Navigating the mountains in our lives

Did you know that in German, Switzerland’s beauty is explained as the place where God kissed earth? Similarly, those who live there describe the Himalayas as the abode of the Gods. I am extremely fortunate to have been hiking in both mountain ranges, but to me, my local hills, the Malverns, compare favourably!

You may be a little surprised, but I can explain. For the novice trekker, in the Alps and Himalayas, the top is never reached. Yet, in the Malverns, I can summit! And I’m rewarded by 360-degree views when I get there. Everywhere I go in the Alps and Himalayas, my view of the horizon is always obscured by the mountain I’m climbing.

We live life like this; we’re unable to see our whole lives laid out as a panorama, and we have our own mountains that get in the way. We don’t know what the future will bring, nor do we know why things have happened to us in the past. Consequently, we long for direction and guidance. Some cope with this by sticking to well-worn paths where they can anticipate every occurrence. Yet I believe the most rewarding experiences occur when we prepare well and learn to navigate the terrain; we discover how to take unexpected hardship in stride and are often surprised by beauty along the way.

In a Christian sense, the five “CS”s presented in the Alpha course are the perfect tools to help us receive guidance from God so we can better navigate our lives. They are the equivalent of a spiritual compass and map. Nicky Gumbel defined them as:

Commanding Scripture – This involves consulting the Bible to understand what God teaches about a situation. Scripture provides principles, commands, and wisdom for decision-making, ensuring that choices align with God’s will and moral guidance.  

Compelling Spirit – This refers to the leading of the Holy Spirit. It emphasises being attentive to God’s inner prompting or conviction, which can guide decisions in alignment with spiritual discernment.

Counsel of the Saints – Seeking advice from mature, trusted Christians is encouraged. Input from others who are spiritually grounded can provide perspective, wisdom, and confirmation for decisions.

Common Sense – Practical reasoning and logical thinking are also important. God often works through our ability to assess situations realistically and make sensible choices. 

Circumstantial Signs – Sometimes God’s guidance is revealed through circumstances or events that seem coincidental but carry meaningful direction. These signs can confirm or clarify a decision. 

(There’s more about the 5 “CS”s in the Alpha course, or in The Bible in a Year book or app by Nicky and Pippa Gumbel, see day 11)

My next two books, one for children and one for grown-ups, will tell the same remarkable story of a family’s escape from East Germany. Along the way, God speaks to the family through each of the five “CS” methods, and the story is a brilliant example of God’s loving guidance. I want to thank everyone who voted in the poll I included in my last newsletter to choose a title for the grown-up version. The winner was ‘When God Says Go’, but when I looked at books already listed on Amazon, I found several others with this title. So we opted for the runner-up, ‘Does God Guide?’. 

The grown-up version of the story assumes that once I have defined the “CS”s, the reader will be able to spot them. There’s more historical background in this version, too. The children’s version is my favourite, though. At first, the story is told, accompanied by some clever illustrations that the publisher is working on as I write. Then, towards the end, the five “CS”s are revealed, along with a star pattern that highlights where in the story God used them. It’s very clever, even if I do say so myself!

My hope is that children who read ‘God’s Great Escape Plan’ will discover tools they can use to hear from God and that this will help them navigate the rest of their lives. I hope they will be emboldened to live adventurously for God, no matter what mountains get in their way, and they will go on to seek justice for others who are scaling their own mountains. When they are older, I have some other books they can read about doing that!

Thanks to everyone who asked about the family in Pakistan I mentioned in my last newsletter; they have now received their new loader-rickshaw, and have a driving license! 

I was recently interviewed on the Off Grid Christianity podcast. Martin, the host, asked me some more unusual questions. Click on the button to listen.

Listen to me on the Off Grid Christianity Podcast

Could you do one thing to help me? It won’t cost you a penny. Please can you share this email with a friend or two? Maybe you know someone who has taken the Alpha course? As a Christian author, I rely on word of mouth to spread news of my books, and there’s no marketing budget! Thank you. If you’ve received this email from a friend, you can sign up to receive my next newsletter here:

Our God wants to speak to us, guide us and involve us in bringing about His kingdom. He’ll involve the next generation too, no matter where they live or what their current circumstances are. Isn’t that incredible?

anna

Click here to buy any of my books. Every purchase helps me support incredible work being done in Nepal and Pakistan.