Richard started out full of new energy, he went up the hills, down the hills, across the streams, through the brush and across the clearings.  After a few days his energy and excitement began to wane, the trail was mundane and the top of the mountain just seemed as far away as ever.  He brushed off a nearby log and sat down to take a break.  He thought he heard a voice humming near by, but surely he had spent too much time alone and he was hearing things.  He looked around and decided to follow the sound of the voice.  He left the path and crunched through the leaves.  Finally he saw a man painting a picture.  He stood and watched him paint, the painter apparently unaware of Richards presence.  At first Richard couldn’t define what the artist’s brush depicted, but soon each stroke revealed a more detailed picture.

He heard the voice beside him say; I am like that, you may not always see Me working in your life, but every brush stroke reveals Me in your life.  Climb the highest mountain, swim the deepest sea, wander the hottest desert, I will always be.  It doesn’t matter where you go, I will always be.  When you lay down to sleep, I will be, when you dream, I will be.  When you get up, I will be.  The big moments in your day, i will be, the small moments in your life, I will be.  The mundane times, I will be.  The exciting times, i will be.  The happy times, I will be.  The happy times , I will be.  The sad times, I will be. Every moment, every second of your day, I will be.  I will surround your time, I will be your joy.  I will be your sadness, I will be your high mountain, I will be the deepest sea.  I will be the water in the hottest desert, the cooling cloud of shade in the sun.  I will be the voice that guides you.  I….will….be.  I AM