The view from the north summit was breathtaking. Some fifty years earlier the Forest Service had painstakingly constructed this fire lookout tower overlooking a majority of Yellowstone National Park's southern border. Josh and his dad stood on the weathered pine deck and soaked in the near 360 degree vista. To the southwest, a dark, winding crevasse carved into the earth the Yellowstone River, from which they had come thus far. To the east, a steeper and wilder Thoroughfare River approached and merged with the Yellowstone to channel northward into the Park. Bridger Lake reflected bright blue light from directly below them to the north. South of their position loomed the true summit of Ptarmigan Mountain, some 1500 feet higher in elevation.
They had been enjoying a lengthy discussion about women, God, and other deep topics during their ascent and finally continued the conversation after the awesome pause to take in the twenty mile radius of wilderness.
"Did you know Adam was standing right next to Eve in the Garden of Eden when Satan tempted her to eat from the tree of knowledge?" Josh's dad prompted.
"No way! I thought he was off working the garden or something!" Josh replied.
"Nope. It says right there in Genesis 3:6 that he was right there with her and didn't even lift a finger to stand up for her. And we men fail the same way even today. We won't risk. We won't fight. We won't try to rescue our women from the many barrages and deceptions attacking their minds. Instead we hide in fear, thinking we don't have what it takes. And our women hide their vulnerability also either behind a controlling personality or an extremely passive, uncommitted mindset. Both are results of masking over their fears. I feel like we should pray right now, son."
They bowed their heads as Josh's dad led them.
"'Search me, O God, and know my heart. Try me and know my fearful thoughts. Reveal to me the ways I pose and hide, and O God, lead me in the everlasting way, the way of truth and strength. May I live with passion and zeal, may my soul be captured by you for something big, noble and worthy of your kingdom. Remove the quiet desperation of my soul, chase away resignation, anger, and the addictions I run to. Free me to be a strong, passionate, and dangerous man... as you created me to be. Draw me beyond the battles I know I can win, lure me to larger adventures... speak with power those words I long to hear: "You have what it takes." I ask all this in Jesus' name...'" (Wild at Heart)
Crack! The loud boom reverberated from behind them, swiveling their heads in a violent interruption. Two mature Bighorn rams stood on the hillside above them, about thirty feet apart. A few seconds later the rams turned to face each other again and reared up on their hind legs. One cocked his head to the right and held his front legs out straight and stiff. The other kept his head down with legs bent at the knee. Accelerating upright, they lowered their multi-ringed horns simultaneously. The impact was dead solid and sent shock waves rippling through their neck muscles, exiting through their haunches causing their back legs to lift off the ground recklessly. Josh and his dad saw the viscious collision two seconds before the sound reached their ears.
"You see son, just like these guys, there always is a battle going on above us, spiritually speaking. God created the animals even before us and made them like they are. He has given us even more in that we are made in His image. We already have what it takes built into our design. It's about time we start finding the faith to believe it."
The view from the north summit was breathtaking. Some fifty years earlier the Forest Service had painstakingly constructed this fire lookout tower overlooking a majority of Yellowstone National Park's southern border. Josh and his dad stood on the weathered pine deck and soaked in the near 360 degree vista. To the southwest, a dark, winding crevasse carved into the earth the Yellowstone River, from which they had come thus far. To the east, a steeper and wilder Thoroughfare River approached and merged with the Yellowstone to channel northward into the Park. Bridger Lake reflected bright blue light from directly below them to the north. South of their position loomed the true summit of Ptarmigan Mountain, some 1500 feet higher in elevation.