San Juan County

We entered Durango today with excitement. This day we would follow our dear friend Kristi Ross’ safety instructions. For drivers more unfamiliar with travel to the top of a steep mountain side with hairpin turns, few guardrails, sheer cliff drop offs, and “not for the faint of heart”- her instructions were simple: “train up, bus back”. We are obediently headed- by train- up the beautiful mountainside to Silverton.

The ride on the nostalgic and historical train was a four-hour ride through wonderland. I must have taken hundreds of pictures as we crossed rushing rivers, watched waterfalls cascade down steep mountainsides, marveled at huge boulders that, no doubt, had tumbled down from higher up the mountain, wondered at the history of an old mine we passed, and finally arrived at our destination.

As we had limited time in Silverton before we were to catch our bus ride back, we went right to work. At elevation over 9300 feet, we were told to take it easy and drink lots of water. You could definitely feel the difference in altitude. Asking the Lord where we should have our worship time here, He directed us to a small church.

There was a very quiet, private place nearby and that’s where we began our worship time. Daisies lined up along an area that would be perfect, as if pointing the way. We are reminded of Jesus’ words about the beauty of flowers.

“Consider the lilies how they grow. They toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you; that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.” Matthew 6:28b-29.

Tony prepared the ground and we prayed as we placed the offerings into the land. Lord God, please accept these offerings from our hands. We place the stone and sticks remembering Elijah calling down fire from heaven over the altar he had made. We call down Your fire now, asking that You pour Yourself out on us, Your church. Let Your Holy Spirit fire fall on us, Oh God. We need You! Lord, we ask that You bring Your church into alignment with and under the authority of Your Word in “YOUnity”, linking together as the chain link we are placing here.

We declare our thanks to You for being the Living water, and for Your fresh anointing of Holy Spirit over us, as we pour out this water and oil over our offerings. Lord we call for more mighty intercessor warriors to fight in the spirit for our Land of America to come back into alignment with YOU. As the mustard seed is thrown into the air, Oh God, please grow mighty trees of faith across Colorado. There is None Like You Oh Lord, and we declare Jeremiah 10:6-7 into the atmosphere over Silverton and San Juan County! You ALONE are worthy of our praise!

And finally, Yeshua, we remember Your payment for all of us on that cross. Thank You that we can take this communion and remember the blood You shed and the pain You went through because You love us so much. We anoint this ground with all these symbols of our love for You; You are priceless beyond words. We feel the dirt beneath our hands as we cover our offerings and seal them with worship. Lord, You always make a way. We didn’t know how You would make a way for us to come here but You did. You always make a way where there is no way. Always.

Our time here is over too quickly. As we say goodbye to this amazing town hidden away at the top of this mountain, we drink in the majesty and beauty of this mountain once more. Let Silverton shine Your glory and let this mountain remind everyone who visits here and sees this place see Your power and mighty works. We remember the words from Isaiah as copied below.

“For you will go out with joy and be led forth with peace. The mountains and the hills will break forth into shouts of joy before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands!” Isaiah 55:12.