Sometimes, a person just needs to get away, to get a different perspective on the world. I’ve spent a couple of weeks recently doing just that. It is strange how one begins to think different thoughts when you’re away from your normal environment. The beauty of God’s artistic hand leaps out at you when the scenery is not a part of your daily life.
I was able to visit the Redwood Forests of Northern California with their extraordinary width and height. I was in awe of these ageless trees which have lived through centuries of change, while only growing taller and stronger.

The coasts of Oregon reminded me of our connection with the rest of the world. Water that splashes on the Oregon coast, has also circled the globe. From Mount St. Helen in Oregon to Mount Olympus in Olympic National Park, the sheer beauty of God’s creating hand is ever present. Along the way, were the gardens which carved out of old quarries and repurposed as gardens.
All of this reminded me of the joy God finds in the creation. God acts with extravagance, sprinkling the world with color, variety and incredible places of delight.
Many people will say that they feel closest to God when they are in a natural setting. I think it is because we know that in some way we are people of the earth and water, the sky and sea. The pulse of a wave crashing on the shoreline, is like the beat of God’s heart in our hearts. We look to the stars and see a divine hand at work, awed by the vastness of space. And yet, we are reminded that God is mindful of us. Our little lives have a place in this vast universe, which we do not understand, but know to be true. The world around stands as a testimony of God’s presence and God’s loving hand in our lives. The psalmist put it this way, “The heavens are telling the glory of God; and the firmament proclaims God’s handiwork.” Psalm 19:1