Today’s little adventure took me just around the corner from home to Richmond National Battlefield Park, specifically near the Medical Museum—the photos above tell part of the story. This ground once held the wounded, the dying, and those trying desperately to put bodies and lives back together during the Civil War. It’s sacred in that quiet, heavy way history sometimes is. One day, I’ll go back and relearn more of it properly and share that with you—but today I had my dog with me, so the visitor center will have to wait.
After heading down that long, slightly intimidating set of stairs you see pictured, I found today’s hiking trail. And as often happens when I walk, my feet got moving and my mind followed.
I passed a One Way sign and it stopped me—not physically, but spiritually. It brought me back to a belief I once held tightly: that Jesus was the only way to God. Many Christians still hold that conviction, firmly and sincerely.
So let me be clear about what today’s walk stirred in me:
Christians do not have a monopoly on God.
Yes, I know the verse. I can quote it in my sleep:
“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” — John 14:6
But here’s where I gently—and honestly—push back. The pattern Jesus points to is not exclusive to Christianity. Death and resurrection. Dying to an old way of being. Rising into a new life. Transformation through surrender. You’ll find that truth echoed across the world’s major religions and spiritual traditions. The language changes, the symbols shift, but the wisdom is shared.
And one last observation from the trail:
Going down those steps was easy. Coming back up? Not so much. My legs noticed. My lungs had opinions.
But here’s the thing—difficulty doesn’t mean you’re going the wrong way. Sometimes it just means you’re climbing. Don’t let the challenge stop you from reaching the place you were meant to stand.
Keep walking. Keep questioning. Keep rising.