There are a couple of times that stand out, of when I really felt I had encountered God in creation. Two of those times were on hikes up Harney Peak. The hike is long and at times rather tiring, but the view from the top is amazing.

I really felt that those hikes embodied what I had been learning this summer about endurance, about being able to do things I wasn’t sure I could do, through God-given strength.

Another time I felt I encounter God in creation was when we had Bible study at Sylvan Lake one Sunday. There was just something amazing about worshipping God surrounded by all this natural beauty. Also, there were several people who weren’t Christians who came with us and it was pretty cool to have them there with us as well.

We also participated in emergent pine management with the National Park Service and there was a special kind of joy from just doing hard physical work and knowing that you were helping take care of God’s creation.

Amalee B., Mount Rushmore National Memorial, 2015