Love and Redemption (Completed)

The Hike

"Ye shall walk in all the ways which the LORD your God hath commanded you, that ye may live, and that it may be well with you, and that ye may prolong your days in the land which ye shall possess." Deuteronomy 5:33

There was a special hike planned for everyone. We were going to hike up a mountain to a lookout point that was supposed to look over the whole camp and lake. It was rumored to be spectacular, according to others who had done the hike before. I was excited, as I loved hiking, and I wanted to see this view everyone was chatting about. We all packed a small bag full of water, snacks, and whatever other little things we felt like carrying. The hike was two hours long, so we were advised to pack as lightly as possible.

I finished zipping up my backpack and walked outside the cabin towards the entrance of the main cabin. That is where everyone was told to meet up. We had to gather by 11:00 am. I still had about a good twenty minutes before eleven, but I wanted to be early. Apparently a lot of other people had the same idea because when I came around to the meeting point there were already a ton of other campers gathered and waiting. I found a spot away from the crowd and sat down on the ground. More and more campers started coming to the spot as the minutes ticked away. Right at 11:00 Don got everyone's attention and started going over the simple rules. No straying away- there are bears, stay together, and let him or another counselor know if you are feeling unwell at any time. Also, stay hydrated. 

There were extra water bottles on a table nearby and several campers came forward to grab some extra water. I did the same as well. I spotted Molly in the crowd, but soon lost her as people began moving around. Don called for quiet one more time and said a quick prayer for safety. He then began leading everyone towards the woods and the trail. I stood still for a bit to be part of the back of the line. I still didn't like crowds. 

After the majority of people began the hike I joined those that had also claimed the back of the line. I walked in silence, but I listened to the conversations around me. Some girls were chatting about how cute some of the boys were, a group of boys were gloating about their best sports games they had, and others were trying to identify the different flowers and plants we were passing. 

I was in awe of the tall trees, perfect weather, and small breeze that made the hike amazing. Every now and then we would pass through a small clearing that allowed everyone to see off the side of the mountain. It was so beautiful to see all the different ranges that connected to this mountain. I lost track of time as my mind began to wander back to when I was around 12-13 years old. I was with a family that was fostering a couple other kids and they were huge nature people. They took us on a hike one weekend that lasted the whole day. It was a day that was one of the few good memories I had of my childhood. I couldn't remember their names or faces, but I remember that hike. It was in the fall, so it was slightly cooler, but still felt amazing. 

We had hiked to a small mountain top that overlooked a valley. It was the one and only moment in my childhood that I felt truly happy. The one time I felt like I could fly away off that mountain and be a free spirit, free from the troubles of my life. Unfortunately, after that hike I was soon sent back to the Home a week later while the rest of my foster siblings were adopted by my foster parents. They wanted sons- not a daughter. 

I was so lost in my thoughts I didn't hear Noah speaking to me. "Huh?" I said stupidly as I snapped out of my memories and looked over at him.

"I said, if you don't watch where you are going you'll walk right off the cliff," he chuckled.

"Oh, yea," I said as a blush crept up my face. I was then painfully aware of where I was walking and all the roots I needed to step over. 

"What were you thinking about?" Noah asked as he matched my pace. 

"Just.. stuff," I said as I watched my feet.

"Whoa!" Noah said as he grabbed my arm and pulled me back to him. I looked up sharply and saw I was mere inches away from walking head first into a tree branch. "Got to watch ahead of you too," Noah laughed. 

"Well, this is embarrassing," I said as I walked around the branch. I could hear Noah laughing behind me.

"It's cute," he said softly. I glanced back at him and felt my face flush hotter. After a couple more minutes of awful, awkward silence we were finally able to resume a halfway normal conversation. 

"So what are your plans after camp?" I asked when I could find my voice again.

"I've got several colleges across the country I've been looking at and applying to. I'm sure I have a response from at least one when I get home," he replied.

I nodded along while he talked about his options, "What about you?" he asked.

"I um..." I knew what I needed to do, but I felt embarrassed. However, he already heard all my dirtiness at my confession before the cross, this couldn't be worse than that... right?

"I need to finish high school. I didn't take it seriously and I'm behind. I'll do what I can to get my GED or whatever. Then I'll go to my counseling sessions and make my court date check up. Hopefully get my life at home in better shape."

"That sounds like a wonderful plan," he said kindly with a smile.

"I need to talk to my foster parents when I get back. I wasn't very kind when I left," I said as I picked off a dead branch from a tree I passed. I started breaking it into small pieces. 

"It sounds like you have a great plan in place. I'm sure God has big plans for your life," he said as he stretched out his hand to help me over a larger rock in the path. 

I took it with a smile and a small thank you. It felt like he held on to it longer than necessary, but I didn't complain. The rest of the hike was fun. Everyone stopped for rest, lunch, and quick bathroom breaks periodically until finally the group reached the top. Noah and I found a section to the side that overlooked the lake and it was breathtaking. The lake glistened in the sunlight and the trees looked like perfectly made toys.

"How great is our God..." I breathed as I took in the glorious beauty before my eyes.

"Amen," Noah said quietly behind me. 

I couldn't take my eyes from it. I felt the tears roll down my cheeks as it hit me like a ton of bricks. The mighty God above, the wonderful Creator who made all of this beauty to the tiniest detail, loves me. He loves me so much! How can someone so Might and Great, even think twice about me? 

"You okay?" Noah asked.

"I... I can't believe God loves me," I said.

"His love and grace is amazing," Noah responded, "and it is never ending. God is always there for us, through the good and bad."

I felt his arm gently go around my shoulders. It was comforting. He gave me a small squeeze before letting go. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure," I said as I wiped away the tears and turned to face him.

"After you were baptized, you said 'thank you' to me. What was the thank you for?"

"For telling Caroline about my incident, for never giving up on me even when I made a fool of myself, and being kind even when I wasn't."

Noah smiled and it looked like more than just a friendly smile. "I'll always be there for you, Chloe."

The way he said my name sent butterflies to my stomach. I blushed slightly and did a quick glance at his lips, but the moment was broken by a group of guys coming over to where we were. They saw a tree or something that looked funny. I looked down then back at the view. Sighing slightly I look back at Noah and smiled before turning away to look for Molly. I could still feel his eyes on my back as I left and I couldn't help but smile widely.