Portland, I'll Climb Mountains for You.

Last week drained me. I have been missing home pretty badly.

Maybe it's because no matter what I am doing here I am sweating, and I miss the rain. I toss and turn in the heat missing my sister's nazi like regulations on the heater that meant living in a below zero house. I miss wearing my cardi's and cords that are all wadded up in my duffel.

It has been so hot here somedays we have to just sit all with our individual fans blowing on our face and don't move, because they don't believe in AC in spain.

I am starting to understand more of physically being in the wilderness.

And for those of you who know me, you know it's all I can do not to bobble head from the heat. I am already sleepy in nature, but the heat just takes me over the top.

Don't get me wrong. Mijas, Spain is beautiful. I am so thankful to be here at G42, but I miss green, I miss trees, the Columbia river gorge, Mt. Hood, Solid Rock Church, Salt & Straw Ice cream.. and of course all of ya'll reading.

Friday I decided to go for a hike with my friend Brian for his birthday. Oddly, I was the only one who agreed to go. It can't really be that bad I thought. It's true, we had picked the hottest day of the week to go, along with the worst time of day, 1:45 in the afternoon, but we'd have water and the suns not that bad. Right? Plus- hiking reminds me of home, and I am in need of a dose of home. My expectation and reality were way off.

Our destination: The Satellites. 
Distance: Unknown.
Number of shady tree spots: 2
Amount of boiling water I consumed: 48 ounces
Number of times I almost threw up: 2
Number of times I had to stop due to heat exhaustion and fear of fainting: 3
Number of times I wanted to turn back: The entire second half of the upward trek.
Hours to reach our destination: 3
Hours to get home: 1

The far hills in the 1st picture were our destination.. I had no idea what I was in for.

But the competitive spirit in me would not stop something I had started, and it was Brian's birthday. This hike was incline the entire way. There were moments I literally stopped with the following scenario in my head:

 

If I pass out, will Brian:
a.) Carry me down the mountain- without dropping me and us both sliding down a hill
 OR 
b.) Leave me here and go get help- where I will get scorched  with third degree burns from the sun and eaten by a snake he just told me about. A little one; aka a couple FEET long.
When we finally made it to the top and I sat and looked out over the haze of fog settling over the mediterranean from the humidity I realized that Mountains are necessary.

Climbs. The hot wind blowing in my face. Heat stroke. Points of Exhaustion that all you want to do is throw up or turn back are necessary to grow. It's these moments that facilitate change, that foster transformation, and equip you for whatever is waiting for you on the other side. Overcoming mountains brings you to NEW territory, and gives you new perspective. It took me almost quitting in the physical, to realize my heavy heart and mind this last week were also trying to turn back.

I talked to Andrew Shearman the next day about being homesick and what he said to me has completely restored the Joy in my decision to come here.

"Rachael, you're homesick, but don't let it pull you down or invite depression- Take it to God and say, 'Thank you, that I know where my heart is, and where I am going. That's one less question I have to ask you on at the moment Lord. Thank you I have a community I am excited about getting back to, and roots I want to plant, and then let yourself be free to just enjoy the time you have here, and soak up all you can to take back home."

It's incredible how a sentence of truth can dispel a mound of lies building up*. I am here to get this same DNA, this same red hot heart and ice cold brain**, mentorship, practical skills, and community so that I can take all I've been given and freely give it back to Portland and wherever else life leads.

I will continue going back and holding tight to God's last word until he says something different. His last word to me on G42 right before I left the states to come to Spain was this: "Everything I am taking you through and pouring into you in Spain is going to build a character and foundation that will be in you the rest of your life." I am holding onto that word. I still miss you Portland, but I'm growing so that I can come back and Love you better and hopefully Inspire you to grow as well.

P.S I basically jogged back down the Mountain. I was out of cold water and about to be a little bit "Hangry": anger ensued by hunger. When we reached the center of town and a water fountain- I plunged my whole head under and literally felt steam coming off of me. I can safely say I will not be attempting that climb again until the fall weather comes- if at all. It's already crossed off the bucket list!

 

P.P.S an inside joke: It was WAAAAYY worse than "Washed out Washington Park.."

* 28 seconds of prophecy can change a nation. More to come on Ezekiel 37! Words are powerful!
** Red Hot heart Ice cold Brain is a concept used here a lot. We want to have a passionate red hot heart living in an eternal reality, with an ice cold brain that sees the facts of this world and operates in what is happening now.