Psalm 121

I lift up my eyes to the hills— from where will my help come?

Dear Friends,

On any given day in Grasmere, we are surrounded by what the psalmist once saw when he lifted his eyes to the hills—shadows shifting across Helm Crag, cloud gathering over Silver How, sunlight spilling like gold down Greenhead Gill. These aren’t just backdrops to our lives. They are, in a real sense, companions— anchoring us in a landscape that feels older, wiser, and somehow closer to the eternal.

The Bible, too, is full of mountains. The team at The Bible Project recently explored how mountains in Scripture are not just geographical features, but deeply symbolic — places where heaven and earth meet, where God speaks, and where people are changed. From Eden’s high garden, to Sinai’s thunder, to the quiet power of Jesus praying on a hillside, the mountains are where we meet God — and often, where God meets us.

That struck me recently whilst running above Alcock Tarn after rain. The climb was slower than I liked. The path unclear in places. But at the top, just as the clouds broke, everything opened up — and with it came a stillness that felt more than physical. In that moment, I was reminded of a quote from the Bible Project: “Mountains in Scripture are not escape routes—they are invitations to encounter God.” And encounter, as we know, changes us.

But of course, no one lives on the mountaintop. The Bible reminds us that even Jesus came down after his transfiguration. The valleys — where people are hurting, hoping, healing — are where most of life happens. The mountain reveals, but the valley redeems.

So this summer, as walkers pass through and we share this landscape with many, I invite you to see our hills not only as beauty, but as signposts — reminders of the God who meets us in high and low places alike.

May the paths you walk this month — whether steep or level — bring you a fresh sense of God’s nearness.

And may we, as a community, become a place where others too can lift their eyes and find help — not just from the hills, but from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth.

Peace,

Lawrence