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Showing posts with label Summer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Summer. Show all posts

Sunday, May 1, 2011

Pushed into Leaning

There hasn't been to many transitional seasons in my life, I'm not sure if I would even consider this summer to be the Lord moving me into a new 'season'.  Maybe just a mid-season hiccup.  All my stuff is packed as I am getting ready for a summer that will be different than most I'm used to.  In just a few days I will be flying home to Michigan to see my family for a week.  Upon returning to Kansas City I will have two quick days to repack and get ready for a summer spent in the mountains of Colorado.

For the past two years I have lived in KC, the longest time I have spent away from this place was a month back in the summer of 2009.  When I moved here, I don't think I knew that I would be moving here more or less permanently.  When I finished my internship I moved into a house with 5 other guys, called the 'Refuge House.'

Left to Right: Me, Jay, Micah, Kris (the owner of the House), Josh
Jay, Micah, Kris, and I have been together for the past year and a half in the house.  I've had alot of fun getting to know these guys.  Basically, we had fun pretty much all the time when anyone was home.  The refuge house really has felt like home here in Kansas City, it's going to feel really odd to be back in Kansas City and not coming home to these guys.

As for where I will live come fall, I have no clue.  There are so many things that are out of my control at the current moment of life.  My heart is to find a place with fewer guys, a little slower pace, and would prefer to have the guys going to IHOPU.  Life here at the House of Prayer is really busy, really fast pace, so it's important that when you walk in where ever you are living that you are able to enter into true rest.

I think also having grown up in a big family, going straight into internship life, then coming to a house with 4 roommates, I'm ready for a little break.  I need a little smaller crowd for home life.

Truly my heart will miss these guys.

So today, I officially feel like my summer is starting, as I take this first step of trusting the Lord.  I know this summer is about leaning for me.  Leaning into leadership that is unseen.  Learning to hear His voice and trust Him at His word.  I feel the pressures on my heart already to abandon ship, to neglect the voice of the Lord because of the tensions my heart will endure through the uncertainty.  Truly, He must increase, I must decrease.

"The boundary lines have fallen in pleasant places."

Isaac

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Summer plans of Colorado and Jesus

Some of "You People" (whoever you people are) may know already, but for those that don't, I'M MOVING TO COLORADO FOR THE SUMMER!  Yeahp it's true, heartbreaking to say the least.  From the past two years of my life, I will be leaving Kansas City for the first time for more than a month.  Long story made really short, the Lord set me up with this pretty amazing job through the most God ordained circumstances.

Taken in Southern Colorado by Yours Truly

"What will you be doing?" You ask.  It just so happens the Lord knows exactly who I am, and what I love doing.  I will be in the mountains of Colorado for the summer discipling men and women from all different branches of the military to love Jesus!  These people (the one's who are coming to me) come from all over the country to spend a week at the camp I am working, because they want to keep their christian faith while serving our nation's military in different capacities.

"So what does that look like?" You probe.  Well.  I will be leaving the second week of May to start training for my summer responsibilities as a "Outdoor Guide."  Each week we will have a team of about 10-15 men and women comprised from all different branches come for a week packed with activities and teachings.  A typical week.

Sunday morning we wake up, eat breakfast together, have a morning teaching time, that afternoon we head out to the cliffs to do some rock climbing.  Come back that evening, eat dinner, have another teaching session, then head to bed.

Monday morning, eat breakfast, morning teaching, go out white water rafting, eat dinner, evening teaching session, bed.

Tuesday, wake up early, pack up gear, hit the trail for day 1 of our 4 day trek.  Goal for day 1 is to establish a baee camp.

Wednesday, wake up early, hike up to scenic spot, and for the next 5 hours fly "Solo" with the Lord in prayer.  This is the spiritual climax of the week, so all the teachings and personal one on one time is getting them ready for this time with the Lord.

Thursday, wake up early, summit 14,000ft peak, eat lunch at the top, descend back to base camp.  This is the physical peak of the week, as peaking a 14,000ft mountain aint no cake walk!

Friday morning, pack into a hot springs area and relax and debrief about the last few days.

My role as a "Outdoor Guide" is most crucial during the 4 day trek, as I will be designated to be over about 3-5 people's well being.  Everything from shelter, to making meals, spiritual needs, leading morning devotions, it's up to me that these people arrive back to base camp Friday evening in one piece and having encountered Jesus.  Well, that's the Holy Spirit's job =]

Saturday say goodbye as the team heads out, and welcome the next team in that night!

Repeat process...

So, I will be quite busy this summer.  I'm really excited to pour the Love of Christ into the hearts of all of the different men and women that are going to come through this ministry.  I know that it will be an exhausting summer, but a rewarding one!  I believe I rotate a week on a week off for the 4 day trek.  For the weeks that I'm out on the trail, it will be a tiring week full of investment and getting my share of walking out the Sermon the Mount.

The weeks that I'm back at the base camp, it sounds like it will be a little more chill, still with work cut out for me, but I'll be able to spend more time with Jesus.  On the weeks I'm not directly investing my heart alot, I really want to spend those weeks investing in cultivating a friendship with Jesus at a deeper level.  I can't call Him my friend if I don't actually put in the time of having conversation with Him.

I'm really excited for this opportunity to share the exceeding pleasure of Loving Jesus, as well as having this invitation from the Lord to get to know Him on the backside of the mountain.  Literally!

Shalom.

Isaac

Saturday, April 9, 2011

Summer Shoes

Summer is coming.  I have my Summer Shoes.