Brad Mathias thought everything in his family was fine. A busy,
contented dad, he had vaguely noticed that Bethany, his middle child,
had become withdrawn and moody, but he assumed it was part of being a
“teen” and didn’t look any deeper. Until the night God spoke clearly to
Brad and his wife:
Ask her to reveal what she has hidden. They
did—and learned the secret Bethany had been carrying, one that rocked
their family to the core. In a desperate attempt to reach their daughter
and to reconnect as a family, Brad and his wife piled everyone into the
car and embarked on a wild, crazy, seven-thousand-mile,
what-are-we-thinking trip across the country. As they drove, they
realized how far apart they’d drifted, found unexpected blessings along
the way—and journeyed together from pain and loss to recovery and
redemption. In this book, Brad shares stories from the road about God’s
grace, gives practical tips on what he learned about reconnecting as a
family, invites you to consider your own epic journey as a mother or
father, and calls you to trust wholeheartedly in the amazing love God
has for your kids.
Chapter One: Flashback at the Falls
Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own
understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make
straightyour paths (
Proverbs 3:5-6, ESV).
June 2010
Hiking along the sapphire blue shores of one of the most beautiful
lakes in the world, I found myself invigorated and out of breath. The
combination of high altitude, frigid morning air, and the thirtypound
backpack I was carrying caused me to pause on the trail. Looking back
over my shoulder, I saw my little band of intrepid flatlander
suburbanites following dutifully behind me as we crossed this
magnificent mountain landscape. We were exploring a remote road trip to
redemption seven-mile trail to Bow Falls that skirts the picturesque Bow
Lake in Alberta, Canada, located only a few miles from the idyllic Lake
Louise resort region of Banff. We had left our rental cabin before dawn
that day, hoping to get on the trail in time to reach our isolated
destination by noon.
I had led my
family from
Nashville, Tennessee, to Canada on a quest to reintroduce them to the
Author of all beauty, the Creator of true life, Jesus Christ. I could
envision no place in the world that could convey the majesty and
creativity of their spiritual heritage better than this remarkable piece
of paradise.
An avid hiker and road warrior, I had visited Alberta several times
before with my lifelong friend Brian Hardin. As a professional
photographer, he had explored this lake with me, and I had kept one of
his pictures framed in my living room ever since. Bow Lake was a sacred
place for me. I had wept on the day I first stood on its shores.
Dramatic mountain walls swept down into a crystal-clear, glacier-fed
lake that perfectly reflected the snowcapped peaks from every angle.
This valley had been designated a UNESCO World Heritage site. Every
summer, tourist buses swept by its shores following the world-famous
Icefields Parkway—an ice-trail road running from Banff to
Jasper—carrying hundreds of visitors eager to see the sights, buy the
trinkets, and pose for pictures. These driveby gazers were content to
leave the majesty of the lake’s shores with a few digital memories. In
their rush to see more, did they truly understand or appreciate the
silent and awesome presence of this pristine wilderness? I doubted it.
When I stand on the shores of this lake, I always feel as if I am
standing in the presence of my Creator God. No other place in the world
moves me like this place does. It is unique, special, unequaled in its
beauty and its serenity. So when I had an opportunity to take a trip
with my family, it didn’t take me long to decide where we would go. Now
here we were, hiking past the well-worn shoreline of the casual tourist
trail and heading to the soaring glacier’s edge, which in summer forms
the magnificent Bow Falls, rising over five hundred feet in the far
distance.
The trail was long and winding, with very few easy stretches, and we
quickly realized it would tax us much more than any trail we had tried
before. My sophisticated teens were excited, engaged, and anxiously
snapping pictures as they hiked. Exclaiming like little children who had
just discovered another new ride at Disneyland, they shared their joy
with anyone who would listen. I smiled at their random outbursts of oohs
and aahs, their pointing and yelling at the wildlife and mountain
scenery around us: “Dad, this is AMAZING! It’s soooooo cool.” “Are those elk? Are they dangerous?” “Is that an eagle? How cool is that!” “Seriously, are there bears up here? Will they eat us?”
They would each exclaim their discoveries or shout their delight, as if
they alone had seen the beauty and we risked missing a critical life
moment if we didn’t immediately stop and stare with them before it
suddenly disappeared. It was awesome to see my suburban, media-addicted
teenagers running around the wilderness like kids in a candy store. It
was a prayer answered—and a major passion of my life shared with my
family for the first time.
Review -
I have really enjoyed this book and it is a reminder to enjoy your family. Spend time with your family and listen to them. Try to engage with your children and spouse on a regular basis so you can help each other when times are hard. You need to pay attention to each other love each other. I liked the pictures in the book and the whole story is very inspirational.
Full Disclosure - Tyndale House Publishers have provided
me with a complimentary copy of this
book. for review. The opinions expressed are my own.
