The mountains had a dual meaning in my life. First of all, the mountains impacted my life as a young boy growing up. Entertainment for me was running through the hills and valleys hunting. My friends and I roamed around over the hills, looking for whatever--walnuts, grapes, chestnuts, acorns. Exploring rivers and creeks, fishing, swimming, and playing wherever we could find a pool of water big enough to accommodate us.

Then there are the mountains from within, mountains created by broken homes, leaving children with worry, anxiety, and thoughts of, are they to blame? Then there are the mountains from within which create storms that affect older ones: Is my boss going to fire me because I did not meet his expectations? Or is my marriage going to fall apart because I don't or can't spend enough time with my family? Or are the debts larger than the income, leaving doubt? Will the house be repossessed? Can there be enough food? Will the family car make it another year?

Mountains come in many different sizes, from the Ozark Mountains in Arkansas, at 2,561 feet, to Mount Everest at 29,032 feet, with many in between. So also are the mountains in our life. But God tells us he is bigger than the mountains that overcome us. When I gave my life to him at age fourteen, he told me then, not audibly but in a small still voice, "I will never leave you, nor forsake you." He has kept his word. He has lifted me over the mountains. He has carried me through the storms, and as I look back over my life, a friend he has been, and a Savior he will always be. May God bless you! Many of the storms I have experienced are recorded in this book.

2