Why do we sometimes walk through muddy patches in life? It slows us down and it's no fun. Here are 2 lessons I learned after a muddy hike which apply so well to life.

Episode Discussion Points

• The story of hiking the Canyon Overlook trail in Kolob Canyon (part of Zion National Park) with my family 5 years ago.
• We happened to do this hike in January and so the trail (which is usually dry, red dirt, was covered in ice and snow and we got really messy and dirty and muddy.
• We had our son with low-functioning autism hold onto the back of either my jacket or my husband’s jacket to help him, and we tried to point out the easiest way to go, but he wanted the hike over and just trudged straight through the mud.
• Life is often like this, where we feel like we are slogging through the mud, and it isn’t very fun.
• We may wonder why in the world God has us here on this path!
• I share the story of a broken engagement I had back in my college years and how God even helped good come from that.

Lessons From Hiking in the Mud

1. Pause, stop looking at your feet, and look up and around you to see the miracles, and trust that God has a grand vista He has in store for you (or something grand He is making you into).
2. You are not on the path alone. Jesus is there beside you and often prompts you what you can do to get through it more easily, but we always have the choice whether or not we listen to Him. So, don’t be afraid! God can make even mucky, muddy paths turn out for your good (Romans 8: 28).

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Transcription

You can find the transcription of today's episode here: https://www.tamarakanderson.com/podcasts/2-life-lessons-from-a-muddy-hike