Truth in my Travels

Category: Door County

  • A Precious Cup

    Inspired by Matthew 23:25-26

    As I stand at the kitchen sink and wipe away the stain inside my special teacup, I admire the kingfisher-like bird and botanicals that brighten the white porcelain and the little flower adorning the inner edge. I smile as I recall the purchase in Door County, Wisconsin, at a quaint restaurant and inn.

    The White Gull Inn is a treasure of the town of Fish Creek. My husband and I had just enjoyed splitting a delicious breakfast of cherry-stuffed French toast and an omelette with Wisconsin cheese. I bought it in the gift shop where we paid for our meal.

    I drink tea from the special cup on the few mornings when, instead of a fitness routine, I start my day with study in the Bible. The cup represents my time with God and reminds me that His blessings overflow in my life, as David wrote in Psalms 23:5 that his “cup overflows.”  In addition to abundance, a cup illustrates:

    1. Judgment and wrath. Sin and rebellion against God lead to consequences. The prophecies of the Old Testament warn of divine judgment.Jeremiah 25:15 declares, “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, said to me: ‘Take from My hand this cup of the wine of wrath, and make all the nations to whom I send you drink it.’”
    2. A clean heart. What matters most is our faith, character, and the condition of our hearts. These come from a heart cleansed of sin. In Matthew 23:25-26, Jesus says to religious leaders, “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish and then the outside also will be clean.” (NIV)
    3. Communion. “Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you.”
    4. The prophecy of salvation. Psalms 116:13 “I will lift up the cup of salvation and praise the Lord’s name for saving me.”
    5. Suffering and sacrifice. Jesus feared what He knew was ahead but was willing to give up his life by His Father’s will.  Mark 14:36: “Abba, Father,” he said, “everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.”

     As I dry the now-clean teacup, my heart fills with gratitude that, once like the cup before I cleaned the inside, I was stained with sin, but it was washed away when I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior, whose own cup of suffering made it possible.

    Note: I wrote this weeks ago and was inspired to publish it now after our annual trip to northern Door County and a return to The White Gull Inn—now a featured location in the GFAM movie, “A Wisconsin Christmas Pie”, airing October 11.

     

  • A Door County Devotional: In God’s Strength

    “I can do all this through him who gives me strength.”  Philippians‬ ‭4‬:‭13‬ ‭NIV‬‬

    Last Light, Almost Heaven, Rest Haven,  The Great Escape: I smile as I pedal past these familiar signs on Ellison Bay’s Beach Road that mark the driveways to homes that on this side of the peninsula look out on Green Bay.

    My husband, Mitch, and I have returned to the treasure we find in Door County. Cycling is among the many pleasures I look forward to on our annual visit, but until I had an e-bike, I had to walk my regular bike on the steeper slopes of routes that connect to Beach Road.

    When the challenges arise, I struggle in my own limited power. Even my best efforts—through a fitness routine that includes strength training—are not enough for my aging body.

    The assistance from my E-bike enables me to enjoy and conquer the climbs and just focus on the beauty of my surroundings, no matter where I am. It is only by the battery, by tapping into the power, that I can overcome the hills that are steep or long, or that I can just keep going when my legs get weary.

     I am reminded that in life, it is only by the power of Jesus that I am able to succeed at challenges and overcome difficulties and disappointments. It is by His strength and faithfulness that

    I can focus on the good and can count on Him to carry me up the hills of life.

    This is true for any of us, that we fail or we struggle unnecessarily when we try to do things in our own limited power or by our own understanding. In the same way as we must activate assistance from an e-bike, we must pray and ask for help from God.

    “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”    Philippians‬ ‭4‬:‭6‬ ‭NIV‬

    “So he said to me, “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the Lord Almighty.”   Zechariah‬ ‭4‬:‭6‬ ‭NIV‬

  • The Splendor of Cave Point County Park

    As they burst against the rocky ledge on which I was standing, the waves of Lake Michigan sent forth a refreshing mist to my skin. Here at Door County’s Cave Point County Park, though it was a warm day in June, with the help of the breeze on this eastern side of the peninsula, my husband, dogs, and I were fairly comfortable.

    I returned to the rocky but flat trail that parallels the edge and offers incredible views of the water. Along the way behind and ahead, our dogs, Elsa and Ana, easily jumped the couple of downed trees across the path, while getting over them was more awkward for us. At the half-mile border with Whitefish Dunes State Park, we were tired enough to turn around.

    Cave Point County Park delighted my husband and me from the very start; it is a part of our love for Door County and something we never miss.

    Caves sculpted by the waves—and the picnic area’s lookout point to view the largest cave—give the park its name. Kayak tours bring paddlers close to smaller caves all along the shoreline—some which can be seen from points along the trail.

    Viewed from the platform
    at Cave Point
    This picture symbolizes my faith. I am the tree. My roots cling to Jesus, who is my Rock.

    The force of the water has sculpted rugged splendor, but it’s easy to forget that erosion has unfortunate effects for the shoreline. It dissolves the soil and exposes the roots of the trees and other plants that grow there. Twisted trees along the trail are interesting, adaptive, and beautiful, but they are clinging for life to whatever solid ground their roots can find. The waves will slowly eat away at their lifeline. 

    The waves of our lives are no different: they hit us, often unexpectedly, and even a gentle impact can weaken us and eat away at our emotional core. Thankfully, there is a Rock that will never dissolve away. Faith enables us to stand up to the forces against us. If we receive Jesus as our Lord and Savior, His strength enables us to grow roots and stand on solid ground. He is our solid foundation. The only impenetrable rock is Jesus.

    The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield ,and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. (Psalm 18:2 NIV)

  • The Door to Life and Wonder: Door County, Wisconsin

    Door County is a peninsula in eastern Wisconsin that separates Green Bay from Lake Michigan. While the origin of the name is “Death’s Door”, due to the treacherous waters around its tip, it is more truly a door to life and wonder—to outdoor adventures, natural beauty, charming towns, famous fish boils, and Scandinavian and maritime history.

    This is the introductory, first post in a series about this cherished and frequent destination for me, my husband, Mitch, and our dogs.

    View from the lookout at Ellison Bay Natural Area

    The gateway to this spectacular peninsula begins just over the bridge from Green Bay, Wisconsin, at Sturgeon Bay—the largest municipality and one that is rare in having chain stores, chain restaurants, and stoplights.

    The picturesque towns along the shores as you travel north give this area a sweet reputation as the Cape Cod of the Midwest. The harbors, inns, and unique small shops and restaurants often face the oceanlike views of Green Bay. One of our favorite towns is Sister Bay, which among its many assets has a park that is perfect for lakefront sunsets that we enjoy with our dogs on many evenings.

    Sunset from Sister Bay

    My husband and I first visited and fell in love with this place in June of 2022. We have returned three times since, and we have another planned stay in our travel trailer in September 2025. Our campground home is in Ellison Bay at Hyland Court RV Park, just north of Sister Bay. It is this region that calls us back to Door County at least once a year.

    The possibilities for exploring nature keep us in anticipation of the next visit—for both the familiar and the not-yet familiar.

    Favorite places:

    • Newport State Park in Ellison Bay. We have never seen this area to be overly busy, even in the summer. Many of the hiking trails are easy. It is designated as a Dark Sky area for stargazing and possible viewing of the Northern Lights.

    Newport is the only public beach that allows dogs.

    Elsa at Newport State Park Beach
    Ana at Newport
    • Sand Bay Town Park and Beach in Liberty Grove. This is a less-populated, lesser-known, and smaller beach for swimming and launching a kayak on the Lake Michigan side. A hidden gem
    • Back roads ideal for bicycling. Door County can be hilly; the mild assistance from my e-bike certainly helped tackle the short ascents.
    • Garrett Bay, where the clear waters cover the shipwreck of the Fleetwing submerged at about twenty-five feet. It may be possible to see it while kayaking or even swimming, as it is not far from the shore.
    • Ellison Bay Natural Area. The sunset is gorgeous from the high overlook. Hiking trails wind through the forest.
    • Europe Lake. In the same township, the serene inland Europe Lake offers calm waters for kayaking. Bonus: On our drive from Newport Beach to Europe Lake, we found Uncle Tom’s Candy Store. This place is highly worthy of a stop. Chocolates and other candies, special popcorn, jams, and salad dressings are among the homemade goods for sale.
    • Cave Point County Park*. This is our never-missed destination for cooling breezes and misty sprays as waves pound the bluffs along the trail. My next post will focus on this gem.
    • Other wonderful stops in Door County include Peninsula State Park, various lighthouses that include Cana Island, and Whitefish Dunes State Park.
      TIP: Cave Point County Park is free, while Whitefish Dunes–like all of the state parks–incurs a fee. These are adjacent, and if you begin in Cave Point and continue on the trail into the state park, you can avoid the fee; however, consider the distance.
    Daytime view of Green Bay from Ellison Bay Natural Area
    Cave Point County Park

    Still on my to-do list is Washington Island. The ferry takes off from Gill’s Rock, which also offers an interesting shipwreck museum. I hope to experience the island on my e-bike on my forthcoming return to Door County. Reader, if you are only there for the weekend, research and consider whether the island will be worth the time on the ferry.

    Friends, Door County invites you to experience the wonder and pleasure of God’s creation; however, there is another Door that is even grander. It is one that is always open for every person and invites us to connect with God through Jesus.

    Matthew 7:7-8 says: 7 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

    View of Sand Bay Beach from my kayak.
    I paddle at Sand Bay on the Lake Michigan side in Liberty Grove Township.

    Various pictures around the peninsula:

    Delicious fish boil in Ephraim at The Old Post Office. It was wrapped up perfectly with cherry pie.

    A rocky and hidden gem at the end of a road in Ellison Bay. It pays to talk to the locals!
    Mitch and me at the harbor at Sister Bay.

    Campground pictures at Hyland Court RV Park in Ellison Bay:

    Ana during a thunderstorm