“Stagnant, stunted, wilted, scarred, scorched, shredded, torn.” Do any of these descriptors pair with your Christian journey? For any gardeners, horticulturists, or botanists, you will recognize that these verbs are some common signs and symptoms of struggling plants.

Day four of rain and cloud cover on this five-day mountaineering trip in the Coastal Range of B.C., Canada, had me imagining all the avenues through which I could pursue a refund. The promises and slideshows of wildflowers and mountain views were replaced with muddy bogs, wet sleeping bags, and a cold you couldn’t shake.