The Strength of a Thousand Squamsters

"For I know the plans I have for you", declares the Lord, 

"Plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you

 hope and a future."- Jeremiah 29:11

 God has reason for everything. There is purpose behind everything. Through the exhaustion, through the chaotic circumstances, frustrations and hardships, there is a purpose for these things just like we each have purpose. Through failure, hate, weakness, desperation, mockery and sin... We were still created with a purpose.

There is purpose in each step that we place and each step that we take whether God is in mind or not. each step can be very impactful and each step can impact hundreds of different ways and hundreds of different people.
Ripples in the water.

I spent 10 days in the wilderness with 5 teenagers who from the very beginning I could see the purpose behind each of our present stance in front of each other. I could see meaning behind our presence among one another and where life has brought us has brought each of us to this very moment packing our backpacks not really knowing what would happen next.

With the time we spent rock climbing and back packing in various parts of His creation our students gained more knowledge of themselves, their borderlines of physical stature, their spiritual stature and their emotional stature. We as instructors learned various levels of the same things.

What have I learned over these last 2 weeks:

-Teenagers can have older souls than most 60's range baby boomers.
-Sometimes we say things in confidence thinking we believe  and follow what we say. Not in a hypocritical way but rather in a confidently incompetent way.
-My Camp Cayuga days of light sleeping with campers present has not faded even slightly.
-Bears don't use doors to enter tents.
-Squamsters (Hybrids of Squirrels and Hampsters) will Parkour anything to get to food bags in Vedauwoo.
-God gives more strength than we could ever comprehend.
-It is nearly impossible to trail blaze in Rocky Mountain National Park, CO.
-When you're in terrifying situations in the back country your lungs tend to feel tension while your vocal cords ring loudly in worship to Jesus through song.
-You find you share a lot more in common with your students, hence the continual realization of reasons God has placed us with each other.
-Almond Snickers always taste better on mountain summits.

-We are beloved children of God and nothing can take us from Him. We need constant reminding of this truth.

Here are a few more photos from our journey:

Calypso Cascades RMNP, CO

Climbing in Vedauwoo, WY

Peak day climbing Mt. Orton

Finch Lake RMNP, CO

Calypso Cascades RMNP, CO

Peak day at Sunrise climbing up Mt. Orton

Windy first summit of Mt. Orton

                                                          -Keep Adventuring.

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I've been looking at my feet a lot lately. Not in a bashful, shamed way. But in a contemplative way. I'm watching where my feet are leading me.

This past weekend Austin and I went and climbed Grey Peak between Laramie and Fort Collins, CO. There was a 3.1 mile hike to our climbing destination. The path was rather diverse and lovely. When you hike, often you look down to see the terrain ahead of you to be able to plan out your steps. That is not an analogy of how we should follow the Lord. In fact we should keep looking up and looking forward with confidence in the steps that God is having us step upon. Anyway...

I stepped down onto a heart shaped rock. I remember it well in the trail. It was towards the beginning of our hike and up until that point I hadn't really thought about anything aside from that we were heading to a climb that consisted of 3 pitches (Not one climb and come back down. we climbed 3 routes with one rope to get to the top.) instead of hiking to the top. As my feet walked over top of this rock my mind flowed with thoughts of who I was, where I was and how this experience I was about to have was about to change me in someway.

All experiences in our lives change us in some way.

I pondered my thought process as I first walked across that rock and how upon my exit walking over the same stone how would I feel, in what ways would God strengthen me and teach me through out the days lessons? I had learned a lot during that climb and I was also doused in the views and the love that flowed from the views of Gods creation.

As we hiked back out I stepped on that same stone and reflected the day and the difference I felt within myself. It wasn't huge but it was definitely different. filled with knowledge of the days experience.

I'm finding that this mentality of trusting that when we step out in faith to seek, discover and experience the things that God has set before us no matter what we are changed. We are molded and further refined or defined in someway. When it coinsides with his will for us it will ALWAYS be for the better. It is a simple thought and it is a prayer that I continually have for each student that we have come through our doors who take their first step onto the trail or seek their first ascent up rock with a belay for the first time. The smallest step can create huge life changing height gains.

We should all be more conscious of this and step out more often.




-Keep adventuring.















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