“Give Me This Mountain”

If you had talked to me about my future plans before my recent health issues of a broken leg, heart attack, quadruple heart bypass surgery and then a blood clot, I would have told you that I wanted to finish well.  I was thinking of how to begin to decrease my responsibilities over the next couple years. Truthfully, there is wisdom in examining my schedule and ministry responsibilities.

But I want to share with you what God has laid on my heart during this process.  My mind has continued to think of Caleb in the Bible.  Caleb was one of the 12 spies that searched out the Promised Land.  He and Joshua believed that God had promised them the land even though there were giants (Anakites) living there.  He was described by God as, “my servant Caleb has a different spirit and followed me wholeheartedly.” Num. 14:24

Forty-five years later when the children of Israel entered the Promised Land and they were dividing up the land, Caleb at the age of 85 made an astounding request.  Instead of asking for a peaceful place to live out his years, he asked for the “hill country that the Lord promised me that day.”  Caleb has asking for the land where the Anakites still lived.  These were the “giants” that put fear into the hearts of the children of Israel 45 years earlier.  Because of the Israelites’ unbelief, God judged them by causing them to wander for 40 years in the wilderness until they all died off except Joshua and Caleb.  Now Caleb is saying “I want to finish the job.”

Because Caleb believed that God was with him, he trusted God in impossible situations.  Caleb said, “The Lord helping me, I will drive them out just as He said.”

After going through my difficulties the last 3 months, I have come to the conviction that God is not finished with me.  This is not the time to take it easy.  Like Caleb, I want to continue to be a part of what God is doing wholeheartedly.  There are many exciting mountains that God has before Bridge To Life.  I have a renewed passion to trust God to “give me this mountain.”

I am not looking for more to do.  Rather I want to use my strength and time in such a way to be multiplied in couples that are willing to  impact marriages and families.  I am very excited to see what God has before us.  We can not conquer the mountains that God has given us without your help.  This is the time that we need you the most.

By Don Smith, President of Bridge To Life Ministries