This post first appeared in July of 2013 as a devotional from Barclay Press.

Bible Reading: Philippians 2:1-4

Today started the adventure. I woke up and prepared some instant coffee and a high-carbohydrate and a high-protein breakfast. I called my wife before I fell asleep and asked that she pray for me and the group because I wasn’t sure if I was going to come back alive. She said she would.

We hiked a mile to catch a bus; thankfully the hike was a lot easier than the day before. We were now headed to the trailhead at Tuolumne Meadows (alt. 8,600 feet). From here we were going to hike back to Yosemite Valley with a side trip up Half Dome, a total hike of 27.5 miles. Our first hike would be almost seven miles long to Vogelsang (alt. 10,100 feet!).

On this trip were Brian, a youth pastor friend and some of his former students and some of my former students. Brian and I had seen these young people grow up to be amazing individuals living their lives for Christ and for the communities they lived in. They are filled with expectations to live a Kingdom life today and to serve and love their neighbor.

The hike was even harder than I expected. My rented pack constantly shifted and painfully dug into my hip. The weight alone was almost unbearable. Thankfully my former students stepped up, taking turns carrying my pack as I carried their lighter packs, sometimes they even carried both packs. It was amazing to watch my guys step up and take care of me during this hike. Without their help the hike would have been unbearable. Finally, after many rests and breaks we reached our first destination.

Prayer Suggestion: Pray for compassion and humility to help someone succeed.

-Pastor Rick Ellis
Pastor at Friends Community Church