Blue Ridge Mountains, North Carolina - “Unending Love”

 

“My chains are gone, I've been set free
My God, my Savior has ransomed me
And like a flood His mercy reigns
Unending love
Amazing grace”

Lyrics by Chris Tomlin / Louie Giglio

In Solidarity with Ukraine - “Do Not Fear, for I am with You”

 Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God.

Isaiah 41:10 NIV

Smokey Mountains - “Search With All Your Heart”

 And you will seek me and find me

when you search for me with all your heart.

Jeremiah 29:13  NKJV

Little River Road - “Let the Rivers Clap their Hands”

 

Let the sea resound, and everything in it,
the world, and all who live in it.
Let the rivers clap their hands,
let the mountains sing together for joy;
Let them sing before the Lord,
for he comes to judge the earth.
He will judge the world in righteousness
and the peoples with equity.

PSALM 95:7-9 NIV

Smokey Mountains - “A New Heart, A New Spirit”

I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols.  I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you, I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.  And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.

Ezekiel 36:25-27
 

Blue Ridge Mountains - “A Voice Calling in the Wilderness”

 

In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea and saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near."  This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah:

"A voice of one calling in the wilderness,
'Prepare the way for the Lord,
Make straight paths for him.'"

John's clothes were made of camel's hair, and he had a leather belt around his waist.  His food was locusts an wild honey.

Matthew 3:1-4

A voice of one calling:

"In the wilderness prepare

the way for the Lord;

make straight in the desert

a highway for our God.

Every valley shall be raised up,

every mountain and hill made low;

the rough ground shall become level,

the rugged places a plain,

And the glory of the Lord will be revealed,

and all people will see it together.

For the mouth of the Lord has spoken."

Isaiah 40:3-5

Appalachian Foothills

He who dwells in the shelter

of the Most High

will rest in the shadow of

the Almighty.

I will say of the LORD, "He 

is my refuge and my fortress,

my God, in whom I trust.

Psalm 91:1-2

If you make the Most High 

your dwelling--

even the LORD, who is my 

refuge--

then no harm will befall you,

no disaster will come near your tent.

For he will command his 

angels concerning you 

to guard you in all your ways;

they will lift you up in their hands,

so that you will not strike

your foot against a stone.

You will tread upon the lion 

and the cobra;

you will trample the great 

lion and the serpent.

"Because he loves me," 

says the LORD, 

"I will rescue him;

I will protect him, for he

acknowledges my name.

He will call upon me, and I

will answer him;

I will be with him in trouble,

I will deliver him and honor him.

With long life will I satisfy him

and show him my salvation."

Psalm 91:9-16 NIV

Blue Ridge Mountains - He will wipe every tear from their eyes...

He will wipe every tear from their eyes.  There will be no more death or mournings or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.

Revelations 21:4

Book of Jeremiah - Crumbling Empires

The LORD proclaims:  Cursed are those who trust in mere humans, who depend on human strength and turn their hearts from the LORD...Happy are those who trust in the LORD, who rely on the LORD.

Jeremiah 17:5,7 CEB

Steep Hills

No hill is too steep where God walks with me.

"The Lord said to Paul, "My grace is sufficient for thee; for my strength is made perfect in weakness."

2 Corinthians 12:9 KJV

Blowing Rock - the mysteries of God

 

Can you fathom the mysteries of God?
Can you probe the limits of the Almighty?
They are higher than the heavens--what can you do?
They are deeper than the depths of the grave--
what can you know?
Their measure is longer than the earth
and wider than the sea.

Job 11:7-9

Moving Mountains

 

Truly I tell you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, "Move from here to there," and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.

Matthew 17:20 NRSV

The Power of Solitude

 

Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.

Luke 5:16 NIV

Fontana Lake and Dam

 Jesus replied, "Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, Go, throw yourself into the sea, ad it will be done."

Matthew 21:21

Grandfather Mountain - Wisdom and Understanding

 

My son, do not let wisdom and understanding out of your sight,
preserve sound judgement and discretion;
they will be life for you,
an ornament to grace your neck.
Then you will go on your way in safety,
and your foot will not stumble.
When you lie down, you will not be afraid;
when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.
Have no fear of sudden disaster
or of the ruin that overtakes the wicked,
for the Lord will be at your side
and will keep your foot from being snared.

Proverbs 3:19-26

Chestoa View Trail

 The path of the righteous is like the morning sun,
shining ever brighter till the full light of day.
But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness;
they do not know hat makes them stumble.

Proverbs 4:18-19

Because He Lives All Fear is Gone

 

God sent His son, they call Him Jesus
He came to Love, heal and forgive
He Lived and died to buy my pardon
An empty grave is there to prove my savior lives.

Because He lives, I can face tomorrow
Because He lives, all fear is gone
Because I know He holds the future
And Life is worth the living, just because he lives...

Lyrics by Bill Gaither & Gloria Gaither

The High Country - "Joy Comes in the Morning"

 Sing praise to the Lord,
you saints of His,
And give thanks at the
remembrance of His holy name.

For HIs anger is but for a moment,
His favor is for life;
Weeping may endure for a night,
But joy comes in the morning.

Psalm 30:4-5

The upper north region of North Carolina is called "The High Country" because of the Blue Ridge Mountain range.  There are a many old trucks left abandon and empty old farms. They become entangled with vines and shrubbery and are part of the landscape.

Blue Ridge Mountains - "He founded the Earth"

 

The Lord by wisdom founded the earth;
by understanding He established the heavens;
By His knowledge the depths were broken up;
And clouds drop down the dew.

Proverbs 3:19

Whatever is True, Whatever is Noble...

 

Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, what ever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things.

Philippians 4:8 NIV