I love to hike and one of the things that I have learned about hiking is that I have to hike at my own pace or I do not enjoy the experience. I like to hike with others, but I can try to keep up with them or slow down so they can keep up with me, because then I get frustrated and miss the joy of the moment. We hikers have a saying: “Hike Your Own Hike!” which means to hike the way you want to hike – fast or slow, hard or soft, at your pace that allows you to enjoy every moment of the adventure.

Life is a lot like hiking on a trail, but so many of us are missing the joy of life, because we are trying to hike someone else’s hike. We look at “so and so” and they seem to have it made and so we try to hike their hike by looking like them, acting like them, trying to have what they have and we end up totally frustrated and can’t figure out why, so we select another “so and so” and begin the process all over, only to expereince the same frustration and miss out on the joy we were created for and that was created for us.

^“ The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand.” -Psalms 37:23-24

We have to learn in this life to hike our own hike or live our own life. Stop trying to fit in and be happy just being yourself. I am going to let you in on a little secret: Not everyone in this life is going to like you. Not everyone is always going to agree with your choices. Not everyone is going to applaude your successes and understand your failures, but your life is not for everyone else, it is for you and the people that God brings across your path for you to bless and be blessed by, while you are on your journey. When you learn this, accept this and begin to live this, you will expereince the miracle of joy, happiness and fulfillment.

Look for your trail and then once you get on it, hike it the way you want to hike it and enjoy every step of the amazing journey that has been marked out for you…