Summer is an enchanting time in North Idaho.

Water glistens, mountain breezes provide cool relief to hot afternoons, and long evenings invite gentle lingering during shifting colors of sunsets. Adventuresome people are rewarded with purple fingers and delicious huckleberries plucked from beautiful forest glades. Others sit back and ride the chairlift up Schweitzer for lunch on top the world in view of three states and two countries. Energetic folks slip mountain bikes along rugged trails up and down mountains, along ridges, and into canyons. Downtown, people walk the sidewalks, ducking into shops, lounging around tables of delicious foods at restaurants. Exploring the Sand Creek pathways and Bay Trail, or launching boats from the marina to venture out into the lake keep people active. Claiming a prime spot at City Beach or in front of the stage at The Festival concerts bring a sense that all is well in summer’s brilliance.

North Idaho is an amazing place, attracting people from all over the world as they make each day count through a variety of ways. As the summer population swells more and more each year, it seems that Sandpoint and the surrounding areas are a destination. The natural beauty has a quality to it that resonates with people seeking out rest from life’s struggles. Recreation and leisure are favorable distractions from daily realities and the grind of contemporary life. Entertainment provides temporary relief, helping us feel comfortable in a world where safety and security seem challenged on a daily basis. Summers don’t last forever, and the days are already getting shorter as the shadows grow with the turn of the calendar’s page.

First Presbyterian Church recently held worship at City Beach. This worship time, followed by a potluck lunch, is an annual event that people look forward to. This year featured a “blessing of the lake.” We prayed and sang our gratitude to God for the gifts of this area, and acknowledged the geologic wonders of the Lake Pend Oreille and the surrounding mountains. With admiration we remembered native people have lived here for 10,000 years or more. We honored people who continue to strive for protections on the quality of this ecosystem. Out in the open air, we claimed the creative power and ongoing presence of the living Christ, and read a story of Mary sitting at the feet of Jesus while Martha was busy and distracted by many things. On a breezy Sunday morning in the sunshine, we were blessed by Sister Lake, as much or more than we were able to give blessing. The relationships and interconnectedness of all things, in, through, and for Christ, is a gift from God and woven into creation’s tapestry.

The gift of faith includes discovery of God’s grace, available and abundant, overflowing and drenching us with Love. Cultivating awareness of spiritual realities is important for faith to grow. Some ancient practices of spiritual discipline include Centering Prayer, Lectio Divina, praying the Psalms (often through chanting), sharing intentional community, meeting with a spiritual director, and gathering together for worship. Many of these have fallen from popularity in a busy world of distractions and instant gratification. But they are getting rediscovered as more and more people learn to welcome deep silence. Calming anxious minds and learning to open our hearts invites God to transform us from the inside out. This is hard work and involves patience and trust. But as you can see by looking at the mountain ranges and river valleys, God’s arc of redemption and renewal is patient and broad.

As you look around and enjoy the cultural amenities, natural beauty, and recreational opportunities of North Idaho, remember to also close your eyes, take deep breaths, and simply be present to God’s presence. Ask God to help you see through the eyes and hear through the ears of your heart. Spiritual grounding through Christ Jesus doesn’t fade with the season, and deep joy, peace, and love, cannot be taken away.

“Christ is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation; for in Christ all things in heaven and on earth were created, things visible and invisible … all things have been created through and for Christ.” (Colossians 1:15-16, NRSV).

Pastor Andy Kennaly is pastor at First Presbyterian Church, 417 N. Fourth Ave., Sandpoint. He can be reached at fpcsandpoint.org or by phone at 208-263-2047.