by Kim C. Eckenroth MS, APRN, FNP-C
Vice President for Patient Care Services
The LORD is my rock, my fortress, and my savior; my God is my rock, in whom I find protection. He is my shield, the power that saves me, and my place of safety. (Psalms 18:2)
In June 2018, I had the opportunity to hike with my nieces on a hillside of the rocky coast along Pacific Highway 72 in Oahu, Hawaii.
It was spectacular. The Pacific ocean in this region is home to the humpback whales in the wintertime. They find rest and safety in these waters after their long trek from Alaska. They come and birth their calves in the deep waters of this windward region.
As we hiked Makapu’u Lighthouse Trail, we passed breathtaking nature. The sea was spewing through the famous “Halona Blowhole” with each passing wave. It didn’t take much imagination to see the “Dragon’s Nostrils,” which really do look like steam coming from an angry prehistoric creature.
As we continued to the top of the path along the cliffs, it became more and more windy the higher we trudged. Our hair was sticking straight out. We were quite a site! Once we reached the summit, we looked out over the rugged and beautiful shoreline. The sea had variations in shades as the water deepened. It looked as if an artist was painting a canvas with every possible hue along the blue spectrum. On each cliff, plants clung to the rocks as if holding on for dear life.
The dark green leafy plants made me think about the scripture above. The intricate root system of the plants went in every direction across the rocks. It found the smallest of crevices to put down a foothold. You could see that as the years of strong winds and storms had raged, the connection of the plants to the rock was unbreakable. In some places, you could not even see where the rock ended and the root began.
This is also how it is with our lives. As we go through our storms, rain, wind, cold, heat and drought, our roots to Jesus grow broader and deeper. We think of our patients we walk with through their final storm. Even in sorrow and pain, many are peaceful and calm because they have developed an intimate connection to their Rock and Savior. The Lord continues to shelter them, especially in the most difficult storm of life. Having watched our patients over the 24 years, I have learned a lot about life that strengthens my own walk with Jesus.
My prayer for each of us today is that we will more fervently cling to Jesus as our Rock. Praying he will deepen and strengthen our roots, equip us with courage and wisdom, love and grace for the journey of this day.
Members of the Gentle Shepherd team often write and share stories, devotionals, testimonials and words of faith and encouragement with the staff. We thought you might appreciate them as much as we do, so we created a regular feature in our blog called “In Our Words.” We hope they touch your heart too.
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