real and tangible and we can experience Him in physical ways. He touches our hearts, so we’ll share that love with others.
God lets us hear His voice, so we’ll be bold to use ours.
For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline. ~1 Timothy 1:7
Will you join me in boldness today and leave a few words in the comments describing how you experience God? Do you hear His voice? Feel His embrace? Sense His presence? See His words written across your mind? Or, something else? Join with me in a community of people who experience and believe in a real and tangible God – and who are bold enough to share!
Look at the beauty of this place! Of course this is the handiwork of God! Being in this Holy spot still takes my breath away.
[callout class=”callout”]Subscribe today and receive these posts via email. Also give my new Facebook page a “Like”!
NOW AVAILABLE! “Surrender Your Heart” A 21-day devotional to draw closer to the Holy Spirit. Subscribe today to receive your FREE copy!
Linking with: A Little R & R, Wednesday Prayer Girls, Titus 2 Tuesday, Coffee for Your Heart, #TellHisStory, Thought Provoking Thursday