Thoughts during my first month on trail
March 30, 2024
Week 1: Goodness!
First week, first 100 miles! God has shown me so much goodness this week. From the beauty of the mountains, the sky, the sun, and the rain too. He is keeping me strong and healthy. He is showing me so much goodness by allowing me to spend memorable moments with my close friends, and then to make memorable moments with new friends. He has shown me goodness and allowed me to pray with people, read God‘s word over people, encourage people, love on people, and to be loved on by such a sweet host family that hosted me over the weekend. God is so good. He is so gracious. amen
Week 2: Honored!
That’s my word for this week; Honored.
I have been so honored to have met such amazing people this week. Chris and Diane Bullis allowed me a zero day at their home and treated me like a queen. They fed me, loved on me, and treated me like family even though they’d never met me. I was so humbled and grateful for their outpouring of blessings.
I have been honored to meet amazing people on trail too. (We get cozy on cold nights in the shelters) I ask you to pray for my new friends: A-fib, Grateful, MacGiver, Sweaty Betty, Honey Stick, Just Angela, St. Jon, Mr. Happy, Smiles and Pa Smiles, Tribute, korok, Uke, Long Island, Snow Bear, Guardian, Sea Turtle and her dog Serena, and many more.
I have been honored by the Holston Conference of the UMC. They commissioned me as chaplain, praying over me and fully supporting this journey.
I was also honored to have my sweet friend, Tina, join me for two days on trail this week. We had some real “type 2” fun hiking up mountains and had such incredible views of the mountains together.
And a special shoutout to my husband who “came in clutch” and got me a hotel for a very rainy day.
Thank you for your continued prayers. I am so honored to have your support.
Week 3: The Smokies.
Well, I made it through the Smokies in five days! The Smokies brought me cold, no… frigid weather. It also brought me some really good new friends. I befriended a dear gentleman named Nomad, from Alabama. He made amazing fires in our shelters -three out of the five nights I was in the Smokies (With the help of my other new friends, Tinder and Guardian).
But along with the Smokies bringing me cold weather and good friends it has also brought me confidence. Confidence that I can withstand really cold weather, confidence that I can hike up and down mountains all day long, confidence that God has put me here for a reason, and confidence that as I enter into the rest of this journey, I will represent Jesus and share his love to those that I encounter.
Week 4: It’s the People!
I am loving the AT! Yes, the views are amazing but it’s the people that make the Appalachian trail so fun.
Thought I’d share some of the people I’ve been hiking with this week.
If you think about it, say a prayer for each of these friends and that I will reflect Jesus every time I’m around them.
Captain, Torch, Skip, John, Steamboat & Willy, Bandit, Bluegrass, Mr Worldwide(aka Atlas), Stir Crazy & Wonder Woman, Larry, Chopstix, No Rush, Epic, Lolly, Chica, Scar, Boomer & Couch, Joey, Pipes, Uke, Chickpea.
Oh, and a great big THANK YOU to my husband, aka Command Central, for fully supporting this journey and to Blueberry (previous AT chaplain) who picked me, 
let me shower and do laundry, and spend the night at her house. Ahhhhhh. Thank you God!!
Mileage to date: 352.9.
It’s time! Mountain Goat is set for her thru-hike
Feb. 26, 2024
The week has arrived! The week I leave what’s familiar and safe and warm. The week I begin an epic journey that, I can confidently say, will change me forever. E
ver since I found out I was accepted as the 2024 AT Chaplain for the Holston Conference of the UMC, I’ve had “all the feels”, that’s for sure! Everything from excitement to hesitancy, from confidence to fear, and vice versa. I took some time to really evaluate what my role is and how I plan to accomplish it each day. I’ve had some questions too. Am I prepared not to come home? Can I walk away from my family on
March 1 and fully trust that God is completely in control? Can I fully trust my Father with my life? Can I fully trust my Father with my children? Will He take care of them? Will He equip me with the words to say?
The answer is a solid- YES!
As I embark on this epic adventure with Jesus, I know that my Father is going before me. He WILL care for my family. He WILL care for me. He WILL see me through this. He WILL provide the words to say and the people to speak them to. He WILL protect.
Psalm 3:3 “But YOU are a shield around me O Lord, you bestow glory on me and lift up my head”
Psalm 4:8 “I will lie down and sleep in Peace for You alone O Lord make me dwell in safety.”
My Appalachian Trail Mission statement is this…”I will hike the A.T. sharing the love of Jesus to those I encounter so they FEEL His presence, SEE His goodness, and HEAR His good news. In short, I want to “touch hearts and touch that sign” (at Mount Katahdin). With God, I know this is possible!
Yesterday was my last day worshipping at my home church before hitting the trail. My pastor spoke on Luke 14:25-33, a rather fitting topic for me. I encourage you to read it for yourself. In these verses Jesus speaks directly to the crowd- no parables here, just a direct, in your face statement. (Jesus is just so cool) His topic: the cost of discipleship.
My pastor shared that there are basically three choices we have- Choose to reject God, Choose to waste your salvation, or Choose to be His disciple. Salvation is such a beautiful gift, isn’t it? Jesus, perfect Jesus, died on the cross for me! For you! And He lovingly gives us free-will to accept this salvation. This one-time YES, brings us into fellowship with God. But being a disciple of Jesus means saying YES every single day; laying down my life before the Lord, taking up my weapons and being ready for battle, being willing to get uncomfortable and unsafe.
I want to be Jesus’ disciple! I want to love Him and serve Him every day. I want to hand over everything to Him because I know He will care for me. (1 Peter 5:7) No more wasted days! I want Jesus to be the most noticeable part of my life. My prayer is that this is what people see on the Appalachian Trail!
Do you want this too? Look around you and ask yourself: who, what, and where has God placed me? What is my purpose? You have one! And if not, make the necessary changes. Become a REAL disciple of Jesus. Hand over to Him your life, daily, and watch Him do incredible things with it.
1 Peter 5:6-11
Humble yourself therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you. Be self-controlled, alert. Your enemy prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings. And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. To him be the power forever and ever. Amen.