International Mountain Day | JOY for Today

No matter the viewpoint, from the bottom or from the top, a mountain landscape is breathtaking. Mountains tell of God's majesty with their towering heights, beauty, and timelessness. Go to the mountain; tell of your savior - the one who brings you JOY.

International Mountain Day | December 11th Annually

JOY for Today Offerings:

• Did You Know... Facts about mountains.
• Wolfe Stew Connects To help with your mountains.
• Bible Verses and Quotes About mountains.
• Activity Suggestions Mountain related informational videos and articles, inspired art, songs, discussion questions, and family challenge.

UPCOMING HOLIDAYS: 

• Winter Solstice (When the sun reaches its southernmost point)
• Christmas (December 25th Annually)
• New Year's Day (January 1st Annually)

Did You Know:

1. There are three main types of mountains? The types of mountains are categorized by their formation: volcanic eruptions, tectonic plate collisions, and tectonic plate tension and compression. The three types, in order of formation, are Volcanic Mountains, Fold Mountains, and Block Mountains. (World Atlas)
2. Climbing mountains was once only for scientific purposes? During the industrialization of the 19th century, people looked for ways to escape monotonous routines. Mountaineering answered this longing. European adventurers explored the unexplored to break from the repetition of work. (Illuminating Facts & History Cooperative)
3. Mount Everest is only one of three tallest mountains in the world? If asked as a trivia question, Mount Everest would likely be the popular response. However, depending on how a mountain is measured, Everest is only one of three. Varying descriptors of tallest include: altitude, from base to top, and the farthest from earth's center. Mount Everest earns the tallest title when measuring from sea level, Mauna Kea is tallest from base to tip, and Mount Chimborazo is farthest from Earth's center. (Live Science)
4. Mt. Fuji is the most-climbed mountain in the world? While less than 7,000 people have reached Mt. Everest's peak, 300,000 hike Mt. Fuji annually. It has four popular trails leading to the summit and is best to climb from July to August. (MSN, Traveller, & HA Expeditions)
5. Many important Biblical events occurred on mountains? Abraham led his only son to be sacrificed as a testament to his faith and foreshadowing of God's grace at Mount Moriah, Moses received the Ten Commandments atop Mount Sinai, Jesus prayed before His crucifixion and ascended into heaven at The Mount of Olives, and God's kingdom resides on Mount Zion. Find out more about significant Biblical mountains at Christian.net.

We'd Love to Know:   

Which mountain fact intrigues you?

Wolfe Stew Connects

Exhilaration. That is the feeling that engulfs you when you reach a mountain's summit and peer down into the valley. You look at where you came from, reflect on the effort it took to get there, and soak in the achievement of reaching the top. 

Mountaintop experiences are similar. Despite insurmountable odds, you finally reach the end of your trial and can breathe freely surrounded by God's artistry, feel His proximity, and rejoice in your oneness with Him. Until we summit the final mountain, where we will reside with Him eternally, life provides endless opportunities for us to climb mountain after mountain in communion with God as He teaches us to destroy every obstacle that bars our way.

The first step in obstacle destruction is to recognize there is a mountain, or a barrier that is preventing you from experiencing the fullness of God's love. Sometimes these barriers are difficult to recognize because we fear change. Choosing change means overcoming our obstacle of deception. Our deception is comfortable, familiar, predictable. So, we live in ignorance believing it is bliss when it is actually destruction. Identifying the type of mountain blocking your path enables you to start your journey. And don't fear the journey; you're not in it alone. God is with you. The Maker of Mountains guides you and even the mountains tremble in His presence (Nahum 1:5). Journey in awestruck love and wonder as you witness firsthand who He is. 

Next, believe you can conquer it. Standing at the bottom paralyzed by the climb is the obstacle of inadequacy. We question our ability, that others who stand by will support us, that we are prepared for what is to come. We want to get over the mountain but stand at the bottom listing reasons why we are ill-equipped. We fear failure so we refuse to try. But God says all we have to do is tell that mountain to move and it will move. We don't even have to climb, we just have to believe (Mark 11:23). And when you do, watch as God, The Mountain Mover, casts your objections into the sea.

When you struggle, rely on God's strength not your own. We think we can and should do it on our own and face the obstacle of pride. Though we stumble, though we are attacked, though we hunger, we seek our own solution instead of surrendering to the Father. We fear weakness and tax ourselves to prove our strength. But no matter how strong you are, no matter how much you train, no matter how robust your resources, you will fall. When you do, know the Father's hand is always there reaching out for you. He longs to help you. As you grasp His hand, know you have accepted an opportunity for The Mountain Melter (Micah 1:4) to melt away your pride too.

At the top, worship Him for the good He has done. When our trial ends, it is easy to fall into the obstacle of arrogance. We begin thinking of our successes, how far our hard work got us, and we feel we deserve to relish the view from the top. Soon, we grow too comfortable. We fear nothing. We need nothing, least of all help from God. But He wants you to seek Him all the time, whether you are on the mountain or in the valley. His name is I Am. Without Him, there is nothing. Bow down before Him. In the end, His mountain will rise above all (Isaiah 2:2) and on it all nations will gather in the opportunity to worship Him eternally.

This is how we overcome every obstacle that keeps us from Jesus: we accept The Mountain Maker's love with fear and trembling, we watch as The Mountain Mover throws our mountains into the sea, and we choose time and time again to fall into the powerful arms of The Mountain Melter. Then, as one mountain towers higher than the rest, we all join together to worship I am.

In response:

1. Identify a mountain, a barrier to God's love, that currently casts its shadow upon you. How are you interacting with it? Use the above descriptions to help define your feelings regarding it. Detail using acceptance, trust, surrender, and worship to overcome it. Ask God to cast all other mountains into the sea so that His will be the only one you seek.
2. Consider climbing the mountain of godliness with us as we study the concluding poem in Proverbs. Last week, we began defining what it means to be godly. Next week, we'll start looking at the whole poem in search of that mountaintop view.  

Bible Verses and Quotes 

Bible Verses 

• "Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, "Go, throw yourself into the sea," and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them." - Mark 11:23 NIV
• "The mountains will melt beneath His feet; the valleys will burst open, Like wax next to a raging fire, as water pours from the heights." - Micah 1:4 VOICE
• "For the mountains may depart and the hills disappear, but my kindness shall not leave you. My promise of peace for you will never be broken, says the Lord who has mercy upon you." - Isaiah 54:10 TLB
• "In the last days, the mountain of the Lord's house will be the highest of all - the most important place on earth. It will be raised above the other hills, and people from all over the world will stream there to worship." - Isaiah 2:2 NLT
• "How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of one who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion, "Your God reigns." - Isaiah 52:7 ESV

Quotes

• "It's not the mountain we conquer, but ourselves." - Sir Edmund Hillary
• "No matter how tall the mountain is, it cannot block the sun." - Emily Kay McCallister
• "Beyond the mountains, more mountains." - Haitian proverb
• "The best view comes after the hardest climb." - Unknown
• "Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting, So...get on your way!" - Dr. Seuss

We'd Love to Know:

Which verse or quote encourages you to face your mountains?

Activity Suggestions

Learn about Mountains

• PreK-1st: "Where do Mountains Come from?" SciShow at YouTube. A brief, under four minute, introduction to mountain formation.
• 2nd-3rd: "All About Mountains" from Easy Geography for Kids provides an in-depth article about mountains including: mountain formation, the three types of mountains, plate tectonics, and mountain facts.
• 4th - 6th: "The Amazing Life Cycle of Mountains" a SciShow Compilation at YouTube. Learn how mountains are formed and how they continue changing. The video is over 30 minutes but has bookmarks - perfect for choosing snippets!

Create Mountain Inspired Art

• PreK-1st: Torn Paper Landscapes with Barley and Birch. Layer different colors of torn paper to build your landscape. Then use a triangle stamp to add trees as your finishing touch.
• 2nd-3rd: "How to Draw Mountains" by Cutest Drawings at YouTube. Watch mountains being drawn. Then, try it on your own! The artist does not talk through the illustration, so invite your learners to explain what they see along the way.
• 4th-6th: Snowy Mountain Garland with Art Camp Studio. Craft snow-capped mountains from felt and string on a garland. Use to decorate homes, classrooms, or lockers!

Enjoy Mountain Songs

• "Go Tell it on the Mountain" performed by Zach Williams
• "Did You Feel the Mountains Tremble?" by Delirious?
• "Into the Sea (It's Gonna Be OK)" by Tasha Layton
• "Climb Every Mountain" from Sound of Music
• "Hills and Valleys" by Tauren Wells

Discuss "Would You Rather..." Questions

• Climb a mountain or sail an ocean?
• Live on a mountain or near the sea?
• Sing "Go Tell it on the Mountain" or "She'll be Comin' Around the Mountain"?

These questions are unique to this post. If you would like three "Would You Rather...?" questions for every December day, download this Wolfe Stew PowerPoint or get it (for free!) at our TPT store.

Take on the Family Challenge

Share a current mountain, or obstacle, each of you are facing. Discuss strategies for getting to the top and identify first steps. Check back in for progress the following week. 

We'd Love to Know:

Of a mountain you've climbed.

We’re excited to share one more day with you and wish you JOY for Today and HOPE for Tomorrow. 

Your Partners in JOY Finding,

Sample these related posts:

To find JOY in hiking.

To decimate Mount Expectation.
To watch Mountain Goats on an ABC Nature Walk.

To read a story of a girl who advocates to get her mountain moved.

To herald others to Jesus.

Find even more JOY for Today in our monthly calendars, holiday, and seasonal posts.