Meet one of the cutest creatures God made—the pika! This tiny mountain mammal lives high up in the tundra and teaches us big lessons about preparing for hard seasons so we can live and thrive in God’s plans and purposes.

Here’s our trail map:

• What Is a Pika?
• What Is Life Like on the Tundra?
• Why Do Pika Pick Flowers?
• How Can We Store Up What We Need for Hard Times?

Eryn's Books:

• The Nature of Rest: What the Bible and Creation Teach Us About Sabbath Living: https://www.amazon.com/Nature-Rest-Creation-Sabbath-Living/dp/0825448891
• Rooted in Wonder: Nurturing Your Family's Faith Through God's Creation: https://www.amazon.com/Rooted-Wonder-Nurturing-Familys-Creation/dp/0825447615
• 936 Pennies: Discovering the Joy of Intentional Parenting: https://www.amazon.com/936-Pennies-Discovering-Intentional-Parenting/dp/0764219782

Episode Links:

• Try CTCMath for free for one week: https://ctcmath.com/
• Explore Apologia’s award-winning curriculum and courses: https://www.apologia.com/
• Nat Theo Club Bonus Video: https://erynlynum.com/club-videos
• Get full lesson guides in  the Nat Theo Club: https://erynlynum.com/club
• Free Pika Coloring Sheet: https://erynlynum.com/american-pika/
• Ask your nature question: https://erynlynum.com/ask

Scriptures Referenced in This Episode:

“I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” Psalm 119:11 (NIV)

“Let the teaching of Christ live in you richly. Use all wisdom to teach and instruct each other by singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with thankfulness in your hearts to God.” Colossians 3:16 (NCV)

“We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, sure and strong…” Hebrews 6:19a (NCV)

“But I have hope

    when I think of this:

The Lord’s love never ends;

    his mercies never stop.

They are new every morning;

    Lord, your loyalty is great.” Lamentations 3:21-23 (NCV)

“And this hope will never disappoint us, because God has poured out his love to fill our hearts. He gave us his love through the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to us.” Romans 5:5 (NCV)

Terms Learned in This Episode:

• Lagomorphs: A group of animals that includes rabbits, hares, and pikas. They look like rodents but have four front teeth instead of two.
• Tundra: A cold, treeless place where the ground stays frozen most of the year. Only small plants grow, and certain animals God designed to live in such a harsh ecosystem.
• Talus: A slope of broken rocks at the base of a cliff or mountain that provides shelter for animals.
• Haying: When an animal gathers and dries plants to store and eat later.

One of the resources used for numbers in this episode: https://californiasciencecenter.org/funlab/ever-wonder/2023-09-13/how-pikas-can-survive-extreme-conditions-with-johanna-varner

A resource used for information on the pika cuteness factor: “The Pika Book That Will be Good for My Mom’s Podcast” By Will Lynum.

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