This passage -- a verse I have always known -- but one that speaks volumes in the reference to this past weekend -- John 14:6 "Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."
This past weekend was our annual CCF beach retreat. I will be honest and say I was less than sold on going this year but with some amazing God moments and some very harsh push from Steph, John and Kaela. I was on the road to Winema with Cody, Kaela, Logan and Keith - for those who know them (what a load eh?). God is so great I can't even begin to spell it out - there is no way I can [one] do justice to the impact of this past weekend and [two] put words to the overwhelming love God poured over all of us there.
Worship was breathtaking and so captivating. This community never seizes to blow my mind and the souls on fire for the Lord is infectious.
The last night we sang a song called, "How He Loves" and I was in tears with the crying out of my family in Christ, my friends and those who have helped me fall in Love with our Father all over again.
We got the honor of listening to Ben Herr this past weekend. He was full of applicable stories, encouraging words and challenges we all should take on. This man continued to blow my mind with his impact on all of this throughout the weekend -- and come to find out it is a very small world. [and for an edited update - i just found out his wife was my kindergarten teacher] He was my sister's YL leader, lived with my aunt and uncle at Wild Horse and is still very good friends with the pastor in Cannon Beach :)
If you can't tell this last weekend was all about getting deeper. I was blessed by some amazing conversations and some very humbling moments.
But of course it was a weekend of fun and light hearted moments with those who I love most.
Brayden doing work on the dunes.
Messing around with my little bro & sis
Beach games!
Fun times in the dining hall.
Pastor Ben and Mary :) So cool to have them show up to our college retreat for the weekend.
And finally -- my family.
God is so great. Below is my attempt to express his presence this weekend.
My eyes swollen, swollen from an overwhelming sense of love, passion, surrender, hope and promise. The three of us walked down the gravel path lit by nothing but the moonlit sky sporadic with stars beneath the coastal haze. We walked the windy path until we came to a steal bridge. A bridge most would walk across, using its strength and purpose without realizing its necessity. Before any of us stepped foot on the promise of stability the bridge gave-- my mind paused, realizing how significant this walk truly was.
Not but ten minutes prior did I sit shoulder to shoulder to one of the most radiant young woman I know; listening to the word of God pour from the man that sat across the table. Listening, yearning, crying out to know our savior Jesus Christ. This bridge we were about to cross, is the same bridge he had explained to her as the bridge of Jesus. He had just asked her if she had a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and with her reply she cries out, “ I want to know him.” His eyes began to collect tears in the corners as he beams with love, “ Let me tell you how.”
I sat in support to her and as he unpacked the love of Christ, I was discipled by my brother - overwhelmed by the word of God truly being laid out on the table for her to begin to realize what she had been missing. He painted an image I will never forget, the image of the bridge, the image of the gap without Jesus. He explained with passion in his voice, lifting his left hand -- man is here and then with his right hand he said - over here is God. Now with both hand raised he looked back at her to make sure she was following. Shaking his left hand, then his right; There is a cleft that lies between man and God and the only way to the other side is through Jesus Christ. You cannot jump, fly, or swim across the gap that separates man from God. There is only one bridge that will support whatever weight you take across it, there is only one bridge that will never crack nor fail and that is the steal bridge that is rooted in a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. My eyes fell on the tears that ran down her cheeks, tears of love and a yearning to know more.
As my foot stepped over the bridge and the three of us walked side by side to the other side my heart was swollen to its utmost capacity. We stood at the log, a knoll that overlooked the winding crick feeding to the vast ocean. This is the place she chose. This is the moment, the night on April 24th 2010 that will be engraved in her heart forever. My left arm gripped around my brothers, my right arm tight around her yearning soul. The three of us prayed and welcomed our sister in Christ to a world of eternal life and love. Under the blanket of stars, standing on the edge of the dunes, hand in hand, heart in heart we walked her to our Father forever.
Not but ten minutes prior did I sit shoulder to shoulder to one of the most radiant young woman I know; listening to the word of God pour from the man that sat across the table. Listening, yearning, crying out to know our savior Jesus Christ. This bridge we were about to cross, is the same bridge he had explained to her as the bridge of Jesus. He had just asked her if she had a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and with her reply she cries out, “ I want to know him.” His eyes began to collect tears in the corners as he beams with love, “ Let me tell you how.”
I sat in support to her and as he unpacked the love of Christ, I was discipled by my brother - overwhelmed by the word of God truly being laid out on the table for her to begin to realize what she had been missing. He painted an image I will never forget, the image of the bridge, the image of the gap without Jesus. He explained with passion in his voice, lifting his left hand -- man is here and then with his right hand he said - over here is God. Now with both hand raised he looked back at her to make sure she was following. Shaking his left hand, then his right; There is a cleft that lies between man and God and the only way to the other side is through Jesus Christ. You cannot jump, fly, or swim across the gap that separates man from God. There is only one bridge that will support whatever weight you take across it, there is only one bridge that will never crack nor fail and that is the steal bridge that is rooted in a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. My eyes fell on the tears that ran down her cheeks, tears of love and a yearning to know more.
As my foot stepped over the bridge and the three of us walked side by side to the other side my heart was swollen to its utmost capacity. We stood at the log, a knoll that overlooked the winding crick feeding to the vast ocean. This is the place she chose. This is the moment, the night on April 24th 2010 that will be engraved in her heart forever. My left arm gripped around my brothers, my right arm tight around her yearning soul. The three of us prayed and welcomed our sister in Christ to a world of eternal life and love. Under the blanket of stars, standing on the edge of the dunes, hand in hand, heart in heart we walked her to our Father forever.
It is without a doubt in my mind that Christ moved mountains this weekend, not only for me, for Cody, John - but for all that were there. Ben let the words of God flow from him and the message was what we all needed to hear and especially what God had planned for Cody -- for that moment be the time she was to open her ears and listen.
As Ben reminded and challenged us - I must never forget to...
"Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances" 1 Thessalonians 5:16
Thanks to all of those who put this weekend together, Kaela for taking all of the pictures and to Ben Herr for being a vessel in the words of God.
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