In The Midst Of Angels

I’ve found a new hill to climb in Arizona. The remodeling work of my project is done so I’ve got a lotta extra time on my hands. 

Walking is fine. 
But climbing is symbolic. 
It hits differently. 

Sometimes I listen to an audible book or country music’s latest hits as I navigate the dusty and rocky trail. But always-
I talk with God. 
Somedays, I feel peace about my course forward in the waiting. On other days, I feel the energy towards the steps of work God wants me to do.
Any effort to better understand God is a bit of a stretch, a bit of a climb- where discomfort is left behind and my faith, like my breath, needs steadying. 

As a junior in high school, my PE teacher, Ms. Ritter, was strict but kind.  She was small in stature, however, we all learned quickly always to respect her and never underestimate her.
On the first day of class, we walked into the gym and saw a rope hanging from the ceiling. 
I had volleyball practice in the same gym the day before and there was no rope. 
Somehow-
Someone got a big tall something and hung that awful rope. 

Ms Ritter had a stopwatch in one hand and a clipboard in the other. She told us she would time each of us as we climbed up the rope, hit the flag at the top, and maneuvered back down. 
A few guys were called to go first. 
They did okay. 
Then she called my name. 
I looked at her. She nodded as if to say “You can do it.” 
I borrowed her belief in me and grabbed the rope. 
I moved my bottom hand over my top and nothing happened. 
My body wouldn’t and couldn’t ascend the rope. I held on as long as possible and tried again to climb the rope. 

Nothing. 
Absolutely nothing. 
I just couldn’t do it. 

Sometimes I feel like my ability to climb hypothetical mountains in life mirrors my ability to climb that rope in PE. 
Sometimes no matter how much I want to borrow a belief that things will get better-
They don’t seem to. 

As I’ve stood back, looking in the rearview mirror of certain circumstances, I can see more clearly. 
When God asks me, or any of us, to traverse a path, He never says it will be easy-
But I’ve learned that journeying alone is a choice. 

I’ve been blessed over the past few years as I’ve watched my kids navigate the seemingly impossible hard – that they are not alone. 
I’ve come to learn that we exist in the midst of angels. 
When we face the hardest of hard, when all of our strength to climb gets us nowhere-
We are not alone. 
I am absolutely certain that we have not been left alone to climb. 

The day the rope hung in my high school gym- only one kid made it to the top. Ms Ritter assured us our progress would not be recorded as any letter grade affecting our GPA.  She just wanted to see our effort. 

I know God grades me the same way. He doesn’t need me to reach a certain destination. He needs me to lean into my belief in Him and give Him effort. 
God needs me to know that angels are here. We are in the midst of them. 
We are not alone. 
We are not left alone as we climb. 

God still asks us to climb. 
On the days we can’t move-
When all of our efforts are exhausted-
We are never alone. 

His angels surround us. 
They watch over us. 
They stand by us, sit with us, and hold us. 
It’s one of the perfect ways God loves us.  I’m grateful for the hard that has allowed me to know this-
To feel this-
And to “see” this…

I would climb any mountain and give all my effort for resolution for my kids’ hardest of hard. 
But this is not the way God works. 
So instead- I lean into God’s promises. I believe in good things to come and In the meantime,  I’m working a bit harder to “see” heaven cheering them on. 
-JC

Reese’s Peanut Butter Cheesecake Brownies

Make a brownie mix (approximately 15+ oz.) as directed and bake in a parchment lined or greased 8” x 8” baking pan for 30+ minutes or until done. Let cool completely. Evenly spread on the Peanut Butter Cheesecake Filling. Top with cut up Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups and drizzles of ¼ cup melted peanut butter and 1.5 oz. of a melted milk chocolate bar. Refrigerate until serving. Share!

Peanut Butter Cheesecake Filling
8 oz. softened cream cheese
¾ cup creamy peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup powdered sugar
Dash of salt
8 oz. thawed Cool Whip (or homemade whipping cream)

Mix cream cheese and peanut butter together until well blended. Stir in vanilla extract. Add powdered sugar and salt and mix on high for 3 minutes. Fold in thawed Cool Whip.