I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills/mountains, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from Yehovah, which made heaven and earth. He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber. Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. Yehovah is thy keeper: Yehovah is thy shade upon thy right hand. The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night. Yehovah shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul. Yehovah shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore. (Psalm 121:1–8)

Just returned from my first backpack trip of the season into the Cascade Mountains near Mount Hood that are about one-and-a-half hours from my house. Accompanying me were several of my boys. We hiked into a small mountain lake where we hung out swimming, having Bible studies, praying and hiking. I also taught them some wilderness survival and bushcraft skills.

I was up early every morning with my Bible in hand watching the sun come up over the hills shining on the lake and our camp. it’s always amazing how it’s easier to hear the voice of YHVH when we get away from the physical and spiritual noise of the city. The awesome splendor of his creation literally surrounds and envelops a person, so that all one can do is think about him and revel in the beauty of his nature and lift up one’s hands in quiet and reverent praise to the of the one who created it all! Soli deo gloria!!!

One evening around the campfire, Kaleb led us in a Bible study on Revelation 21. As a result of that, after a sunrise swim the next morning in the lake’s pristine waters, I then let the Ruach wash me in the water of the Word of Elohim, and I was blessed with some wonderful insightful revelations from that chapter, which I will share with you in the near future.

Please enjoy these photos.

Sunrise over the lake

Sunset over the lake

Jared, Kaleb and Ryan with Bibles in hand as we study the word of Elohim around the campfire

A panoramic view of our campsite at lake’s edge with Natan cooking dinner in our camp kitchen

I’m never happier than when I’m away from the city and up in Yehovah’s creation. My family has been trekking these same mountains for more than 100 years!

Natan dangling his feet over a vertical fifty foot cliff with Mount Hood in the background

May our love for Yeshua and his word burning be like hot coals! When I take my kids into the mountains, this is the passion I try to impart in them: love for YHVH’s creation and his Word!