This week, I'm veering just off the path a tad, away from my nature-centered blog, unless you consider teenagers a bunch of "wild" creations, and at times, I certainly did with my own teens and with the ones I volunteered with at my church! 

I wrote about that in a devotional that was published in The Upper Room, and I would be honored if you'd take a look at that devotional and join in on the comments on that page. 

God does take us down various paths "on our walk" with Him, and I enjoyed my time of serving Him while volunteering with the youth group for many years.

Please click here to read. 

Also, please take a look at "more from Julie Lavender" and you'll see pictures of the two grandmothers that encouraged me while "on my walk with God" as a youngster. I'd be delighted if you'd check that out, also. 

Thank you, as always, for reading. I treasure each one of you!

CONSIDER THE MILLIPEDE

by Julie Lavender

The steamy hot humid nights we’ve had lately in southeast Georgia have brought out a plethora of millipedes on my evening walks with my husband. My morning walks seem to catch those arthropods heading back to daytime shelter after nocturnal foraging for decaying leaves and other dead plant matter.

CONSIDER THE PAINTED LADY BUTTERFLY
by Julie Lavender

Beautiful Painted Lady butterflies caught my attention as I headed out for my morning walk with God. Flitting about the bright-colored lantana blooms, the winged insects searched for sweet nectar amongst the blossoms. Flashes of deep orange against black, with white-spot embellishments, are eye-catching and appealing as the butterflies never seem to sit still for longer than a few seconds.

CONSIDER THE CICADA 
by Julie Lavender

I love my walks with God anywhere, but I especially like the quiet, serene ones that take me out of my neighborhood and away from civilian life. Like the opportunity to hike in the mountains of north Georgia, where I know the roar of vehicles won’t interrupt my thoughts or the occasional plane flying over won’t distract me. Or the pleasant sounds of children playing won’t take me out of my daydreams or prayers.