Time Flies

I was going to post some pictures and share a little bit about everything that has happened over the last month but then I started feeling a little old.

I was looking at this picture of my youngest niece, Cora, who turned a year old is January. I was going to write about my trip to see her and how she can now say Aunt Sarah.And then it hit me, a year from now, I'll be blogging about how my oldest niece, Heather, is graduating from high school. She went to prom this year! That's just weird.May be some day you'll get that post about what has happened over the last month, but until then I'll be trying to figure out how my nieces and nephews are growing up so fast.

Change around a Fire

Amazing things can happen around a fire.
--The most random group of people easily find ways to connect and new relationships are built. Our view of the kingdom is stretched a little wider.
--Silence is comfortable and accepted. God's whispers suddenly seem more audible then they've ever been.
--Worship happens...Stories are shared. Songs are sung. Creation is admired. Steps are defined.
--Life-changing memories are made.

This week I've had the privilege of hanging out with some absolutely amazing people around a bonfire. We laughed, cried and had a blast. God showed up in those moments and lives were changed by simply watching some stars, listening to a guitar and sharing our journeys. I was changed.

I'm incredibly grateful for these memories. I wouldn't have the month start any other way.

Springview Reflections: Community

I'm a very independent person. I want to be able to do everything by myself. I don't like having to ask for help. I'm incredibly stubborn on top of that. This means God is constantly having to remind me that he created us to do life together. Our retreat was a great reminder of this.

Why do I think that some how I can handle doing life on my own? Honestly it is just plain stupid. There is great value in building healthy relationships with other people. We learn from each other. We pick each other up when we fall. We encourage each other. We challenge each other.

I spent the weekend with some incredible people. We were all at different points in our journey. We were all completely different. As we shared our stories, our struggles and our victories we shared ourselves. Through all of that I learn more about myself. I get a bigger glimpse of God.

Sure we are all human and far from perfect. We'll make mistakes along the way and have to learn to forgive each other. I want to learn to be a better friend to others, to learn how to help others on the journey better than I am now.

Springview Reflections: At War

Ephesians 6:12 "For we are not fighting against flesh and blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places."

I know what you are thinking. "I thought this was a spiritual retreat. What's with all the weapons?" There are the obvious explanations. During a free afternoon David Joe and Chuck (pictured above) taught us how to shoot. It is a way of life on the farm. We carried the rifle with us as we hiked through the woods in case we came face to face with some wild boar or coyotes. And we brought machetes to help clear the path.

Then there are the not so obvious observations. It wasn't our theme for the weekend but the subject of spiritual warfare came up many times. I'm guessing all of us could identify the recent attacks from the enemy in our individual lives. Most of us came to the retreat feeling beat up and to some extent, defeated. But I'm not sure the conversations about these things would have ever come up if we hadn't started talking about weapons, how they work, and their purpose.

The battles we are fighting are part of a very real war that far too often many like to ignore. We can't though. We know how the story ends. God dominates! But knowing that ending doesn't me we get a free pass to not fight the battles. This weekend we got to talk very openly about these battles and we got to encourage each other along the way.

If shooting some guns and swinging some machetes is what it takes to get students to dialogue about our real battles, I'll shoot targets in a corn field any day.

Springview Reflections: Get Out of the Way

There is a lot prayer and preparation that goes into any retreat. Last weekend was no exception. We planned a few activities but for the most part we wanted to create the space and freedom for students (and staff) to connect with God in their own ways. Knowing that, I came with some goals for me personally.

By the time we arrived at Springview, I had already revamped all of our plans for that evening. By the end of campfire that night it became evident I was there to do two things. 1) Stay out of the way. 2) Be available. All of the sudden I had new goals.

I'm so glad I discovered that on our first night because I'm afraid I would have missed somethings otherwise. I wonder what would have been different if I wouldn't have pushed aside the original plan and focused on these. What would I have missed? What would others have missed?

I wonder how often we get in the way of something greater that God is trying to do. My original plans to do some extra reading and writing were good, but they were nothing compared to what God had in store. It leads me to ask this question.

Where else am I getting in the way of what God is trying to do?