I made my first trek to Radnor Lake State Park since December 25, 2022. It’s been over 3 months, and I was definitely going through some Radnor withdrawals.

I didn’t stay long. The sky was threatening rain and I didn’t quite have the time I wanted to stay longer, but I whet my appetite for some outdoor magic. There really is something therapeutic about being outside in nature, alone with your thoughts. Groups are fine for hiking, but sometimes it needs to be just you and God, and nature is one of the best places to be tuned in to what God is saying to you.

I found out quickly that I’m not nearly in good shape like I thought I was. I felt fit until that first incline hit me, then I felt very much old and out of shape. It will take a little bit to get my hiking legs back, but the scenery and the peace are worth it.

I get why Jesus went off into the wilderness alone to spend time with His Father. It was more than just an escape from the crowds. It was being in the middle of creation — His creation — that took away the distractions and the noise and helped Him find His resolve for the journey to Jerusalem and to the cross.

So my plan is to hike as much as I can in the next few months while there is still enough daylight. I want to count the deer and turkeys. I want to be in the middle of the woods with the rain falling. I want to catch the sunset over the lake. I want to find God in the middle of His creation again.