Once upon a time several years ago, I think before my first inspirational novel, Scent of Lilacs, was published, I played with the idea of writing a book of devotions for the casual hiker. I hoped to come up with fifty-two, one a week. Devotional Thoughts for Hikers. Well, I might have needed a better title than that. I wrote a dozen and came up with ideas for maybe a dozen more, but then I got busy writing novels and shoved the devotional book idea back on the someday shelf. I have three of these devotional thoughts on my website. The following is one of them, but today on my daily walk with Frankie, I came across this little purple flower that was the inspiration for the following devotional thoughts. So I decided to share it with you tonight.
Color The World
“The greatest way to witness is through the life you live. Let the radiance of your Christian life be such that it will make [others] ask questions about your [faith].” ―B
I’m a wildflower nut, even when wildflower is a polite word for a weed that just happens to have some kind of bloom. Even a tiny blossom in the grass that hardly looks important enough to have a name can stop me in my tracks for a closer look. One day as I walked across the fresh spring grass in the pasture, I spotted a tiny blue bloom I hadn’t noticed before. The flower was not as big around as a pencil eraser, and the four little petals were a delicate blue. The flower seemed to be lifting its head bravely out of the grass to reach for the sun. Yet because it was so small, its color was almost drowned out by the green of the grass blades. Then when I stood up, I noticed there wasn’t just one of these little flowers. There were hundreds of them. So many that when I looked across the field, the ground turned a hazy blue.
As Christians we can sometimes feel like that small, insignificant flower thinking that we can’t make a difference in the world of grass blades around us. Yet if we open our lives to the “Son” we can make a difference no matter how small, and when we join together with all the other Christians in the world around us I believe we can change the color of the world.
Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong. Let all that you do be done with love. …I Corinthians 16:12-14 (NKJ)
Do you think Christians can be an influence for good in the world?
As always thanks for reading, but before you go, I want to know what you think. Would you like me to share some of the other hiker devotions I have written? Don’t worry about hurting my feelings if you’d rather I would focus on other things. Just say so. I want my blog posts to be something you look forward to reading and I love it when you join in the conversation. If some of you think it would be fun, I could post one of the devotionals once a month for a while. Maybe the last Sunday of the month.
Comments 45
Yes, please share more hikers devotions. When we read good, positive stories our hearts and minds become good and positive. Can’t wait to read more!
Author
I agree with you on that, Diana. That’s why I think it is important what parents let their children watch and monitor the games they play. I’m glad my kids grew up before the total electronic age where kids have access to so much on their gadgets and phones. My kids just had antenna television with the three stations to choose from in a time when the censors didn’t let much get by. No phones in their pockets or computers in their rooms. But times, they do change.
For us grandparents who grew up in the 40’s and 50’s it’s sad to watch! 😢
Yes, yes, please share more. Holding onto our significance is something Satan would love to steal from us. I love the part where you stand up and see the beauty of those little blue flowers in such great numbers. Some of us find our significance as quiet souls, standing firm, seeking his will as we gently go about our days. We may never know all the seeds for His kingdom that we have spread. 💕
Author
I like those thoughts, Linda. We don’t always know how our lives influence others for good or not good. But if we do the best we can and as you say stand firm and seek the Lord’s will, we can hope that will plant some gospel seeds.
I really enjoyed this devotional, so I’m sure I’d enjoy the others. I would recommend that you keep posting them❣️
Author
Thanks, Darlene. I’m glad you liked this one. So stay turned for more in the future. Love your heart exclamation point.
Yes, I enjoy devotions very much. Please continue to share your devotions. Thank you. 🙂
Author
Thank you, Melissa, for chiming in. I think you guys are going to get some more devotional thoughts in the next few months. Glad you enjoyed this one.
Yes, please share what the Lord gives you. I love and feel His presence in the wonder of His creation, too! He is worthy of our devotion and yours will bless Him and us, too! Thank you!
Author
“Praise God from whom all blessings flow.” We sing the doxology every Sunday at the beginning of our church service. It just seems to focus us on worship. Sometimes I sing it when I’m out in the woods as a kind of prayer. Other times I’ll sing the first lines of “For the Beauty of the Earth.” We can enjoy the wonder of His creation, Connie.
I always enjoy whatever you write about. God uses so many things that have a meaning in our lives. The tiny little flower bursts forth in the Spring and makes us realize that even such tiny blessings gives us hope anew. I love the Spring blooms after a long winter. It seems to remind me that old things are passed away and God has new things ahead for us. Even though we have seen those blooms before a new beginning appears before us and God shines a little brighter.
Author
Spring is a great time to consider new things ahead, Brenda. Hope sometimes seems to bloom with the flowers and the world turning green. The blessings of nature. Sometimes at church we like to mention the everyday blessings we are thankful to receive. Spring flowers and songbirds are high on my list.
Dear Anne,
I loved the devotion today! It would be wonderful to get more of them, so I vote for more of them. I wouldn’t knowingingly hurt your feelings for anything. Encouragement is the best way to go. You are such a great writer. You are one of my very favorite writer.
Have a wonderful day!
Maylin
Author
All these encouraging words have me smiling, Maylin. And it’s extra nice being on your favorite writers list. Thank you for that. And I’ll share some more of those devotionals. Especially since I have some already written. 🙂
Yes! Share. Please. 💙
Author
I don’t think my devotionals can match the beauties you write, Kristy. But I appreciate your thumbs up for more.
I love your thoughts, your ideas, your books, your shares about your flowers, family, especially grand children, and dogs. You are a bright star in my life and would love to read the devotions. Thank you so much. Julie
Author
Thank you for the encouraging words, Julie. Especially about enjoying those pictures of my grandchildren. I sometimes have to find a way to sneak a picture of them in, don’t I? And of course, Frankie wants to be a star all the time, except he doesn’t always pose well. He’s too busy being on the run.
Loved reading this. Looking forward to reading more in the future.
Author
Thank you, Ola. Always fun for you to drop by and I appreciate you letting me know you enjoyed the post.
I like all of your creative writings and a devotional Monday is a great way to start our week !
Author
Thank you, Evelyn. That’s so nice of you to say. Monday is a good day for some devotional thinking.
Thank you! I would love your Hiker’s devotionals. I too love stopping and soaking in God’s creation.
Author
Great, Lisa. We’d make good walking and hiking friends.
Thank you for this! I’m new to Christianity and it rang so true in my heart. The thing that brought me to Christianity were the positive lives and prayers of those Christians around me… Not their direct words to me. So that quote from billy graham was right in my case 😉
Author
What joy that would bring those people who witnessed to you through their lives, April. Our preacher likes to quote a little poem that I can’t remember, but it says something about how we are the Bible our friends and neighbors read and ends with a question of say, what does our life say for them. But that fits how you came to Christ.
I enjoyed this devotional so much ! I love nature, hiking and walking in the woods . Please continue with more inspiring stories.
Author
Hiking in the woods is a favorite thing for me, Nancy. I love to take walks on the trails in state parks when we have a chance to visit them. Unfortunately, my husband isn’t much of a hiker. He’d much prefer the motor tours, but he used to go just to keep me company. These days he doesn’t feel much like hiking. We all get older, don’t we? So far I can still take my walks and enjoy the nature sights along the way.
Absolutely, please share devotionals with us! Whenever, or as often as you choose. I’m also all for reading that book of devotions some day, if you decide to publish one.
I’m a wildflower nut too…if it has a bloom, it’s a flower.
Your blogs are an inspiration for me, and I look for new ones every day.
Author
Thank you so much, Lavon. I’m always happy to see your comments here. I appreciate your encouragement about my blogs. Sometimes I consider dropping the Wednesday one, but so far I’ve always come up with something to say. Whether it’s always interesting or not is another matter. 🙂 I will enjoy sharing my hiker devotionals throughout the coming year.
It’s good to know another wildflower nut.
Yes, Ann please continue to share your hiker devotions, I would enjoy reading them. I also love all the pictures of flowers from your walks.
Author
I haven’t taken my annual walk down the creek yet to see this year’s flowers. I spotted a few up on top of the cliff, but I have to get down by the creek to see most of them. I’ll have to do a post with those pictures when I make that trek, but it’s been so cool that many of them won’t be blooming yet. Another week perhaps. I’m so glad you like seeing the flower pictures, Ingrid, because I love sharing them. 🙂
I would love to read your devotionals, as you suggested the last sunday of the month would be good , or the first sunday to get us started on a new month.
Author
I’ll have to think about which Sunday might be best. I will be having some special blog giveaways and posts soon to celebrate the release of The Refuge. So I’ll have to consider the best times for those. Only a month to go until The Refuge releases. And only about a month before I’m supposed to have my work in progress written. I need to double the days or double how much I can get written in a day.
I enjoyed your devotional and would love to see more!
Author
Thank you, Linda Dianne. I appreciate your comment and your encouragement.
Thank you, Ann, for sharing. Your story pushes readers, not just to thought, but also to action. What a beautiful picture you paint with your words!
Please continue to share.
Author
Thank you, Becky. I’m glad you enjoyed the devotional thoughts. Walking in the woods and nature is a good way to consider life and move closer to the Lord, but you can also do that at any moment no matter where you are. The Lord is ever near. That’s mind boggling when you really think about it.
Christians can be a positive or they can be a negative influence. A positive if we do more than give lip service to what we believe but live out the commands of our Savior. If we walk the walk and not just talk the talk we can be a positive influence. I would enjoy a devotional once a month. Either at the end of the month or at the beginning should be your choice. Thank you for sharing your faith.
Author
Of course, you’re right, Karen. All of us can be good influences at times and miss the mark at other times. We get so busy with our daily routines that we lose sight of the goals we have as Christians. I appreciate your thoughts.