May the Lord, maker of heaven and earth, bless you from Zion. (Psalm 134:3)

My husband Will and I are spending this week in the Adirondacks at a Christian gathering, and we had the opportunity to try railbiking yesterday.

Railbiking is like an old railroad and a recumbent exercise bike mated and had a child. With both family (my father-in-law Norm joined in with Will and I) and friends (16 of us!), we decided to try this new outdoor experience together.

And. It. Was. Amazing.

For almost 2 hours, we leisurely pedaled on a railroad that, until a year ago (when a new company re-purposed this abandoned railway), had never seen passenger traffic. We pedaled next to the Hudson River, saw the beautiful trees and natural beauty of the Adirondacks, and even went over the Hudson on a bridge– which afforded us a gorgeous view untouched by human hands.

While we pedaled, I was struck by how simple this adventure was for us. All we needed was the rail bike & rails, some loved ones, and God’s creation. We got to enjoy each other’s company, and drink in the awesome world that God created.

And it was truly a blessing from God.

May the Lord, maker of heaven and earth, bless you from Zion.

Sometimes we get so wrapped up in the complicated twists and turns of life that we can assume our relationship with God needs to be complicated, too. But experiencing God’s presence can be as simple as pedaling through the beauty of God’s creation, thanking God for creating the world and the family and friends I’m pedaling with in that moment. I felt God’s love and provision so powerfully in this very simple adventure.

What are some ways God is calling you to experience God’s love for you in a simpler way?

Try one of those ways this week. See how it goes. And you may be surprised how little you need to experience God’s love and presence. Simply enjoying God’s presence is an amazing blessing from God.

May the Lord, maker of heaven and earth, bless you from Zion.