CWE365 & Youth Strategies Journey to Colorado (part 2)

The following is part two of a three part series written by Sprindale Ozone Director, Erin Wiltse. Click here to read part one.

Breakfast began at 8 AM, but nothing could have prepared us for the amount of awesomeness that would define our first breakfast, as well as the rest of our meals.  Mamma Teresa of Fish & Cross Ranch has a special gift, a gift from God if you will, for making ASTONISHING meals.  Eating was by no means a trying experience during our stay.

As the week began we became accustomed to how days were put together. The average schedule looked something like this:  Breakfast, Bible study, team exercise or horseback riding, lunch, more exercises, riding or free time, dinner and more group time/Bible study. The days were full and so wonderfully orchestrated to grant us a complete experience.  

There are three things I must explain more deeply in order to do our Colorado expedition any possible justice.  First off, allow me to comment on the horses.  An experience I personally had never been part of before (a Michigan girl such as myself doesn’t get out into the country often) allowed for some funny moments. I was given the “momma” horse, named Gloria, who really disliked the rest of the horses, tooted along the trail a lot (like a lot a lot) and usually left me at the end of the horse caravan as we toured the ranch.  Each day our students were able to ride horses through the mountains; an activity that doesn’t happen regularly in NWA and was such a blessing!  The final day of riding, the ranchers decided to allow us to participate in a small rodeo.  Lassoing, wrangling bulls, bulldogging and an obstacle course served to provide a very entertaining afternoon.  Learning and understanding a new set of skills with a new set of (animal) friends was definitely appreciated and it was an experience that marked the trip with joy and gratitude.

Secondly, I’ll comment on another unique opportunity we were given each day. This came in the form of team building exercises.  Perhaps your mind goes to thinking this is not that exciting or unique, but trust me when I say it was AWESOME!  Being in the mountains, staring into miles of clouds, skies and sunshine really makes anything usual uncommonly beautiful.  That being the case, as we ventured out each day to participate in an exercise, it was very clear that the Lord had created our days there to teach us not only about Himself, but also one another.  

An example of one exercise consisted of the ranchers taking us into the woods and leading us to sit on a log while blindfolded.  They asked us to be silent the entire time and to think on “that which we value the most in life.”  One by one they led us into the woods and handed us two things: an egg (symbolizing things we value) and a rope (symbolizing our “lifeline”).  They explained that we had to find our way out and we would know when we got there.  So blindfolded, with an egg in one hand and a rope in the other, each individual set out to find their way out of the maze.  And although it’s hard to articulate all that went on in the next hour or so, I can say that when we sat down at the end to process how it applied to our lives. Jesus was glorified and his message was understood.  Although we place value and importance on the things in our lives, at the end of the day the only thing that leads us to our destination is the “lifeline” that guides our steps.  If, as Christians, heaven is our destination, then Christ Himself can’t be our egg (something that can break or be stolen), He must be the lifeline.  Things of earthly value are temporary, but Christ is who we must remain allegiant to at every turn, every uncertainty, every moment, “for we walk by faith and not by sight” (2 Cor 5:7).  I left the experience challenged and yet affirmed in a new and wonderful way.  My prayer is for our students to have eyes to see, ears to hear and a mind to understand all God communicated to them personally through the exercise.

Stay tuned for part three!