I was at the Feb 2010 Souly Business retreat in the north Georgia mountains. We were going to have our first alone time and we had two questions to consider: God what do you want me know right now? And God what do you want to show me?

Well, it was a beautiful day and I have always found my closeness to God in nature. I had already seen the small mountain behind the retreat center and knew that was where I was going.

As I started up the mountain I saw another retreat member also going up the mountain. We walked together for a short distance and then we split apart. The small mountain turned out to be quite steep and we only had about an hour for the whole exercise. I thought of just stopping part way up as I had not realized that this hike up may take the entire hour and I might not even make it. But I heard a voice say, "You will have struggles, but continue on" (1 Corinthians 7:28) I picked up a dead limb to use as a hiking stick. As I continued up I would trip on a rock or slip on leaves and fall down. I heard another voice say, "Get up and I will give you strength". (Psalm 28: 7) I was about half way up when I was getting tired. I went to take a step and looked down and saw a brown lizard sitting on the leaves in the sun. I picked it up and sat down in that spot, where there was a log that made a perfect seat. The little lizard had initially moved but when I picked it up it was completely still, maybe because it was still quite cool out or to play dead. I held him in my hands and I looked at him and he looked at me. I heard another voice say "Do not worry, I hold you in the palm of my hands".

I stayed there for about ten minutes and started to read the book of John, my favorite book in the Bible. Then I set the lizard down on a rock and started back up the mountain.

The climb had become even steeper and I was starting to feel the effects. As I went up some more I heard a voice say "Stop and l will give you rest". (Matt 11:28). I stopped and leaned up against a tree to catch my breath. I could feel and hear the wind and it was very calming. After a very short time I heard a rustling noise downhill and behind the tree I had been leaning against. I looked around the tree and saw six whitetail deer running right toward me. They walked within about twenty feet of me and stopped and we looked at each other. They were not afraid. I was surprised, as it was still winter and had not been that long since hunting season had ended. After a few moments they ran away slowly, although not with fear. I was now rested again and started back up the hill.

I noticed the trees were large hardwoods and wondered if this mountain had ever been cut for timber or farming. As I went higher I could I could see other mountaintops in the distance, some much higher. I thought of Moses and of Martin Luther King, Jr. seeing their promised lands. (Deuteronomy 34:4). I could see the Strong Rock retreat center way down below with the buildings, fields and ponds. I had gotten my bearings earlier so I would be able to go down the same way I had come up, as it seemed to be a good route. (Psalm 25:4-5). I was now approaching the top and there was a stand of large pine trees. It was unusual since there had been mostly hardwoods on the way up. There was also a very large oak tree with huge limbs.

I heard another voice say to me "Be not afraid, I go before you always" (Gen 26:24). I knew that this is what God had wanted me know, then, and all my life. He had given me signs during that day as He had been doing my whole life. I felt His love for me as never before. At this moment I heard the music starting way down below, this was our signal that it was time to go back to the retreat center. I made my way down, again slipping and falling but I knew that my Father would always be there to pick me up.