Roots, Ruts, and Curves

Roots, Ruts, and Curves

From Grace for All by Jim Stovall, Greta Smith, First United Methodist Church, Maryville, TN

July 13, 2026 · 5 min · Season 24 · Episode 969

About this episode

The episode discusses life lessons learned from hiking, emphasizing trust in the Lord and navigating life's challenges.

Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own insight. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. I hike a lot. I have gone on short hikes, and I have gone on long hikes. Some hikes are easy and some incredibly challenging. Some days the weather has been beautiful. Other days the weather has been life-threatening. I have been charged by boar, deer, and bear. I come around a curve in the trail to be greeted by a field of wildflowers in bloom. I have hiked trails so steep that it was like climbing a ladder with the rungs two feet apart. But here are lessons for life that I have learned from hiking: I will not know what is around the next curve, ever, whether it be beauty or danger. Rattlesnakes that give warning are safer than ones that lie silent on the trail. The weather can change in an instant, and there is nothing I can do about it. One foot in front of the other is the only way to get out of the woods. Carry only what you need- without knowing what you might need. Step aside to let others pass. Trust. When hiking, the path is rarely straight. It is filled with curves and climbs, roots and ruts, and yet, I have…

People in this episode

Host: Jim Stovall

Topics covered

Keywords

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: First United Methodist Church

Books & works: Proverbs 3:5-6

Places: Maryville, TN

More episodes of Grace for All

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Grace for All podcast page.