Some student reflections
In preparation for introducing themselves to the new instructor coming in (Dave), they were given two questions to reflect on:
1) What is something that you’re grateful for from this experience?
2) What is the growth edge that God has been working on in your life?
Here are a few of their responses:
"I am very grateful for how this experience has taught me to live more in the moment and rely on God. Having so much less control over everything has forced me to trust that God will work it out. Instead of being stressed and always trying to look ahead, I can (and have to) focus on right now and enjoying this moment. In hard times or bad weather, I am reminded that it is only temporary and that “this too shall pass”. I have been memorizing Matthew 6: 25-34 and it has been a great reminder that God provides for creation and will provide for me too. I have especially been meditating on the last verse “each day has enough trouble of its own” which helps me not get overwhelmed by what’s ahead."
"On LDW, God is showing me who I can be when I’m part of a great community. That comes with a better understanding of what roles I fit in as a part of this community. I have also been able to learn how to put others needs before my wants and grow in my service to others."
"One of the biggest learning edges that God has been putting me through is truly internalizing the idea that I am his beloved and can build my identity off of that. In my normal life where I am questioning career choices, figuring out my role in many groups, and am trying to lead in several circles, including my family, I often find myself confused and trying to prove my worth to God. This trip is showing me how pointless that is and that I start off by accepting and reflecting his love for me, the rest will follow."
"I’m grateful for simply the ability to learn. Let me elaborate- I have never backpacked. I have never camped out. I have never really been able to experience nature in any capacity except my backyard and the occasional Girl Scout trip. I impulsively signed up for this trip in September without a second thought. Even in my preparation for this trip, I was consistently learning. I had to do so much research. So much emailing. So much praying for a miracle to understand what anything was. I had to learn how to book flights, how to condition my already aching, problematic body, how to sell this experience to my wary family!
Coming to WYoming has been nothing but a learning experience. I learned how to navigate an airport. I flew for the first time- TWICE! I have since learned how to lace my boots, pack a pack, pitch a tent, light a stove, setup and tear down both my sleep set up and the group tarp, how to walk with trekking poles and campons, ice axe, and I’ve been lowered down with ropes and other insane things. Every single day I wake up and learn something totally new.
Technical things aside, I’m learning how to be myself. I get a wonderful opportunity to understand who I am for the first time in my life. I get to experience joy, love, care, belonging, friendship, laughter, and mutual want to grow closer and dive deeper into each other and into our love of God. I get to be loved, known, and enjoyed for WHO I AM, not what I DO. I’m learning to lead, to communicate, to find rest- abiding, to listen, to fully lean in and to be in the moment simply because it matters. I’m learning that it’s ok to express emotions, to have doubts, to get injured, to have to ask for help.
The ability to learn is the ability to grow. To grow is to understand that we were never meant to be the same. To change is to not be the same person you were 3.5 weeks ago and to never to be the same again. "