The beauty that God has created for us to enjoy.
Life has a way of teaching us quietly when we step away from our routines. Before my surgery, my wife and I took a short trip in our camper van, hoping for a little peace before entering a difficult season. Along the way, God showed me things about beauty, loss, and the hope we find when we come together in Him.
During the short trip my wife and I took before my surgery — the one I mentioned in my last post, Becoming One → Is It Possible? — I learned a few things I want to share.
God has created a beautiful world for us to enjoy, but man’s greed is destroying so much of it.
My wife and I bought a cargo van and have been converting it into a camper. It’s been a long process, and we’re still not finished. When I learned I needed surgery and that the healing would take a long time, we decided to take the van out for a short trip before everything began. With my health issues and my wife caring for her elderly parents, we figured we could squeeze in about two weeks.
We saw so many beautiful places. It made me think about how wonderful it would be if everyone could enjoy them too.
My wife used to work for the Houston Independent School District, and for a time she scheduled school trips to outdoor camps. These camps were out in the woods, where kids not only learned their regular subjects but also experienced nature — many for the first time. Some had never been outside the city. It was a great program.
But those in charge have cut it. No more camps for the kids. So sad. I’m sure it had to do with money.
I think about so many countries today where wars and troubles have turned once‑beautiful places into ruin and desolation. So many people feel hopeless. The greedy get greedier, and everyone else becomes pawns in their games of Chess — The Game of Dictators . It will never end until those near the top — the Queens, Bishops, Knights, and Castles — wake up, see the evil, and say NO to the kings.
There is so much that can be made better when we come together as one in Christ Jesus with Father God.
As I think back on that trip, I’m reminded that even in a world marked by greed, conflict, and brokenness, God still invites us to see His beauty — and to become part of His healing work. May we learn to say “yes” to Him, “no” to the darkness, and walk together as one in Christ Jesus with Father God.
