[Ayla]

I’ve recently had a hard time with my faith in God. There for a while I even doubted his existence. I thought if he was there he must be a mean little boy with a magnifying glass. I’m still not 100% sure what my views on “religionâ€Â� are…but I’ve made my peace with God. He’s up there; He’s the great I AM…everything the bible says he is. I haven’t found God through the doors of the church though, I’ve found him in the beauty that surrounds me each day.

When I went home to West Virginia for a visit I went up to Cabwaylingo State Forest for a day and just drove around. There is just something about going back to your roots that awakens your spirit. At least for me. I was on Tick Ridge and there is this place that is the start of a hiking trail that my 4-H camp used to hike every year…As I was driving by the overwhelming beauty of it made me stop my car and get out. I stood there with the sun warming the top of my head staring at this cleft of space between two hills. The creek was flowing over ancient rocks through the woodland shade and the dappled sunlight and this overwhelming peace came over me and I knew that for me to have ever doubted His existence was absurd. How could I possible stand there and look at that scene and deny Him?

Now anytime things are getting rough I close my eyes and picture this scene and I can feel that peace again along with the warm sun and cool breeze and I know that God is with me and things will ultimately be okay.

Where do you feel closest to God?