Travel Reflections

Many travelers say Antarctica changes you in ways that are difficult to explain until you experience it yourself. The remote continent strips away the noise of modern life with its vast silence, dramatic landscapes, and incredible wildlife. For many visitors, the experience brings not only awe but a deep sense of perspective about life, nature, and even faith.

Here, sitting amidst the fortified walls of an ancient castle, gazing out the windows at the towers and the protective structures across the grounds, God is reminding me of his character. Within his walls the weary find rest, peace and sanctuary. He is our protector when troubles come, our strong fortress, our “refuge and strength” (psalm 46:1). Like the castle walls that are four feet thick, he brings safety.

Way in the upper northwest corner of the country, on the Pacific coast nestled among the rainforest sits a tree that is an anomaly of nature.  This specific tree, located on Kalaloch Beach in Washington state, is a mighty Sitka spruce—the largest variety of the spruce trees, known for their heavy trunks—and is situated precariously between two short cliffs along the shoreline.  Years of erosion from a nearby stream, along with forceful Pacific storms have worn away the soil s