January, February, March 2005 IN THIS ISSUE From The Editor.......................Page 2 Friends Along The Trail...........Page 3 Encouraging God's Children....Page 4 Trail Tales................................Page 5 Previous Newsletters  (Archives)   Home Page  (Trailheads) Hiking the Trail of Truth, PO Box 1443, Crestline, CA, 92325-1443 Trail Office Phone, 909-338-4081 Mark's Trail Phone # 707-477-2460, or e-mail   hikemark@hotmail.com Page 2 From The Editor... HAPPY NEW YEAR!  Hello, and Welcome to the January, February, March 2005 Newsletter!  I sincerely hope this day you have allowed the 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. I hope also that you will do the best you can in this new year to share that unique inspiration with others along the daily trails of your life. Knowing God is first seeing Him through the things He has made. 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 websites' feature trail for this quarter; The Lake Trail. Your mental trek there can take you where you may be unable to journey physically. The education, inspiration and encouragement which you can find along the 7 hikes of the Lake Trail will be well worth your time... Just click on the Lake Trail marker on the left side of the Home page, or you can locate the marker on the Hiking Maps and Trailheads page as well. I sincerely hope that you will hike all of our 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. ¤ The pictures on the front page of this quarter's Newsletter were photographed by Edwin Lee Stratton of Canisteo, New York. Edwin graciously allowed us to display his noble work to HTTOT readers. The photos are quite captivating, and we are indeed grateful. Thank you so much, Mr. Stratton!  (Readers interested in his photography are free to e-mail Mr. Stratton through the following link: Ed~ ) WEBSITE NEWS: On February 15th, or thereabouts, HTTOT will be joyfully leaving northern California and returning to southern California. The new Trail Office mailing address for HTTOT will be, PO Box 1443, Crestline CA. 92325-1443. The roving trail phone number, 707-477-2460, will remain the same for a time, and I will let you know when it changes via posting on the website and e-mail, or postal service mail for those of you who do not have web access. Keep watching for it! Life's circumstances are always changing and the strangeness of this life cannot be measured. This is the reason for HTTOT's relocation to the southern CA area. There will of course be old, familiar trails to hike, yet, new adventures to write about, as well as new insights to share with you. I hope you will continue your interest in Hiking the Trail of Truth, and I hope to hear from you at your convenience. If you know of anyone who would like to be added to the mailing list, please let me know. HTTOT has been "in service" since 1998. The website was introduced in December of 2002. It has become a popular website since then, and I am hoping that future circumstances will allow it to continue. During this upcoming transition period the website will remain available on the Internet. *** The e-mail address, mstaylor@sonic.net, will no longer be in service after Monday, February 7th. If you have any correspondence, please send it before that date, or use the US postal service and mail your correspondence to the new Trail Office address. The new e-mail address will be hikemark@hotmail.com, effective March 1st 2005. HTTOTs' Desert Trail, a Native American musical CD, is still available for you to enjoy. I have a copy just for you. Simply drop me a note in the mail to request the CD and I will most gladly mail it to you. There is no charge... Send your request to: HTTOT, Mark S Taylor, PO box 1443, Crestline, CA 92325-1443... A description of this CD is available in the August 2003 Newsletter, which you can find in Newsletter Archives. It is quite an inspiring array of music.  Hope to hear from you with your request... If you do not have a computer or Internet access, you may be interested in a printed copy of Hiking the Trail of Truth (the website, volume IV). If so, please write and let me know. I will make one just for you should you request it. This volume is a printing of the November 2003 website edition, and is indeed educational in the spiritual realm. Note: It will not contain the Mountain and Valley Trail; 366 daily devotionals, which will make up a separate printed edition, Lord willing, in 2005. It will also not contain the Monthly Newsletter, save one sample copy (Nov 2003)... I also have available at your request the original booklet, Hiking the Trail of Truth, a Profound Look at Pure Reality (August 2000), and volume 2 in the HTTOT series, The Monuments (December 2000). These books are great learning tools, free of charge, and so I will be looking forward to your order. On the first of December 2004, video volume #13 in the Hiking the Trail of Truth series, entitled, The Adventure of Knowing God, became available for you. The video was filmed in the Mt. Whitney region of California's High Sierra, and is quite informative. You may receive a copy of this free, 56 minute video, simply by writing a request for the video and mailing it to the Trail Office address on the front of this Newsletter. I hope to hear from you with your video request! 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. So just write, e-mail, or phone 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... Next quarter's Letter from the Editor; Going Home. THIS MONTH: Patience in Prayer. Here we are, entering into another year. Can you believe it? With the new year I find I have an earnest desire to improve my prayer life. Our topic this quarter is patience in prayer. I have learned that genuine prayer requires much patience in spirit and sole trust in the God of heaven. This is something that is not natural to us—something we have to learn, usually through much grief and sorrow. Many times, at least to us, our prayers seem to go unanswered. Sometimes too we fail to see that God's answers arrive different from our expectations. We also may pray for things that are really not according to His will—not according to His plan. What seems to us to be unanswered prayer can leave us so confused and disappointed at times that we don't pray as often as we should, or we may refuse to pray altogether. We even get mad at God and give up. These attitudes are common to man, and if you have experienced them, you are definitely not alone. Jesus taught us how to better communicate with His Father through prayer. He taught us that the most important element in prayer was that God's will would be done in all circumstances. Patience in prayer then can only be developed through this understanding. We are told that whatever we ask for in Jesus' name we will receive. This is absolutely true, however, just how or in what form we receive our answer is always in line with God's will; pursuant to His plan and His timing. We tend to look for the answers we think we need in line with our wishes and according to the here and now, while God looks at all things according to eternity. Since the Bible teaches that in Him, we live and move and have our being, it stands to reason that we need to develop a constant attitude of prayer. I find that when I wake up in the morning and greet the dawn, my spirit is renewed through giving thanks to God for another day, and through the understanding that his mercy is new every morning. This promise alone takes time to contemplate. There are things I long for, places I would rather be, and I realize that only through prayer will God work things out for me and make known to me the path I should follow. Some writers claim we can follow our hearts, but God warns us never to trust ourselves. Am I impatient for some things? Of course. But I have learned that God is the one preparing me for eternity. He knows what is best, and things will happen only when He feels the time is right. To acquire patience I need to understand the importance of accepting His timetable. This can be difficult. Making time to continue to pray throughout the day and evening is the only thing that will lessen the difficulty. I have only recently learned to focus on eternity. What is your concept of eternity? Do you understand that God promises new heavens and a new earth? Do you understand that there will be no pain, no sorrow and no death? Do you understand that you will have all the desires of your heart? The Scriptures that teach on this most important subject surprisingly paint quite a picture. In the new world it can truly be said that we will live "happily ever after". That's the best ending for anyone's life story! The reason I am speaking of these things is that a deeper understanding of what we have to look forward to can indeed improve your prayer life, and do wonders for your patience and hope in the here and now. It can also open your eyes to the reality of forgiveness; to your great, personal importance to God Himself. How would you feel if you knew that God had prepared a special place just for you, a place where you were honored, a place where you could have satisfaction and peace beyond understanding, a place where all of your lifelong dreams could come true? He is in the process of doing just that; preparing a place for you. In the next Newsletter, we will take a profound look at Going Home. Until then, I thank you for and am honored by your time spent with Letter from the Editor. Sincerely, Mark S Taylor, HTTOT Back to top Page 3 Friends Along The Trail We began this new series in June of 2002 and, thanks to positive subscriber responses, we've been able to continue it, thank the Lord, in subsequent issues. Within this particular series I have been reflecting on how certain friends, relatives and strangers have influenced me over the years of my own life and times. As Christians we are instructed to encourage one another daily. Lord knows that I have been encouraged many times over the years through the words, actions, and associations of others. It is indeed then time to honor them. I have honored some of them before, yet, honoring others is something we really can't overdo for those truly deserving of it. Sometimes it takes considerable journeying through life before we learn the value of honoring others. I sincerely hope that my reflections on these "special characters" of my lifetime will cause you yourself to consider the God given blessings that special characters have had upon your own life... This month I would like to honor them ol' sodbusters. Just who are the ol' sodbusters anyway? They're all the older folks in your life; the ones in your family, the ones in the marketplace, and the ones out on the street or trail whom you pass by on a daily basis. Of all humans on the earth, they're the ones to whom we owe the most respect, yet it seems they are the ones we listen to and honor the least. Most older folks could teach you a thing or two about this life. Each individual has experienced something different, and you might consider the older folks as experts in their particular experience. You may be unaware that some of the most profound truths of life are spoken into the air while you sit on the porch near a grandma or grandpa's rocking chair. You need to smell that air and breathe it in deeply. As I look back and call to mind some of the things my grandmother expounded on, I realize how much better life would have been had I really listened to what she had to say. She had an old glider swing on her porch in that small West Virginia town of St. Marys. She would sit out there in the evening with the kids and grandkids all around her as she rocked back and forth, talking about her experiences in life and giving counsel. She knew more about God than any preacher, and spoke gently about all things. Her name was real special too; Delia Boley. No grandkid could ever ask for a better grandma than ol' Delia. Talk about your classic senior citizen...I can still see and hear her on that glider; talking and laughing just like Walter Brennan. She was a great cook too, and quite charitable considering what little she had to live on. A passing hobo could always count on a meal or a few quarters to line his pocket, and always a Bible lesson. Next time you're out walking or shopping, do a kindness for an ol' sodbuster. Let them get in line ahead of you, carry out their groceries, or just help them across the street. Courtesy and kindness mean a lot to them. And if they start talkin', take the time to stop and listen. They'll appreciate it, and you'll be indeed richer for it. Thank you, Lord, for the old folks along the trail of life which You have allowed me to come in contact with. Please continue to teach me to appreciate them and to be more like them; to radiate their kindness and wisdom—  Next month we'll ride once again with some Friends Along the Trail. Any subscribers or viewers who wish to honor their friends, you're welcome to write in to: Hiking the Trail of Truth, PO Box 1443, Crestline, CA 92325-1443, or e-mail hikemark@hotmail.com. Back to top Page 4 Encouraging Gods' Children Here is this months' list of those who need encouragement through your prayers and letters. I hope you will take the time to encourage them... Some of their problems are personal and we will respect their privacy; leaving it up to those individuals to share at their discretion. Please pray for them and write to them (I can provide addresses for you. Please call, E-mail or write to me for that information). Encouragement is a noble thing and a profound way to honor God through lifting up His children... Please inform me if you would like to add anyone to our prayer list. Let us this month encourage and pray for... Railyn Lori Hanson, of Marietta, Ohio... Lori recently gave birth to her very first child... Congratulations to Lori, and welcome to daughter Railyn Hope Hanson. Lori is the "one and only" daughter of Railroad Ron and Debbie Friend, who on occasion write articles for Hiking the Trail of Truth's Newsletters. Please pray that God will continue to bless this great family through their newest addition. Roberta Piland, of Apple Valley, California... Roberta is going in to the hospital for a hip replacement operation on January 12th. This "greatest of senior citizens“ is surely a favorite of God's children, at least in my humble opinion. Please pray for her well-being and a swift recovery. She wants to get back out there and work in the yard again soon, and that's a truly meaningful ambition, especially in the high desert where she resides. Jack Pa Myers, of Crestline CA... Jack is in the Veteran's hospital in San Bernadino recovering from life sustaining surgery. He is undergoing physical therapy so that he can return home, and doing quite well. Jack is another of the "greatest of senior citizens". Please continue to pray for him and his wife, Marge, who is at home and eagerly awaiting the return of her Prince. Pauline Palitto, of Akron Ohio... Pauline is doing much better now, thanks to your prayers. She's been allowed a good, long life thus far, and you are helping her to experience that through your kind prayers. Thank you. Herschell Taylor, of Wrightwood CA... Hersch has been fighting with cancer for some time now. Please pray for him and his family, that he may find peace and hope in the wonders of God's creation around him, so prevalent in the great San Bernadino mountain area where he resides. Carli Update on Carli! … Carli's surgery is scheduled for next Tuesday, Jan 11th.  I just wanted to remind you so you can say a little extra prayer for her. Also, Jill and Brian are driving to Baltimore with Carli, so keep your fingers crossed for a safe trip. Carli's other grandparents and I will be flying to Baltimore on Monday and staying until Carli is able to go home. Thanks to all of your for your support, and prayers, they are greatly appreciated by Moots, –Carli, her parents and I.  Love, Cheryl Update, January 14th ! Well, all went well with her surgery. She came out of the hospital on Thursday and they are able to leave for home tomorrow morning. She will be going back every two weeks for the next six months, with two more surgeries in there. It is going to be a long hard road for them but she will be able to lead a normal life when this is all done. Later on down the road she will need another lengthening, but not for awhile. The fixator (that's what that thing on her leg is called) is heavy and cumbersome. Poor little girl, she is still on medication for pain, as they have to do stretches on her toes and legs minimum of two times a day, and it really hurts her. She cries so loud and hard when they do them to her. This operation they cut her Achilles tendon to lengthen it, in six to eight weeks they will cut her tibia to lengthen it, and then six to eight weeks after that they will put it all together and form her an ankle. Until that time she is not allowed to stand on that leg at all. That is going to be hard to keep her from doing, she had started to walk along furniture and things just before Christmas. I want to thank all of you for your prayers, they made things much easier for her I am sure. Please pray for all of the children that are there going through what she is and much worse things. I will update every now and then and try to send a picture also. I am home now. Love, Cheryl For more information on Carli, visit Newsletter Archives beginning April 2004 Please remember all of the homeless and the poor of the world again this month. Try to locate a homeless person and help them in any way that you can... Continue to pray for all of those in need of daily bread, and please pray earnestly for all the people of the world in which we live, in every country, that men and women will desire to find wisdom, that they will turn and seek God's face in this world full of spiritual blindness, rebellion and increasing depravity. The Lord's coming will not be delayed much longer. Endeavor to encourage others to seek Him, in truth, while there is still time. Father, grant us the humility to seek Your face for the well being of others. Help us to reach out to them, with kindness, in word and in deed. We are, each one of us, in need of Your guidance in the use of possessions, our prosperity, our tongues and our talents. Though we are quite unworthy, we ask you to bless our efforts... In the name of your glorious Son, Jesus, we pray. Back to top Page 5 Trail  Tales Continuing stories of life along the trail... Previous episodes of Trail Tales can be found in Newsletter Archives This quarter's special tale: Desert Discovery I was so looking forward to arriving in Monument Valley that particular morning in May. I planned to hit the desert just at sunrise, that I might begin my journey by greeting that great gift from God. Desert sunrises are so spectacular in that you can take into view the entire horizon. I've done some drifting in the west in my later years. I guess it's because it's the nearest thing to heaven I can find on the earth. I am sure the new earth God promises us will be far greater, but for now, we have to settle for the best of the second best. Monument Valley is right up there in the top ten... There's nothing like the desert. Just minutes before the sun rises there, if you awaken at the right time, there is a look and scent about the place that is unmatched, anywhere. It's just a matter of crawling out of your sleeping bag, donning a pair of jeans, slipping into a clean t-shirt and lacing up your hiking boots. When you first exit your tent you catch the rewarding look and scent of dawn. Reverent is the nearest word of description in the English language. The next best word; majestic. It is, in addition, elegantly quiet. As you walk out past the perimeter of your camp and on into the desert for a morning stroll, all you hear is the sound of the desert floor under your feet. A poetic meshing together of the sand and pebbles and brush with each step. It is a time of awareness. A time to reflect on your good fortune; On life, on breath, on sight, on hearing, on smell, on taste and on touch. Presently, the magnificent touch of your footsteps on this sacred ground. All of Gods' earth is sacred ground. Listen as you walk. Allow the sound of your steps on the surface to take hold of your mind. Allow them to encourage your heart.— You might hike a short distance and then just sit down upon the desert earth... perhaps beside some cactus or other desert sprouts. It's OK to just sit right down in the dirt, if that's what you choose to call it. It won't hurt you. It just may allow you to become one with it. Now that you are seated, whether in an upright position, slouched position, or leaning back on your hands, you'll continue looking around at the terrain. Again you smell the air. Now is a good time to thank the One who allows you such an exquisite pleasure.— He's going to reward you in a moment. Reward you for thinking about Him out here and acknowledging firsthand what He has made. Yes. Here it comes. The clouds in the east have a slight orange casting to them. They appear to catch fire as they begin to pick up the colors of the increasing sunrise. Your breath escapes you as you gaze upon this most illuminating wonder... Now, you will think to yourself, how precious this time is, how wonderful to have my mind free from all worries and concerns. Yes. You are free to concentrate on this lovely place. Here, you feel truly free. To what do you ascribe this freedom? This is the freedom named peace. A peace that only God can allow you. And, He can give this to you no matter where you are. He can give this to you no matter what you are doing. Perhaps you just haven't known how to attain it. It requires insight. It requires understanding. It requires humility. Insight, understanding and humility are things you can first discover in the desert. For the most part it is unspoiled by the touch of humans. You'll have to get off the highway and walk back in for a distance to discover those unspoiled areas, but they are there—areas where you can see God's work alone and contemplate the wonders. If you are new to spiritual journeys this is a good place to begin. It is a good place to discover true quietness. It is a good place to listen to the wind. It is a very good place to talk to the One who formed you. Once you have communed with God in this way, you will find it easier to draw on Him in times of trouble amidst the noise and clutter of the city where you live. If you are planning a vacation this year, consider the desert of the American southwest. Depending on where you live in the United States it may take some time to get there, but I assure you that it will be well worth the trip. Be sure to visit Arches National Park, Monument Valley and the Grand Canyon. They are not far from one another, and you will have explored the best that the desert offers. I have had the good fortune to have been allowed to visit these areas many times in the last few years. It has changed my life for the better. I will be waiting to hear from you about your journey. Perhaps you can contribute and encouraging story to Trail Tales. May God bless you. Anyway, on that particular May adventure I stumbled upon some old ruins near Monument Valley early in the morning, and made a startling discovery... To Be Continued Thank you so much for hiking with us through the January, February, March issue of the Hiking the Trail of Truth Newsletter. Until April then, may the grace of our Lord Jesus be upon you... Sincerely, Mark S Taylor Back to top [Home] [Hiking Maps & Trailheads] [Bible Map] [Trail of Time] [New Birth Trail] [False Trail] [Mountain & Valley Trail] [Desert Trail] [Lake Trail] [High Sierra Trail] [Monthly Newsletter] [Questions & Answers] [Newsletter Archives] HIKING THE TRAIL OF TRUTH Mark S. Taylor (707) 477-2460