Who deserves credit for our Accomplishments?

Account of 2 successful summit attempts

I want to present a testimony to tell what the Lord has done for me. I'll start by referring to a few scriptures. The apostle Paul tells us in Colossians 3:17: And whatever you do (no matter what it is) in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus and in(dependence upon) His person, giving praise to God the Father through Him. In 1 Corinthians 10:31 he states: ...whatever you may do, do all for the honor and glory of God;. Finally, 1 Samuel 2:30 states:... For those who honor me I will honor,....There are many other texts about glorifying God but I chose these.
A little over a year ago I got this idea in my head that I wanted to climb and summit a mountain because it sounded like a good acomplishment. I prayed for weeks and maybe months about it. The Lord made me feel good about it but I felt in someway I should use it to bring glory unto him. So I researched it(as I do everything) and deceided to climb a peak in the Teton range of Wyoming. The guide company suggested a mountain named the Middle Teton. My girlfriend at the time and I booked a trip and off to Wyoming we went. From the beginning of the climb I underestimated everything especially how difficult and potentionally dangerous this excursion could be. I will keep the rest of this concise. The guide and us set up a camp about half way up the route, so the harder part of the climb wasn't until the second day. As we made our way up the mountain I began to feel sick, nauseated, short of breath and just overall not well. Then nerves kicked in. I guess I became nervous about what was ahead of me and performing all of that while I was sick. Nervousness turned into fear, especially after I saw the last portion of the climb to the summit. It was steep and jagged very different than what we negotiated so far. The guide asked how I was and suggested we just try to go on and I was to keep her informed of my symptoms. As we climbed on my fear intensified because then I worried if I even made it to the top would I be able to get back down." What if I get really sick how are they going to get me back down"? I said to myself. As I was barely moving God spoke to me through a verse: " I did not give Al the spirit of fear but of power and of Love and of sound a well disciplined mind"(of course 2 Timothy 1:7). After that verse came into my head I immediately felt like he lifted me up. From then on I relied totally on him and I believe the Holy Spirit empowered me because the way I felt physically there was no way I finished that climb on my on power. He lifted me up(it reminded me of Isaiah 41:10 and Isaiah 40:31). There was one more interesting part to the story. As we were moving up the route, I was on sort of "a ledge" and my girlfriend was ahead of me. She accidently kicked a boulder about the size of my head down towards me heading straight for my face. I had nowhere to go so I prepared for the boulder to hit me in the head and knock me of the ledge. I believe what happened next was the Lord supernaturally protecting me. What was amazing, right before we left to meet the guide I insisted on praying. In my prayer I spoke out Psalm 34:7- The Angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him(who revere and worship him with awe)and each of them He delivers. I learned the importance of always speaking the word from your spirit. To sum up this experience, the Lord showed me He is true to is word(Titus 1:2). Also, what a faithful God he is and always rely on him!


In mid May of 2008 I booked another climb. At first I made a mistake and allowed my desires to take control. I felt good about a climb of Mt. Hood in Oregon but my carnal nature interfered and I put a deposit on a trip to Alaska to take part in a mountaineering course and a peak ascent in Glacier National park. Until one day coming home from the gym, I believe the Lord spoke to me and I got an uneasy feeling about going to Alaska. I prayed again about it and called the guide company to cancel that trip. In the meanttime at work I was going toward my desk one day and this thought came into my head "zigzag", at first I couldn't figure out why such a random word came into mind. I thought about it more and finally connected it with something only I would know. From all the researching and studying of Mt. Hood I did, I remembered a well known glacier on the southwest face of called the zigzag galcier. I connected the thought of zigzag in my head with Mt. Hood ( I know it sounds strange but remember the Lord works in mysterious ways). Shortly after that I called Timberline Mt. guides to discuss options for a trip and they gave me good news. The dates and trip I wanted was now opened up because people signed up for it and I was welcomed to join this course...praises be unto the Lord! I bought all my gear, packed up and off for Oregon I was. The trip and climb couldn't have been better. It was a great experience! Mt. Hood is a beautiful place which brings to mind Psalm 14:1 "The (empty-headed) fool has said in his heart, there is no God....The credit for my ability-endurance, applying the skills learned, drive/determination etc.. to succesfully summit the highest peak in Oregon I give to give to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, through whom all things are possible! To sum up this experience; the Lord showed me when you do his will, things cannot work out any better. " And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God".(Romans 12:2 KJ).