I have been blessed with the opportunity to take a few amazing vacations to some pretty magnificent destinations. While I have loved trying new foods, shopping for souvenirs and being able to escape reality for a few days, my favorite thing about these trips has been time spent connecting with nature. Watching a blazing orange sunset over nothing but a vast expanse of ocean, gazing at the full moon in a dark sky and its reflection in the shimmering sea, exploring undersea life with the help of a mask and snorkel and being amazed by the diversity of God’s creation—these are the things that have left a truly lasting impression on my spirit.

The good news is that you and I don’t have to take a trip to a tropical paradise to appreciate what God has created. Just take some time to “unplug” from the noise and look around. Go take a hike on one of the many trails in our area or head to a lake for a few hours and soak in the view. When you take time to appreciate God’s creation and give glory to the Creator, it’s an act of worship and communion with Him.

I’ll leave you with this verse on which to reflect…it’s from Nehemiah 9:6: “You alone are the LORD. You made the heavens, even the highest heavens, and all their starry host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You give life to everything, and the multitudes of heaven worship you.”