Winston Salem First Do Good Journal Article

I provided an article about marbled salamanders and faith in Volume 2 of the Winston Salem First “Do Good Journal.” Article and a few images linked below.

A little over a decade ago I found myself up to my shins in water that was barely above freezing.  To most people this spot was just a swamp, or a glorified mud puddle at best.  To me it was heaven.  Cold, but divine.  I’ve been fascinated with the mystery of nature for as long as I can remember.  It seems the solace and wisdom provided by the wild has always been a comfort to me.  I often hear from God when I’m in these quiet places.  On this particular afternoon so many years ago, I had a revelation.  

 As I held a little marbled salamander larva in my hand, I had a thought that connected my newly acquired faith to my long-acquainted love for the outdoors.  Marbled salamanders, like all amphibians, go through a complex life cycle.  These amazing animals will emerge from their underground haunts in early autumn and collect en mass in breeding pools called ephemeral wetlands.  These temporary pools provide all the requirements necessary for marbled salamanders and other amphibians to breed.  The females will guard their eggs until the cold rains begin to fill the pools.  As soon as the eggs are submerged under water they begin to hatch and the adults retreat back to their underground homes.

 The revelation I had while holding that new larval salamander was that just like amphibians, we as believers also go through a period of metamorphosis once we are introduced to that living water.  2 Corinthians 5:17 says “therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation, the old has gone and the new has come.”  If you look at where the salamander begins their journey and where they end up you would see that what appears to be a whole new creature.  

 The larval form of this salamander has gills and swims in the water eating algae whereas the adults live on land, breathing air from their lungs while eating invertebrates.  This doesn’t happen overnight.  Our walk with God, and transformation as believers in Christ, takes time and is a “long obedience in the same direction” to quote Eugene Peterson.  

 Just like the salamander, you don’t have to have it all figured out right away.  Our faith is a process and the Lord has established conditions and environments for us to grow.  Sometimes growth looks like a swamp in a low spot in the woods.  Before you get discouraged, remember that swamps are teeming with life, if only you know where to look.  

 Do Good Hack:  Take a walk in the woods and see how many species of plants or animals you notice.  What can we learn from what God has created?  What do you hear when you remove yourself from the distractions of our busy world?  

 For more information on marbled salamanders check out our recent video:  https://youtu.be/3zWGOYn7nzU

 To see more devotions blending God’s word and lessons from the wild check out my book “Whispers in the Woods”. :  https://www.catchingcreation.com/whispers-in-the-woods