2 Weeks at Prairie then back to Montana

Well it was easier to pack this time but I found out its still hard as heck to leave! It was however good to be back and see all my friends again. Sadly there was less snow there than when we left to come home for Christmas but I knew that in a couple of weeks Id be in Montana covered up in snow. We covered a full semesters class in less than two weeks with 4 – hour and 20 minute classes a day, it was a killer. The class was called Biblical Theology of Mission and it was amazing. You know it’s a good class when it takes the whole first class just to explain what the title of the course means. Basically it was this, Gods mission is to Glorify Himself, and we are created as was everything else to glorify Him. We talked about the prologue of the story then dived into Genesis all the way to revelation seeing Gods mission revealed and learning about various characteristics of God and we should make application of those. It was in this class that I realized that many of the immeasurable goals that I had set for myself were coming true and that was really exciting. There was several sunny days even though it was it was nice to play outside and see some good sunsets. There wasn’t much time for anything except for class but we are all looking forward to going to Montana back to camp bighorn and the discover group is looking forward to going to Guatemala. Pack my bags again and say goodbye for 3 months and head towards camp.

Man is it good to be back at camp now. The staff here is amazing and the food delictable...as was the first semester. They have been giving us all the things that I missed the most like enchilladas, baked oatmeal, hot wings, resses pieces cookies, and hot chocolate with mint tea in it

This semester we have even more gear and the same 6 guys living in a cramped up space so we traded two of our dressers for two more bunk beds bringing the total to 6 beds. Our room looks like a submarine set up but its pretty sweet. Now everyone has their own bed and there is some organization going on.

All these pics are from a couple of days ago here at camp it just poured snow all night and we woke up to this. I guess thats what they mean when they say that down at camp they dont get much snow down in the valley. I cant wait to see the waist deep- up to 6 feet of snow up on the hill. Me and Scott decided it would be a good time to hike up to the cross behind camp. It was absolutely beautiful. At one point we both ended up on our butts at exactly the same time...part of the trail was covered in ice hidden by a bunch of fresh snow. On the way down we found a good tree to do some pull ups on. If the 6x6 military trucks get working then we are planning to start skills tomorrow(Thursday). Our green team gets to do Mountaineering first and I cant wait.

Christmas Break

It was sooo nice to be home with my family and also friends over the break. It was cool to sit around the fire ( even if was in the 60's or higher) without tv distractions and talk, play cards, read, or just relax. Also being back at my home church was amazing. Seeing everyone there was good but I wish I had more time to talk with and catch up with more people. I have a feeling this is gonna be a long post because I realized alot of things over the break and im so excited about it that its hard to shorten it by too much. So just skim through if you wanna but dont worry the next couple will be having alot more pictures because winter skills training starts in 3 days.

God used this time of rest to really show me some awesome things. I have been reading through this book about men and I got to the part talking about the warrior stage in our lives. I first read about God being a warrior and that there are certain things in life that are worth fighting for. Also, that He makes man a warrior in His image because He wants us to join Him in the battle. Then it went on to talk about the dangers of paralysis, or passivity, that has been passed on to us from Adam. This gets me so angry. It is crucial that a man gets past this tha

t lies deep in our bones. We must with the help of God, overcome it intentionally, repeatedly, on front after front across the seasons of our lives. I my heart God has placed this thought that says I will not let evil have its way. There are some things that cannot be endured. Instead of saying, why is life so hard, we take the hardness as a call to fight. Set your face like a flint like in Isaiah 50:7. It is also essential to keep the integrity of the heart as a great reservoir or passionate strength and Holy desire. I pray that myself and other guys let God awaken the warrior in us and restore that heart in me, that we would be His, ready to serve. Also that after getting past fear or doubt to serve we may fight one battle at a time and not be lured into fighting battles that are not ours to be involved in.

I was a really nervous to be honest to read the next section because i didnt want to rush into it and it was called the Lover. I realized that I have been awakening other passions in my life for quite a while and are now becoming more real than ever. The things that I love in life such as music and song, or viewing Gods created beauty and now being able to purely look at and appreciate them like never before.  Women uniquely display the personification of beauty, are the personification of beauty, and it often takes her to turn a young guys attention away from battle. The battle is not what its all about. Great memories remain with me of wading in the middle of a river and fly fishing with fish jumping out of the water around me. Also recently, our night hike through the Rockies on a moonless night with no headlamps and then sleeping under the those same stars not wanting to close my eyes even in exhaustion because I didnt want to miss a single falling star. I'll never forget seeing for the first time the sheepfold (aka the big dipper), and Cassiopeia in the sky after having them pointed out to me by one who I truly admire. What is greater than the intense desire, the piercing joy of beauty? My pursuit of Beauty had turned into Gods pursuit of me. God as a lover romancing me, stirring my heart those times ( I know it sounds weird). I realize that God has many such gifts for each of us, all particular and customized for us. I pray that He will open our hearts to His romance and to see the things that He desires to show us.

Then things all of a sudden clicked in me as I read on. For we must remember: the battle is for the Romance. What we fight for is the freedom and healing that allow us to have the intimacy with God we were created to enjoy. To drink from His river of delights ( I love those kinds of phrases). I just now began to see a connection between the warrior and lover and understand the phrase warrior poet. I owe sooo so much to the one who called me a warrior poet several months ago and challenged me by not telling me what that meant. How sweet it has been to hear it from God. 

Wow another long posts, I gotta quite that. There is so much more to both of those sides and I have been so amazed at them that its hard to shorten it down. I take alot of those words out of the way of the wild heart so I can better express what I have been learning. i continue to pray that God will awaken both sides of me and guard my heart for whatever He has in store for me.