For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen,

being understood by the things that are made, 

even His eternal power and Godhead, 

so that they are without excuse,

Romans 1:20

 

I have always loved the outdoors.   I love sunshine.  There is so much benefit in God’s gift of the sun’s rays shining down on us.   You cannot be outside in nature and miss that our world has been crafted with beauty, intention and great wisdom.   When I am outside, I can’t help but be reminded of God’s faithful love to me and His promises of provision towards me.   When I’m outside I sense His presence in a special way and somehow I am encouraged by being outside to just slow down and take it all in and to delight in the Almighty God who can hang a planet in the sky and cause an ant to make a home in the earth. Enjoying Gods beautiful creation, we can’t miss the tremendous amount of detail that God has put into everything He has created.  When we take the time to just step into His beauty we are reminded that He is near!  In Genesis Chapter One we read that “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth and God saw all that He had made, and it was very good” (vs. 1 and vs .31 NIV)

 

I grew up as a child going camping in the beautiful mountains in California and they are some of my most treasured memories.   As I married and created my own memories in the beautiful outdoors with our children, it became the highlight of our year as a family as we crossed two weeks off the calendar and made our way to camp (in tents) and to be intentionally outdoors and away from all the distractions that the busyness that being at home drew us into.   We would hike in the canyons, explore the forests, float down rivers and rejuvenate our minds, bodies and souls. We intentionally took off our watches and slept when we were tired and ate when we were hungry. These memories are so dear to our hearts that our adult children have brought their own children to our favorite annual forest in Utah.  In fact, the gift they gave my husband and I to celebrate our golden wedding anniversary was the blessing of all of us, with all the grandchildren, gathered in that very forest for a delightful week of camping, fishing, hiking, sitting under the stars and just simply enjoying each other in His beautiful creation that we had grown to love so much! 

 

My dear friends, God has designed that being outside is healthy for us!  The sun is the best source of vitamin D which is vital to a healthy body.  The body produces vitamin D when exposed to direct sunlight on bare skin.  Most of us  can get enough vitamin D from just a few minutes of sun exposure on most days. It is proven that it improves your mental health and reduces anxiety and stress, it is important for healthy bones, fighting cancer, treating depression, building a healthy heart, a strong immunity, weight loss and even better sleep are some of the benefits of the sunshine.

 

“I love to think of nature as an unlimited broadcasting system 

through which God speaks to us every hour, 

if we only tune in.”
George Washington Carver

 

One of the benefits for me to intentionally get outside is it shifts my mind from all my ‘to-do’s’ and causes me to set it down for a bit.   I noticed early on in our young family’s camping adventures that I had more time to rest because, yes the phone wasn’t constantly ringing, and the calendars were cleared from appointments and meetings… but also that desk that needed to be organized, or that closet that needed purging or the laundry that needed sorting wasn’t staring at me constantly.

 

Psalm 23:1-3 Is such a beautiful picture of experiencing the presence of God in the beautiful outdoors. David declares the as the Lord leads him to beautiful green pastures and to rest besides still waters that his soul is restored. May I inspire you to intentionally step out doors this week – and enjoy a simple reminder of God’s presence and promises of God. In fact, may I suggest that you intentionally look for God’s presence that surrounds you and delight in the details He has put into our world around us.   I love watching a hummingbird coming for a drink in my fountain or the deep color of my roses as they bloom, the sound of a breeze blowing through the trees, to sit and feel the sun on my face to close my eyes and simply take in the peace that warms my soul, or the brilliant Arizona sky as the sun sets over the horizon as the day comes to a close.  I firmly believe that God has created this world for me to enjoy and to point my heart to Him.   Even in Arizona and the heat of the summer months, we still can get out and enjoy His creation by intentionally getting up earlier, visiting the waterfront of the river  or the lake for a half an hour,  or purposely go out and sit in the shade on a park bench.  In the cooler part of the day go outside purposefully, and in the summer night, go out and look up and experience the proclamation of the glory of God (Psalm 19:1-2).   It truly is a decision we make. 

 

“Never lose an opportunity of seeing anything that is beautiful… 

Welcome it in every fair face, in every fair sky, in every fair flower.”
Ralph Waldo Emerson

 

We live in a world that most of us sit in front of a screen for much of our day.  It might be your computer or your phone, perhaps its the TV. Whatever it is, the result is we spend much less time outside enjoying God’s creation.  Try to challenge yourself to not sit indoors when you could be outside for a bit.   Eat lunch outside, take a short walk, plant some flowers, read a book outside, meet friends at the park, meet a girlfriend for coffee and sit outside instead of indoors.  Get a friend to keep you accountable.  

 

Enjoy these scriptures and consider what they mean in light of God’s beautiful creation outdoors.  Perhaps read them in a few different versions: 

 

Psalm 19:1-2 (NKJV) The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork. Day unto day utters speech, and night unto night reveals knowledge.

 

Psalm 46:10 (NKJV) Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!

 

Isaiah 42:5 (NKJV) Thus says God the Lord, who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread forth the earth and that which comes from it, who gives breath to the people on it, and spirit to those who walk on it.

 

Psalm 96:11-12 (NKJV)  Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad; let the sea roar, and all its fullness; let the field be joyful, and all that is in it. Then all the trees of the woods will rejoice.

 

Psalm 104:24-25 (NKJV)  O Lord, how manifold are Your works! In wisdom You have made them all. The earth is full of Your possessions—This great and wide sea, in which are innumerable teeming things, living things both small and great.

 

“Nature is God’s living, visible garment.”
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

 

May I suggest the sun on your face today?   Or a short walk down the street, perhaps a chapter of a book while you sit and enjoy the birds singing or hear children playing in the distance.    Take off your shoes and feel the grass under your toes (perhaps you need to go to the park for this) —  lift your face to the sun and just soak it in for five minutes.  Eat your lunch outdoors.   Meet a friend and sit in the park instead of in a restaurant or coffee shop. Or plan a picnic – find a park and enjoy friends and family.  Find a hiking trail nearby, take your dog for a walk, plant some flowers. There really are as many ideas as we are.   Today as I write this, it is beautiful outside, but it hasn’t been so all week — it’s been cold and windy – but I have discovered that’s what my jacket is for and when I go outside even in less perfect circumstances, there is still beauty and a stilling of my heart and mind.   I’m going to scoot, it’s a lovely day for walk. 

 

“Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, 

but by the moments that take our breath away.”
Author Unknown

 

Will you join me in this prayer:    Precious Lord, may I intentionally thank You for this beautiful world that You have created for me to enjoy.   Give me eyes to see Your majesty and the wonder of it all, and may I feel drawn to step out into it more often to enjoy You and all Your creation each day.  May I find refreshment of my mind, my body and my soul as I lie down in green pastures and rest by still waters.   Thank you God, for this beautiful creation you have made for me to enjoy, may I do it more often.   Amen.  

 

 

Be Inspired and Shine His Love to Others