It is easy to lock in our roles as fathers, mothers, and children. Most of us live within routines that cause us to say and do the same things over and over. We go to work or school at the same places, hang out with the same people, look at the same screens, and engage in the same activities. We get comfortable. This is not necessarily negative, but sometimes God wants to shake up our lives. Get us out of our comfort zones.
I’m scared. Who wouldn’t be? In the writing of this blog, within the month, I will be holding a fresh out-of-the-womb baby boy. He might have my hair, my chin, and my nose. He’ll hopefully have his mom’s eyes and smile. Whatever he has, he is going to be mine… and I’m scared.
Jesus was extremely clear when He said, “Do not judge.” Judgments are opinions or evaluations seen through the particular lens and worldview of the one making them. Perhaps Jesus was trying to save us the pain and trauma of being evaluated by others who do not know our entire story. Even the most well intended parents cannot know exactly what thoughts and feelings pervade the every day lives of their kids. So Jesus tells us to forego making judgments.
We often have assumptions that were so engrained into who we think we are that we never seek to challenge them. We believe that if something is uncomfortable it should be avoided, and that we are our best, truest selves when surrounded by family, friends, and cultural contexts that are familiar. Although these are irreplaceable pieces of our identity, they can often end up becoming crutches that prevent us from getting to know the parts of ourselves that we can only become acquainted with when faced with a bowl of bugs.
When thinking of traditional leaders, the charming, well spoken, “has all the answers” type typically jumps to mind. However, when instructing courses at Summit Adventure I don’t expect student leaders to have all of the answers – in fact I expect them not to. Learning how to effectively lead does not require a remarkably dynamic individual, but someone who is able to observe the needs of the group being led. A story from last year’s Adventures in Leadership course will hopefully provide some insight into just how impactful our wilderness leadership experiences can be.
“The times they are a changin’.” This famous song notes how events of the 1960s re-shaped America’s cultural landscape. Fervent change continues, creating a technologically focused electronic age far different from the post-Vietnam era of a young Bob Dylan.
Combines high-altitude mountaineering and service projects in a rich cross-cultural setting. Immerses you in the rich beauty of Ecuadorian culture and the Andes. Ecuador is said to be the “Jewel of the Andes.”
Service and adventure in one of the world’s last wild places. Experience natural beauty like you’ve never seen as you trek by towering craggy peaks, pristine blue lakes, and windswept ice fields.
