Are you prepared?

Success depends on previous preparation, and without such preparation, there is sure to be a failure.                          Confucius

Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it?

Luke 14:28

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It’s an early spring this year, but snow and ice will linger in the mountains for many more months.  In the next month, roads will slowly begin to open to higher elevation trails, but for now hiking is limited to lower elevations.  Even on these lower trails, mud and ice as well as the occasional snow patch will be encountered.  It’s spring hiking season where the sun is beginning to warm up, but it’s still quite cool in the shade of the trees or mountainside. Layers are essential as morning might feel like a winter day, but afternoon feels like summer’s coming! 

All this means that it’s time for me to begin preparing for hiking season so I will go through my daypack and begin to check supplies. Is my sunscreen still good? What about insect repellent for when those pesky mosquitoes start making their presence known.  Switch out the heavy mittens for lightweight gloves! Make sure that water filtration straws are in the pack along with sunglasses, and ibuprofen. The list goes on…

Preparation is important for significant faith steps too. Has God called you to do something new? Have you prayed about it? Are you reading God’s word and talking with Him? What do you think that God wants you to do or say or be open to?  Are you preparing your heart to serve others with humility and joy? What physical things do you need to do? For example, for an out-of-country mission trip, you will need a passport, immunizations, appropriate clothing and toiletries, and often you may take items for those you are ministering too.

 Whether spring or summer activities or a new ministry direction, the key to success is proper preparation. I hope that while you’re doing the sometimes tedious chores to prepare for one of your favorite seasonal activities, you are happily thinking of all the wonder that is ahead of you.