Outfitting the Soul

May 24, 2012

Well here I am...been living at Stonewater Ranch now for three days and it already feels like home. There’s so much to write about, but I’ll spare you the details as I know my own attention span for blogs;)

Here’s an outline of what has gone on thus far in my world here:

The Lodge where Summer Staff Lives

Day 1 - Tuesday: Took my time meandering over to Plain, moved into my room at the Lodge on the ranch. Some of the staff was already moved in and some trickled in as the day continued. There are 9 of us living in the Lodge together: Me, Jessica (my roomie), Amanda, Amy, Rachel, Noah, Jeff, Jordy, & Kevin. Jordy and Kevin are a married couple and there’s another married couple (Trevor & Megan) on staff but they live in another building on the Ranch.

Tightening the Slack Line

Day 2 - Wednesday: Lots and lots of lecture, getting to know one another, laughing, & slack lining. We talked about wilderness therapy, breaking the norm in our mission, experiencing edge moments, being aware of audience, allowing the Spirit to work mightily, and the defining moments of our lives that make us who we are. In summation, we concluded that God is about changing people’s souls & the wilderness provides that opportunity. One of the most important things Greg said today helped me realize why I’m doing what I’m doing:

“If the Word isn’t the focus & center of purpose, we are just another outfitter.”

We also did a drill that tested our backcountry abilities. I was familiar with some of the tasks, but learned a bunch including compass and map reading which was super cool!

Walk around the property

Day 3 - Thursday: A few morning sessions on policies and procedures, then the crew was off to ride horses. I couldn’t participate because I have bad allergies to them & it was really hard not to go and enjoy the time with my team, but there was other work to do!

I helped Lesley prepare all the food for a 3 day rock climb camp we will be heading out to on Tuesday. It was an absolute blast because food holds a special place in my heart <3 I’m finding more and more how meals provide opportunities and illustrations galore regarding the Gospel...maybe more on that later:)

Tomorrow we start WAFA: Wilderness Advanced First Aid. I’m excited to learn a whole bunch, but am also nervous.

If you have any spare time to talk to God in the coming days, here are some specifics:

• Praise Him for skillful leaders and an amazing team with willing hearts to serve!
• Strength: Physically and mentally. After a few days of not working out (and eating some marvelous food), our physical training will start and we might be a little shocked.
• Boldness: To speak the truth into each other’s lives and to clearly communicate the gospel to our students and everyone we come in contact with.
• Safety: With rock climbing, back country exploration, horse trips, & white water rafting come many dangers. I have complete confidence and trust in our leaders, but there’s always a risk...and without it, life wouldn’t be an adventure!