theWELL is going camping Tuesday -Thursday of this week and I am SO excited. I was a backpacking guide for 4 years in Colorado during college, and I have never seen God change lives like he did on the trail (Mine included). As I’ve prepared for this week at Joshua Tree, I was reminded of a few reasons that I love outdoor ministry.
- People are away from the distractions of every day life. We have an unbelievable way of keeping ourselves busy and occupied; often to the point where we are unable to hear God speak to us. There is something about the silence of the back-country that opens our ears and our hearts to God.
- People are broken. We do a great job (most of the time) keeping ourselves comfortable and insulated from anything that might be an inconvenience to us. In fact, in many ways we live in a culture that is addicted to comfort – BUT that all goes out the window in the back-country. In the wilderness we often find ourselves needing, lacking, and uncomfortable – and it’s in that place that we are able to sense God’s touch and his care. It’s probably one of the reasons that Jesus often takes His followers away.
- Community is formed in a very real and life-changing way. I have never seen community form in a more significant way than I have on the trail. It’s one of the times when you actually NEED other people. See, we need other people all the time, we just don’t realize it. the back-country brings it front and center in our lives. It’s hard to put up a tent by yourself, it’s hard to cook dinner all by yourself, etc. Community forms out of necessity and it’s beautiful!
So, all that to say, I am excited for what God has for us in Joshua Tree over the next few days!
