In the Woods with God

If you follow me on twitter, you know how much I love to spend a beautiful day in the woods. While I was hiking today I thought, "I wish others could experience what I experience here. Life just seems to make much more sense here."

I'm not sure what it is about the woods that calms my spirit and fills me with peace more than any other space. Perhaps it is because there are few words needed so I'm quiet for once. Now, my mind is still racing a thousands miles per hour, but my mouth is shut. Even though it is common for me to talk to myself and think out loud, in the woods, words seem inadequate and unnecessary. And that's probably the reason why my spirit is so calm here. I can't interrupt God when I'm silent. I can spend hours just walking through the trees or sitting on the forest bed. God's presence is tangible there.

We all need a sacred space like this, a place where we can tune our hearts and ears into God's voice. Where is that space for you? The woods? A quiet river? A coffee shop? A favorite corner in your house? Find it and make it a point to go there regularly. You won't regret it!

Student Leader Retreat Stories - David Joe Hatter

David Joe and Bev Hatter served as our amazing hosts for our Student Leader Retreat. Here are some of David Joe's thoughts from the weekend.

The ancients said there were only four elements--Earth, Air, Fire, and Water.  The Greek physicians said there were four "humors," or basic personality types--Sanguine, Choleric, Melancholy, and Phlegmatic.  The four student leaders we had the privilege to host--Dylan, Josh, Lindsay, and Naomi--are in many ways as varied as you can imagine.  Some are task-oriented, some are touch-oriented.  Some are more extroverted, some are more introverted.  Some are product-oriented, some are process-oriented.  Some are oriented toward the group, some are oriented toward the individuals.  That's a good thing.  The campuses on which and from which they serve, the situations they will face, the environments in which they live, the individuals & groups with which they will work, and the tasks they will perform will be as varied as one can imagine.  God has shaped each of them individually--as well as the campus ministry team as a whole--to do His tasks in an ever-changing place.  Therefore, God will, in His own time & way, continue to shape and reshape them for the tasks at hand and the tasks ahead.  The church--that is, the body of disciples--is not a reservoir, but rather a river; and a river is constantly being reshaped and redirected.

Student ministry--and student leadership--is not just ministry to students; it is also ministry by & through students.  And, campus ministry is not just ministry on campus; it is also ministry off campus to the wider community.  It is exciting to watch student leaders get excited about the possibilities of partnerships with other community-service groups.

One more thing:  From where I'm sitting, the ISB staff (Lowell & Katie, Sarah, Tom & Jill) have had a very long summer and a very long two years or so.  They are starting the school year exhausted.  Pray for them.  Do whatever you can for them.  Maybe God wants you to be the answer to their prayers. 

Student Leader Retreat Stories - Jon Hatter

Jon Hatter is a graduate student at the University of Notre Dame. We invited him to join us for our Student Leaders Retreat. Here are his reflections from the weekend.

This weekend I had the opportunity to join a group of people from Impact Campus Ministries of South Bend on their student leader retreat. It was a great time and I began several relationships that I am excited to continue as our time in South Bend carries on. More than that, I got the chance to spend some time thinking about the meaning of Discipleship. And, since I have some time this evening to do it, I thought I would share some of the thoughts I had with you.

It is often the case that we opt for the simplest possible definition of “disciple,” – a follower of Christ. Now, there’s nothing wrong with simplicity and I think that this definition has its merits, but as I was reading some of the scriptures that we looked at this weekend, I was struck by something. There are plenty of people in the New Testament who literally, physically follow Christ who are not disciples. They are just “the crowd,” the folks who swarm around Jesus because what’s he’s doing is new, exciting, and novel. They’re the rich young ruler’s of the Bible, who approach Jesus because of what he can do for them, and run away when he asks them to do something for him.

This realization begs the questions, “Then what is a disciple? What more is required?” The story of the rich young ruler actually answers part of that, and I may come back to that, but I’d rather start with the calling of Peter, Andrew, James and John. This story, told in Matthew 4 and Mark 1 (also in Luke 5 in a slightly different way) tells us that these fisherman “forsake” their nets and their boats (and even their own father, in the case of James and John) and follow Christ. It is this “forsaking” that sets them apart from the rich young ruler and, on that same note, from the others who simply “follow” Jesus to see what he’ll do next. It is this sacrificial commitment that marks the true disciples of Christ in the gospel accounts.

So, being a disciple is not simply about following Jesus. It is about following Jesus ALONE, that is to say, following Jesus to the exclusion of all others. You cannot pursue Jesus and pursue your career. You cannot pursue Jesus and pursue your own happiness. You cannot, as Jesus tells us elsewhere, serve two masters. To simply know of Jesus, to know the scriptures, to know the correct God-Bible-Jesus answers to the questions of life, is not sufficient. True discipleship is marked by a love of God that encompasses the whole of your heart, soul, mind and strength.

Coming back to the rich young ruler. It seems that he was a disciple in the way we like to think about discipleship in Church today. It appears that he knew the commandments of God. He was confident enough that he had kept these commandments. He even acknowledges Jesus as the “Good Teacher.” In a modern congregation, he might be a Sunday School teacher or a deacon. He might be an usher, a custodial volunteer, or even a Pastor. He seems to know the Bible answers (at least the palatable ones), but, as Jesus says, he lacks one thing – sacrifice.

There comes a time, it seems, in the life of every disciple when he or she has to make a choice between what American’s like to call “the Pursuit of Happiness” (probably better called “the Pursuit of Self”) and the pursuit of Christ. Those who chose self are missing the point. Those who chose Christ, with all the blessings and troubles that decision brings with it, are disciples.

Student Leader Retreat Stories - Josh Oliver

Josh Oliver a student leader at Southwestern Michigan College shares about his experience on our Student Leaders Retreat. 

As I reflect on the time we spent together I have made these observations. Not only about myself but the group as a whole.

We all have our own unique shape. That shape defines who we are as a person. That shape also plays a huge role when it comes to being a member of a team.

I learned that society can't define your shape for you. You have to be the one that does that. We have to be the person God made us to be and we can't let others tell us any different. We have to be able to stand up and step out in faith to show the world who we are and whose we are. We are children of God. I also learned that I have more to offer than I originally thought.

Don't be afraid to share your shape with others. Your shape is always changing with each new day.

Student Leader Retreat Stories - Lindsay Sherburn

Lindsay Sherburn a student leader at Bethel College shares about her experience on our Student Leaders Retreat.

I've always been someone who's fairly self-aware. Because of my introverted nature, I take more time to consider my surroundings and observe the world around me. I've always been able to identify my own strengths and weaknesses and the way my personality functions. None of this really seemed to matter too much until our weekend in Kentucky. 

We were asked to focus on our shapes - the way we are wired - in order to figure out how we can use our individuality to serve God. While thinking about this, God has really been pushing me to embrace that individuality, those traits that make me Lindsay Sherburn and no one else. This idea was not new for me but I think I needed some reminding. He created me, an original masterpiece, for a special purpose. The only response I can possibly have is to fulfill it.