The Trail to El Shaddai
Do you have a lonely nagging feeling that gnaws at the very core of your being?
Like something’s missing, but you’re not exactly sure what it is?
Has the excitement of life has passed you by?
Are you just going through the motions "serving time” until you die?
Saddle up with me and ride the Trail to El Shaddai. The trail is filled with dreams, and treasures of peace, hope, love, and wholeness. It’s waiting for you.
You see, El Shaddai is the Hebrew name for God. Of all the names of God, this is my favorite because it’s also translated “The God of the mountains.” It was during the 15 years I rode the craggy narrow trails in the Rocky Mountains that I discovered how much God loved us—you and me—the people He created in His own image. Each of those days I experienced Him. His glory surrounded me from the sunrise glistening off the snowcapped peaks to the brilliant colors of gold, red, and purple splashed across the sky at sunset; from the cutthroat trout jumping in the streams to the eagles soaring on the wind currents; and from the frailty of a newborn fawn to the brute strength of the grizzly bears. He created it all for you and me to enjoy.
He even created you in your mother’s womb with a very special plan and purpose in mind. He wants you to be a part of his family. And that lonely feeling is because He created you with an empty spot in your heart that only He could fill.
Some people tell me, “Yeah that was then, this is now. He wouldn’t want me after what I’ve done.” But being a Christian isn’t about being “good enough” because nobody is—it’s only by the supernatural grace and power of God that He forgives you and makes you acceptable to Him. It’s about having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. If you haven’t accepted Jesus Christ as the Lord of your life, or if you’ve gone astray, I’d like to encourage you to ask him into your heart. According to Romans 10:9-10, “That if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. ?For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.” [1]
All you have to do is believe and confess—you don’t have to wait until you're perfect. Jesus died on the cross and was raised from the dead as payment for your sin. He died for you. Are you courageous enough to ask Jesus to forgive your sins and to come into your heart as your Lord and Savior? If so, from your heart, read this prayer aloud:
Lord, I am a sinner and cannot save myself. I believe that Jesus Christ died on the cross for my sin. That He rose three days later from the dead so that I might have eternal life with Him. I’m asking You, Lord Jesus, to forgive me and to come into my heart to be my Savior. I ask You to live in me, and to guide me from this day forward. Amen.
Welcome to the family, now it’s important that you publicly express those beliefs by being baptized with water. Invest time each day with God by reading His Word, the Bible, and team up with other Christians so that you can share the journey.
May you be blessed with an awesome adventure on the trail to El Shaddai,
Rebecca Ondov
[1] The Holy Bible: New International Version.