The IMPACT 360 family just got home from a five day trip that we like to call the adventure module. This adventure module contains a lot of different activities consisting of carrying backpacks as big as you are, sleeping in tents, going to the restroom in the woods, cooking your own food out in nature, hiking intense trails, and washing lovely dishes in creeks! At the end of this five day period we had blisters, sore shoulders, bruised hip bones, and a new love for toilets. However, this trip was not just about enjoying the outdoors, or surviving the outdoors as some would say, it was more about creating an atmosphere where we got to dig deep into our spiritual disciplines. We learned about solitude, meditation, prayer, fasting, study, simplicity, submission, service, confession, worship, guidance, and celebration. Celebration was a big one when we got home! We really got to dig deep into all of those and learn how to start practicing them. They gave us a lot to practice while we were there too! I would go into more detail, but I would hate to ruin it for future students.
There is one experience that I would like to share. On our Wednesday hiking trip we decided to take a short cut. We decided to go directly up a mountain to get to our campsite rather than going the long way around. It took about an hour off our hiking time, but was also a lot more difficult. We were cutting through weeds and hiking up this huge mountain with about 50 pound bags on our shoulders. It was a grueling hike, but when we got to the top it was so worth it. When we finally made it to the top there was this view that was just to die for. It was one of the most beautiful things I had ever seen! In an instant all the hurt and stress from that hike disappeared for a minute while we all gazed over what we had just climbed. It really made me think that sometimes in life we climb hard and strenuous mountains. They hurt and they are stressful and you don’t always know what is at the top. The main thing you have to do is just keep pushing forward. Then when you get to the top and see all God has planned, you can just stare in awe. In that instant you see what all the hurt and struggles had been for and it doesn’t matter at that instant. You just get to celebrate and rejoice in the long climb it took to make it to that spot. In the end God really has something magnificent to show, you just have to climb up the mountain to see it.
Beth Heggan
IMPACT 360
Class of 2012