By Von C. Howard
The Westside Gazette
https://thewestsidegazette.com/
There’s something about hearing Kurt Carr’s “For Every Mountain” that still stops me in my tracks, even after all these years. It’s not just a song; it’s a testimony wrapped in melody. Every time the choir belts, “For every mountain You brought me over…” I can’t help but pause, breathe deep, and think about the mountains I’ve had to climb, and, more importantly, the grace that carried me through them.
We all face mountains. Some are visible, like financial struggles, health scares, or broken relationships. Others are invisible: fear, doubt, anxiety, or the feeling that no matter how hard we try, life keeps stacking the odds against us. My journey, like so many others, has been marked by challenges that tested my faith and forced me to grow. And the older I get, the more I realize those mountains weren’t there to stop me; they were there to shape me.
When Kurt Carr sings, “For this, I give You praise,” it hits differently now. At one point in my life, I used to ask God why certain obstacles were in my path. Now, I thank Him for the lessons learned while climbing them. Because mountains teach you endurance. They strip away what’s unnecessary. They remind you that faith isn’t built on comfort; it’s built on persistence.
As I think about my family, my community, and the young people I have the privilege to mentor, I remind them that everyone’s mountain looks different, but the climb always reveals something deeper within you. Life will challenge you, no doubt but even in the struggle, there’s purpose.
And if you’re reading this while standing at the base of your own mountain, feeling like it’s too steep or too heavy to face, take heart. You’re not climbing alone. The same God who carried you through yesterday still has the power to carry you through today. As the Psalmist said, “I will lift up my eyes to the hills from whence cometh my help? My help comes from the Lord, Who made the Heavens and the earth.”
Every mountain you’ve faced, every disappointment, every delay, every “no” that turned into a blessing in disguise has brought you to this moment. You may not see it now, but one day you’ll look back and realize that the climb made you stronger, wiser, and more grounded in gratitude.
So whatever mountain stands before you today, keep moving. Keep believing. Keep climbing. Because the same God who brought you through before will do it again.
“For every mountain… for this, I give You praise.”
