MOUNTAINS
By Nancy Malik
Avery County
Nancy Malik
The beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains give us joy, praise, thanksgiving, and wonder as a gift from the LORD. He took special time, I think, to place on earth a mountainous area with four perfect seasons.
These mountains provide vistas, blue ridges, spectacular skies, and seasons that usually last 3 months as they roll into the next one. This area is also a part of the Bible Belt of the United States. It seems there is a church on every corner. If you have lived here all your life, you might take this lovely place for granted.
I am a mountain girl myself and have lived in Colorado, Montana, Oregon, and summers were spent in New Mexico. Mountains are important to me. My point is: do we appreciate the mountains in our lives?
God uses mountains throughout the Bible as special places. Sometimes He places them in our lives to teach us to climb higher than before. Having climbed some big mountains, 13,000’-14,000’ and more, gives you so many lessons. Timing, best shoes, clothes for the weather, water, food, sunscreen, and a way to call for help if needed. Like a Boy Scout or Girl Scout, be prepared. In life, it could be a new life, death, loss of money, fire, an accident, or any number of unexpected events that can make things change quickly. Being in the middle of summer in the High Country, knowing that fall and winter are coming with many unknowns, we need to keep our eyes on Jesus. He has given us The Word so we can understand some of the situations we are in right now. We need to pray and ask for His direction through this time and we need to be with our Body of Christ, The Church, so we can reach out to each other in areas of need.
Mountains are a part of the life of the Blue Ridge. 
Mountains are a part of life for all. Mountains can be full of grandeur or for those climbing up hard, tough slopes, which can be a hard fall down and sometimes ending up at the bottom just to start all over again. But life, like a mountain, has ups and downs. Jesus is there every step of the way if you are one of His own. It’s important to remember that when so many changes can happen in a very short time.
The Body of Christ in the world today is not alone. We are all over the map, but some places have very few when other places have many followers of The Word. What is your mountain? I have one that can leave me very sad and lonely. But Jesus is there 24/7, even if you find yourself on a spot on a mountain that has no way to move on, up or down, look up to Him! He is nigh! Mountains are powerful statements in our lives. Jesus is everything in our lives. May your mountain be attainable because of Him in your life.
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Nancy Malik has lived four years in Avery County. She is a member of Heaton Christian Church. She has taught creations science to children for many years. You will be blessed to listen to her audio devotions for children HERE.
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