My plate is overflowing!

I had the intention of going straight into my Walkabout experience, but the first thing that popped into my head to address was, "How many times do we doubt God &his faithfulness?"
As you know, I was absolutely terrified about Walkabout and the very idea of it.
I totally did not consider that God would actually meet me in the middle of the wilderness and have me encounter him in beautiful and new ways.

First day of walkabout looked something like this:
Wake up & meet in the parking lot at 5am, drive 5 hours to Yosemite, get to our destination and the first thing we find out that we're doing is Repelling down a 138ft rock.... Wait, seriously?
I didn't even know what repelling was. Apparently the sight we went to was the best place in town.... but its a steep up-hill 45 minute hike to get there.
So basically, I figured after this day, that all fearful boundaries had been broken and that whatever else I would encounter this week would be exactly what I needed to weather it be challenging, uncomfortable it would also be absolutely necessary to contribute to my entire walkabout experience.

Man,
I don't want to get into detail about what the experience logistically looked like.
But know this,
I was able to not only experience the God I have come to know and be shaped by for the past 20 years in new ways but he also showed me so much about myself that it was baffling.
My biggest fear going into walkabout was based off of my physical abilities.
Coming from years and years of insecurities and self loathing a ten-day backpacking trip was something that was not necessarily on the top of my list to-do.
On the day that we had our longest and more testing hike, was the day that I just so happen to be leader of the day.
WHY!
That's what I wondered & asked... well maybe yelled at God. Why would you have me lead on this day? Out of my entire team I was the one person to not have backpacked or camped before let alone know how to follow a trail, and I was placed to lead on this day.
Well I can tell you that God answered back to my plea, he showed me who I was in his eyes, what I looked like when gazed upon by my creator.
Talk about a humbling opportunity. I found myself realizing what he was showing me as my guides had to continuously tell me to slow down while leading the hike....that I was going to fast.
WHAT?! HA!
The first couple of times it didn't register, I often that my pace was too slow for my team and that I must continue on.
In the midst of this God showed me that I am stronger than I give myself credit for, that my physical body is equipped to do things that I assumed it was not.
I found myself giving my body a pat and telling it good job, an outward expression of genuinely appreciating this body I was molded in but also remembering this quote:
"You don't have a Soul. You are a Soul. You have a body."  C.S Lewis

Along with all of that good stuff, on top of that I was placed on a team with AMAZING PEOPLE.

Seriously, each year I am more and more blessed by people in my life who just BLOW ME AWAY with their passion, their joy, the wisdom God has placed in them to share and what they are able to teach me.
If I had one word to describe this group of people it would be Encouraging. There was not a moment that went by that positive words were not shared from one of their lips in moments where it was a hard part of a hike, someone was making dinner or washing dishes... even in moments where you wouldn't think that encouraging would be "necessary" they did it and it was wonderful.
There was not a day that passed that did not consist of laughter or good, heart sticking conversation.
I am seriously at this point having withdrawals from them even though I just made a collective, yummy veggie pasta dinner with them last night.

There is something beautiful about coming together with a group of leaders who all have the desire to follow Christ, to learn and grow in every way possible to better serve people and to truly be apart of the body of Christ. We all had similar interest, we sang lots from 90s to now (everyday...almost every hour) and you knew, that in the center of all of our interactions and conversations there was God orchestrating all of it so delicately and intricately to make a beautiful bond between not only us but our guides as well.

I have lots of stories to tell, a lot of which will not quite be beneficial to you because you weren't there and then it would be that awkward "you-had-to-be-there" kind of moment, but I would still love to share if you want to hear them! I mean it was my first time in the wilderness so I will have a handful of things to share, feel free to ask!

So there it is.
The season of Walkabout has passed.
In the next 2 weeks residents will start moving in.... & that will be an experience of its own!

Until next time.