I Believe In God
I believe in god. I know this may be hard for many to say, and for most of my life it has been hard for me to say as well. I have been raised in a family that has always been religious. In my early days I went through the motions of my religion. At times I felt that attending church was a chore that I had to do. So at the age of thirteen I stopped going. I remained in this state of inactivity and unbelief until the summer after my graduation from high-school.
When I graduated I planned on going to work as a Land Surveyor. My step-dad was the head drafter at a local business. He put in a good word for me, and I got the job. The business was awarded a seismic job that would take the whole summer and fall. On seismic lines you use GPS equipment to lay out a line that stretches for miles marking the land at certain intervals. This was a tough but fun job. It allowed me the opportunity to be outdoors and build friendships with my fellow coworkers. I hiked up and down many of the mountains in Central Utah.
One day we were laying out a line that went over Carter’s Peak. Carter’s Peak is not exactly fun to be hiking on. This mountain rises up sharply to one thousand feet from the valley floor. Not only is the grade steep but the area is made up of slate and sandstone, which makes slipping a definite possibility. Luckily for us there was an ATV trail that led to the top of the mountain. This trail was used originally to install a radio antenna at the peak.
We were able to make it off the peak without too much trouble. We then came to what would prove to be the real challenge of the day. We encountered some sandstone ripple valleys. I am sure this is not what they are actually called but seems to be the best way to describe them. These valleys had nearly vertical walls of sand that averaged about fifty feet. These walls of sand had scant amount of vegetation, which are commonly used as footholds, making the walls extremely difficult to climb. As a result everyone had drunk their two liters of water and used most of their energy getting through the sandstone ripple valleys.
That would have been a nice time to end the day, but there was still one more peak to climb. This peak was nearly as tall as Carter’s Peak and just as steep. About a fourth of the way up I felt that I didn’t have the ability to make it up the mountain. I could not go back. The temperature was approaching the 100’s. Panic was starting to set in. I have never felt so desperate in all my life and my choices were limited. So I did something I had not done in a long time. I prayed. I asked god to give me the strength to climb to the top of the mountain. And I know that he answered my prayer because it was with god’s help that I was able to put one foot in front of the other and climb, and climb, and climb. God helped me climb that mountain. Also I know that He answered my prayer in another way. I was able to extract some water from what was a previously empty drinking water bladder. I know that god provided the extra water that hadn’t been there earlier. It was indeed a miracle.
This was the first of many experiences that made me realize that there is a god. I can’t stress it enough that my prayers were answered. Being able to explore the great outdoors has really brought me closer to my heavenly father. I am happy to say that I am going back to church.