The Middle

Update: Sorry I haven’t updated. Truthfully, I’ve been busy with work, but the main reason was because I read ‘Till We Have Faces by C.S. Lewis (A good read, pick it up). The month of July has flown. I can’t believe August is here. I’ve also spent my free time trying to write sermons, buy plane tickets for weddings, and try to finish this summer strongly.

Also, great news, my dad and little sister came to visit! They were here for a few days and headed out today to head back home.

My days off were also fantastic for July. On the fourth, I lost cell phone service and Internet without any sure plans to celebrate. That morning, however, a friend from the Lake team knocked on the door and said, ‘grab your stuff, we’re going rafting’. Half asleep, I smiled and went. It was definitely one of the highlights of the summer. I also went to the Tetons twice this month. The first time I went with Kyle as a planned trip from May. It was our first day off since heading out here so we decided to take the opportunity to catch up and relax. We hiked Paintbrush Canyon, and saw some incredible sights there and in Jackson. I would post pictures, but Internet here takes forever (and is actually one reason for the delay of post).

The next week I went back with ACMNP people and hiked Cascade Canyon. It was amazing. The Yellowstone staff is so amazing here it’s hard to express how much they really mean to me. At one point we all left the trail and climbed some rocks to stand just outside of the canyon. On the rock, we sang hymns and actually just looked quietly at God’s creation—entering into worship again. It was beautiful. Then, we had dinner in Jackson, ice cream, walking around Jackson, and then back to work.

Everything with the job goes well, it just consumes a lot of time in the day. I’ve learned a great deal about interacting with various personalities and also serving people with the right attitude. It’s been an eye-opening experience to interact with people on that level and see my lack of patience, the excruciating process of admitting my failure, asking forgiveness, and moving on.

Our services have been fantastic out here. The people who come and the quality of the services have grown throughout. I love the people we meet during the services. Both of our own non-seminarians preached and did a fantastic job on Galatians 5:1-15 and Psalm 40. Again, the team God placed out here is tremendous and it is the highest honor to know and work with them. So, I have had the last week off so others could preach. I have helped prepare one of the sermons.

It’s really a joy to watch your education pay off for the benefits of others. Preaching and leading worship in the parks is a tremendous experience I won’t forget. Please continue to pray for us as we enter into the last third of our time here.



Reflection—The Middle

Recently I realized I’m a over halfway through the summer—in the middle. The feeling sits like a weight in my stomach. Time swirls around me like a dustbowl that blinds the eyes and hardens the imagination of hopefulness. The end hasn’t begun, and the beginning is ending—the middle.

If we break out lives into small enough unites, we will see that the time can be partitioned into beginning and endings. The beginning of something new always brings excitement. A new job, new relationship, etc. But beginnings also have endings. These beginnings also begin new responsibilities, tasks, and everything else that stresses us out (that’s the middle). But beginnings also have endings. The end is beautiful because the ending is accomplishment. But sometimes it’s pain, frustration, confusion, and a bleary-eyed stare into nothingness or a wandering eye into despair.

But the middle—that’s tricky.

Many compare life to a journey and cry, ‘the journey is the reward’. I would agree and disagree. The reward is the end, hopefully. A journey with no end rewards the wanderer, but never the homesick. Only the homesick are satisfied when the end of the journey comes. But the journey does have rewards. When we begin something, we are expected to hike through the terrain and ford the rivers, and to actually do them brings more courage, hope, faith and, hopefully, love. The process is painful and wonderful, but also necessary.

For the Christian, life began in God’s work throughout time, and, specifically, the Cross of Jesus Christ. The beginning is our own life into death of self, and new resurrection through the power of the Holy Spirit. The end is the new creation, the new home, the unadulterated presence of God forever.

But the middle.

For now, it’s Yellowstone. It’s seminary. It’s whatever opportunities God conjures. It’s singleness. It’s friendships and jobs. It’s the guiding of the Holy Spirit, it’s the growth of our love with God so when we get home we see him as he is with no more masks. It’s the death of the flesh everyday (seriously? Everyday?). It’s Christ sanctifying us with his blood. The middle is the place where God calls us to follow him for all eternity—now.

And so we embrace the middle because it is a part our life in Christ.

God gives eternal context to the middle. Though burdens we bear, along the way, what offers the context is God himself. He gives us the middle to live in, seek his face, and know him better than we could imagine.

So, I guess the journey is the reward.

Love and miss you all, see ya soon ☺

LTDA,

Trey

The Truth Will Set You Free

Info Update:

Sorry it’s been so long. My mind has been occupied with the first week of services, tiredness, and work.

Summer finally arrived in Yellowstone. Snow is slowly disappearing, and shorts are an acceptable clothing choice. The scenery here is beautiful and I’ve hiked a little bit since the last update. Bunsen Peak was a beautiful hike. We hiked up and basically slid down the mountain on the snow—yea, it was a blast.

I’ve also gone camping outside of the park and met some great people who work and live in Mammoth. The stars were incredible, and the company was good. Unfortunately, my sleeping bag would not zip up so I froze the entire night in the fetal position. The next day, I planned to hike Osprey Falls, but knew my body wouldn’t enjoy it. So, I slept.

Finally, it ended with a great community meal of kabobs and fruit salad. One of my favorite things to do is sit around a big dinner table with good friends to eat and talk. Afterwards, I met with the mentor to discuss goals for my ministry leadership class. Needless to say, my mentor here is an incredible person. He’s basically a cowboy and pastor in one. He wants to take Kyle and I on a horse-packing trip. Montana? Horse Trip? Yup, let’s make that one happen.

Since then, I’ve developed a nasty cold that’s exhausted me and made me congested. It’s not bad, and everybody has it, but it’s more annoying than handicapping.

I’ve continued working as expo and they want me to stay there for now. The only part of my job I don’t enjoy is the schedule. 12-2:30 and 5-10pm basically leaves early mornings for hikes, walks, reading, ministry work, sermon prep, etc. While I like the idea of getting up earlier, the body is taking longer to adjust.

We had our first full Sunday this past week. I preached twice and we had a great showing. It really is beautiful to worship in the parks like we do. The amphitheater is a gorgeous venue, and the people who come are wonderful. We can make transitions smoother, but overall, it went as well as it could. We have a great staff, and by God’s grace it’s coming together nicely.

Reflection: The Truth Shall Set You Free

No reflection: only Scripture this time. I can’t get these two verses out of my head together.

Thoughts? Perhaps we should reflect together.

‘And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free’—John 8:32

‘In him was life, and the life was the light of men’—John 1:4


Love you all and miss you madly,

LTDA,

Trey