2010 Hiking the Trail of Truth's Book of the Month...Hiking theTrail of Truth. Please click on the book to preview and/or order this award-winning edition. It's for sure and eye-opener! * Previous Newsletters    (Archives)  Website Home Page  (Trailheads) Mark's Trail Phone 909-549-0068 Contact  Hiking the Trail of Truth,   hikemark@hotmail.com Page 2 From the Editor Hello, and Welcome to the 2010 HTTOT Newsletter!  We here at Hiking the Trail of Truth sincerely hope this year that you will allow the loving Spirit of God to be active within your heart, and that you are perhaps able to get out for a hike and consider many of the wonders He has made. We are uniquely drawn to these wonders because we were formed from the very dust of the earth, and, because of that relationship, we have the ability to develop the understanding that will allow us to discover our unique balance with nature. Come along with us on a most profound adventure in learning... WEBSITE NEWS: Knowing God is first seeing Him through the things He has made (Romans 1:20).  Hiking the Trail of Truth is here to help you along in your journey of discovery and sharing. If you have been or are presently unable to get out this season for a physical hike, just visit our website's feature trail for this month; The Lake Trail. Your mental trek there can take you where you may be unable to journey physically. The eye-opening education, inspiration and lasting encouragement which you can find along the Lake Trail will be well worth your time... Just click on the Lake Trail link in this newsletter, or click on the marker at the website's Hiking Maps and Trailheads page. — We sincerely hope that you will hike all of our devotional and educational trails at the website this year. Again, we are here to help you in any way we can and, as always, look forward to hearing from you. Hiking the Trail of Truth is currently one of the most truthfully informative Christian sites on the web. Please, be our guest; explore this truth for yourself and discover! The most important way to begin your day is with a short reading from the Bible. Today is indeed a good time to begin that resolve. For this purpose, the Mountain and Valley Trail was built. There you will find daily Bible readings for the entire year, with accompanying photos, created especially for you. To locate this picture/Scripture calendar, simply click on the Mountain and Valley Trail marker at Hiking Maps and Trailheads. You will find a compass there that will lead you to the calendar of months, and you can then choose a month to begin your day-by-day readings. Your daily journey through life is sure to begin in the right direction!  After all, we live only one day at a time, right?— Why don't you then take the opportunity now and begin a one-year hike along the Mountain and Valley Trail. You will not be disappointed, in fact, your journey will be full of enlightening, life-changing insights! Don't forget that HTTOT offers FREE COUNSELING to anyone who wants it (Lord knows we all need it). Your varied questions are also important, and are given the utmost consideration in answering them. For you to be aware of the truth, in a world where falsehood abounds, is very important to us. Your spiritual struggles are of our utmost concern—we can help!  We serve a loving and compassionate Creator. So just phone or e-mail any time. Contact information is listed at the bottom of the cover page of this Newsletter, or you can visit Questions and Answers Trail Camp at the website, where a ''submit a question" link is provided, or you can visit the On-Line Church to submit your inquiries or learn there how to understand the Bible correctly. Sincerely, the HTTOT staff.   June's Letter From the Editor : Raindrops keep fallin' on my head... We're hiking in the rain today... It is indeed a special time to hike. The wine country of northern California has been drenched with rain for several weeks now. Hard rain, soft rain, intermittent rain, rain mixed with wind—you name it, we've had it. It has been of course a remarkable display of Gods' handiwork; from the medley of downpours, to a variety of impressive cloud formations, explosions of thunder and breathtaking streaks of lightning as well. — Some folks don't like rain. Perhaps they would do well to consider it under a different light. — Rain can be a needed comfort to the soul; inspiring, soothing, having a tranquil and even medicinal effect, whether you're under a tin roof, an umbrella, or just walking under the hood of a raincoat or poncho. Even very intense rain can be captivatingly exquisite. Rain always has a purpose. Appreciating rain is something we learn to do through an understanding of its creator. The first rains in history came upon the earth about 5000 years ago, as a prelude to the great Flood of Noah. These rains served to save Noah and his family (1st Peter 3:20,21), and subsequently reshaped the earth geographically as we now know it. Our current weather regime serves to develop our seasons, water the earth and cleanse the air that we might enjoy the natural splendor of the extraordinary planet upon which we live. Following any given rainstorm we may have the good fortune to observe a rainbow; God's reminder to us of the great Flood, and a reminder of His promise to never again destroy the entire earth with water (Genesis 9:12-17). I find then that while under the blanket of any type of rainy weather there comes a time to remember, to reflect, and to give thanks... I have often sat on the back porch during this year's rainy season. Just the sound of the rain against the roof, or on the surface of the ground, has indeed served to calm my spirit and relax my physical body during these trying times in which we are now living. I have on occasion donned my old army poncho and hiked some distance from home here during times of the heavier downpours. I have a little park nearby that has a small lake within its borders, where I like to go and say my prayers and commune with God. Rainfall serves to make these special times of meditation even more glorious... The rain on my face is a welcome embrace from the Lord. I long to walk with Him in the rain as with a close friend. I quite often think of my children during these encounters with the rain. Of course, they are no longer children. In fact they are all grown up and each have their own families. Yet, I continue to be with my adult children in spirit, knowing that the pure, sweet scent of rain is like pleasant conversation with them. I always thank God for blessing me with their spiritual presence. Though they are physically distant they are truly near. I hold them and embrace them in the rain as the Lord embraces me. Thus, rain is certainly once again a comfort. I have been attracted to rain from my youth. Bold thunder and lightning have always thoroughly impressed me. During my army basic training, in 1963, I once marched twenty miles in a heavy downpour of rain with fellow soldiers, set up camp amid lightning and thunder, and then laid on my back in a pup-tent, contemplating the wonder of that everlasting rain as it beat rhythmically on the surface of my cozy little shelter. It was quite inspiring and definitely medicinal after that long day's march. The Lord has most graciously passed that simple appreciation onto my family... I received a card from my daughter (Carrie) recently. There was no special occasion—she just has a habit of doing very thoughtful things for me once in a while. Anyway, there was a picture of a heavy rainstorm on the front of the card, with a young girl (a duckling in human form) smiling from under an umbrella. The caption read; Even on the rainiest day,... I then opened the card where the caption was completed; You bring the rainbow ! My daughter had added a short, handwritten note within the card; telling me that she missed me, hoped to see me soon, and thought of me often. I haven't asked her, but I am sure that a rainy day back there in Ohio prompted her to send that blessing, which now remains, sacred, atop a shelf at my desk. Rain. Once again, a time to remember, to reflect, to give thanks, and a time to increase your understanding as well. It has given me much insight into the untold pleasures related to being aware of God. I hope you too have learned to be sensitive to the wonder of rain. It is, without question, a heavenly cure for the weary, lonely soul. Respect it. Enjoy it. Learn from it and honor it. God will indeed bless you. "Hear, Oh earth, the words that I say! My teaching will fall on you like rain; my speech will settle like dew. My words will fall like rain on tender grass, like gentle showers on young plants." (Deuteronomy 32:1,2) Thanks for hiking along with me today—see you next time for another letter from the editor! Sincerely, Mark S Taylor Questions? Please contact me. [Home] [Hiking Maps & Trailheads] [Discovery Trail] [Bible Map] [Trail of Time] [New Birth Trail] [Mountain & Valley Trail] [Desert Trail] [Lake Trail] [High Sierra Trail] [Wilderness Trail] [False Trail] [HTTOT: The Book] [Monthly Newsletter] [Newsletter Archives] [Questions & Answers] [On-Line Church] HIKING THE TRAIL OF TRUTH Mark S. Taylor Trail Phone:  (909) 549-0068