How Does God Work?

I'm sure there are plenty of answers to this question, but for now the answer I've been given is in the form of a picture: gardening.

I had the chance to do a good bit of teaching to our summer staff at camp in order to prepare them for their work at camp this summer. God is constantly working in our lives to shape us in the image of his son, and here at Bighorn we are striving to participate in that process in the lives of everyone who comes in here as well. So I thought it's be good for us to do some gardening together and gain a deeper understanding of the ways God works in us and in the lives of others too.

So...

God starts with a pretty barren piece of landscape; our heart. If you were to plant seeds on this soil right now, absolutely nothing would grow.















So God has a lot of tilling, churning, weeding, and aggravating to do in us to get out hearts prepared to receive his word so that it can actually take root in our lives.
















A lot of times that preparation comes in the form of difficulty and suffering in our lives. It often takes suffering for us to finally reach a point of being able to listen to him. The tilling of our soil is never fun, and it often lasts a long time, but it is an essential part of God's work in us.





















Once our hearts have been softened enough we are finally ready to hear God's word and accept it so that it can grow and take root in us. His word is often small and simple and to the point, but in it is the power and potential for great life to grow out of it.





















Once the seed of God's word has been planted in our lives, it must be watered and cared for so that it can start to grow.
















And then it does grow, and God's word is seen being lived out in our lives, where once there was only barren soil! Soon the growing plant will produce fruit that will then be able to give life to many others.
















And so that is the process we all find ourselves in, but the choice is ours as to whether or not we will respond to his word. The more we respond the more will be able to plant it faithfully in the lives of others as their soil is constantly being churned.

So that's the picture. It was fun getting to teach it and having the summer staff get to tangibly interact with the concept. Hopefully at the end of the summer we'll get to enjoy the fruits of our garden!

Rest

Man, can I get caught up in work! It's so easy for me to just keep working and never take time just to rest. Sometimes I work because it's just the easiest thing for me to do... easier than spending time with people and building relationships. Other times I work because I feel like there is so much to do and so little time. And a lot of times I just work because it feels good to accomplish something.

Today is a Saturday, and I was planning on working, but for some reason this morning I was inspired to relax. So I went out to the back porch of my trailer and layed down in the hammock. As I did the clear morning sun soon rose up from behind the trees and the rocky cliffs as the birds played in thier sanctuary and the beauty of it all just floored me. I wanted to share it with you, so check out the short video of the view from my hammock.

A River Retreat

It was great getting away last weekend to the Blackfoot River (that's the river "A River Runs Through It" was filmed on). The Program staff at camp all went camping together for a couple of days, and had a chance just to relax with each other and not talk about work. We did some playing on the river and even got to do some bowling. This video is of me trying to surf on a wave in the river and flipping over as usual. I was just glad to be able to flip back up! The time to get away and have fun with some friends was much needed. Sometimes I don't realize I need time like that until I actually get it.

Building in the Trees

Oh, the life! Getting to build a playground in the trees. After four years of construction before moving out here, it's great getting to build again and see all that I learned coming in to use here. It's been so much fun to walk the process of finding a group of trees, envisioning what could be, cleaning out the area, chopping down dead trees, and then slowly putting up the events. Seeing it come to be has been sweet. I just wanted to show you all one of the pics from our building, because maybe you like hanging out in trees as much as I do!

Winter in the Spring

So April started out a bit colder than I thought it would be... but it sure did start out beautifully! Lately I have been constantly reminded of the beauty that can only come through difficulty and perseverance. This past four days on skis was one of the most exhausting trips I have ever taken. It wasn't just the difficulty for me of travelling over the most challenging terrain I have faced yet, but it had a lot to do with constantly fighting the bitter cold and the unwelcome wind, not to mention dehydration and an aggravated body. Up on the ridge of Baldy Peak there is simply no shelter... no escape from the elements... yet that's where we camped. The summit area truly felt like another planet that I was somehow enabled to roam. Hardened snow encased everything. The wind swept remarkable patterns into the surface of the snow and huge overhanging cornices formed along the ridge. At times I felt like I was walking through a graveyard of stone giants frozen over the centuries they had been there. "I shouldn't be here. This isn't a place for humans," I thought... "But I AM here... for some reason I've been allowed to enter this world!" And by some weird grace I WAS allowed to enter.

But more and more I am believing that we have the choice of whether or not to enter. I used to believe that God simply laid all of the blessings he had for us into our laps as we sat there, like on Christmas day. But I think some blessings are saved only for those who persevere... for those who are willing to take the hard road because of the good that is promised in it. These are the men and women God seeks... the men and women who seek after him despite the cost because of the hope and promise they have in him. This last trip up the mountain for the winter had me constantly enduring, constantly choosing to go on and step into the challenge of the circumstances and environment. Yet every new corner revealed a beauty that my dreams hadn't yet uncovered for me, and my spirit was swept off of its feet!

How often do we avoid the conflict at hand or walk away from the promise given to us because we perceive that the cost is too high for us? It isn't usually as tangible as a mountain to climb, but it's the opportunity God has given us to walk in the strength he gives us in order to see him on the other side. I desire to live like this, though I know the cost DOES often seem too high, but maybe my vision for the beauty that lies on the other side is just too weak!

Meat and Mallows!

Was there ever a better night at the Trailer? I don't know, but it's pretty tough to beat a "Meat and Mallows" invitation!

The sky grew dark, the stars came out, and the flames grew bright. As music from the soundtrack to "The Mission" filled the air, people came throughout the night and joined us on the porch of the trailer. We skewered some marshmallows and some marinated meat and roasted away. There were plenty of stories told, a lot of laughter, and the constant sound of "mmmmmmmmmmmm" coming from satisfied mouths.

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It's been my desire, being given a trailer to live in here, to use it as an investment in other people's lives, not just as a place for myself. My roommate John and I have found a few other opportunities to host people, but this night was particularly sweet. Almost all of the college students came out as well as some other camp staff. It just seemed like a fitting event for the men's trailer, too, to host a meat night. And our roasting pit (a half barrel, mostly rusted out at the bottom) added to the rustic mood too. It spilled out a lot of its coals onto the plywood we had set up underneath for just such an occasion. The bucket of water came in handy as well to squelch out the flames as they reached the decking boards and maybe even the ground below. It's good to be prepared!

Finally... the winter video comes out!

This video has been a long time in getting posted. I just kept having troubles loading it up onto the internet, but it's finally here. It gives a good picture of what a typical day looked like for me as I was involved in teaching students how to build quinzhees (a type of snow shelter). One of the great things about teaching out in the winter environment is the amount of time I get to spend with all of the students. We are constantly hiking, building, talking, cooking, eating, and playing together, not to mention sleeping out in snow forts with each other! A huge value for me is time with people, and behind that is a belief that faith is largely caught not taught and a lot of that is experienced through a loving community. The winter also definitely allows for a lot of time to get to know people a lot better, to build trust, show love, hear where they're at and what they're dealing with and getting to share about myself and rely on them too. It all definitely fits into the bigger picture of all the students are learning in this 2 semester college program. By this time of year, most of the students are deeply in the mix of processing all that they are learning about themselves in light of all sorts of challenges and what they're studying about God and his character. It was a privilege to spend time surviving and thriving with them in the snow and to come alongside of them in their process as one who is very much also in the process of growing in faith through all of the challenges that God so readily and lovingly brings our way. Enjoy the video... I hope it makes you feel like you are right there in the action with us!