If you read, “Crying at the Canyon Part 1,” you know my friend was traumatized by her trip to the Grand Canyon. Unfortunately for her, she would be facing another terrifying canyon a few days later.
When my friend and her husband reached their destination in Arizona, she was so excited by the scenery. That evening she called me and told me all about the breathtaking beauty of the desert. Over the years, I have heard other people describe the desert that way. Being an East Tennessee girl who’s used to lush green fields and forested ridgelines, that sounded strange to me. She also told me if I ever visited Arizona, I needed to bring my telescope since it was big sky country. My friend was amazed for she had never seen so many stars at once in her life. Now that is something I could get into.
As they started back home, some of the locals suggested they go through Salt River Canyon. It would save three hours off of their trip. My friend didn’t care about three hours since it was a three-day trip anyway, but her husband was keen on the idea. She thought, “Great, another canyon.”
They started at the bottom of Salt River Canyon. As they initially drove up it, my friend thought it was beautiful scenery. It concealed what was waiting for them ahead. As they climbed up the side, the road became narrower as well as steeper. She said there was barely enough room for two cars. As she looked over the hood, all she could see was sky. When she looked out of her passenger side window, it was straight down. Not only were there no guardrails on the road, it didn’t even have an edge. She was just as terrified as she was at the Grand Canyon.
“Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me.” Isaiah 49:16 (KJV)
This verse gives us the image of the Lord engraving us on His palms just as a mother engraves her children into her heart. Therefore, we are assured that He can never and will never forget us. So, when you are afraid or climbing out of a canyon, remember that you are always on His mind.
Have you ever watched somebody kiss the ground when they arrived back in the United States? If it had me instead of my friend, I would have kissed the ground when I got back home to East Tennessee!
Brooke Cox is an author, speaker, and storyteller. She was a 2016 Selah Awards Finalist for Debut Novel. Her children’s book: “Dinosaur Eggs,” is now available. It is based on Ephesians 6: The Armor of God. Her novel “Until the Moon Rises: A Conniving Cousin Mystery” is also available. Also, she has two books out in her storytelling series: “Saucy Southern Stories.” The Amazon links for her books may be found on her website: brookecoxstories.com. Please feel free to contact her. She would love to hear from you.