By Josh Knipple
Going into the weekend, honestly I had no clue what to expect.
Weather forecasts of rain the entire time, people having to back out with conflicting work schedules, and sickness…just a whole list of things running through my mind causing me to doubt the effectiveness of the weekend. On top of that, with so little snow this winter, I couldn’t help but think the whole weekend would be dominated by negativity.
But GOD! But God showed up in a powerful way.
Thursday before we left to head down there, God laid on my heart Hebrews 12:1-2.
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.”
Let’s start out in verse one.
“Since we are surrounded”…God reminded me that we would be surrounded by 60 or so other believers there for the weekend who are going through life together. Instead of focusing on what isn’t happening, share your personal stories.
“Throw off everything that hinders” Forget about, cancel out, get rid of all the thoughts that keep us from focusing, and fix your eyes.
“On Jesus.” JESUS! He is the true reason we are all getting together in the first place. Yes, the snow is great, and fellowship time is valuable, but bottom line: it comes back to Jesus.
After realigning my mind, a new vigor was experienced about the weekend. Four cabins filled with people from New York to North Carolina. A joy to just all be around each other once again. Stories being shared throughout the weekend about our theme for the time, “Keeping ministry simple.”
From donuts on the mountain to chocolates being shared with lifties. Through a local Prayer Wall, God showed us that He truly is in even the smallest details. It reminded me over and over about the story of Jesus using the fishes and loaves.
You never know how God can move, right?
A few highlights for the weekend have to include the entire group going down to the coffee shop, having donuts in front of the prayer wall and experiencing the power that was there. It was undeniable. Donna shared her heart, and I believe with everything in me that we could have just stayed there in that Presence for hours. Then to go from there back up to the village and have a baptism in a hot tub… it was really an incredible weekend.
And! For all the concern about the snow and weather conditions, it actually ended up pretty dang decent. So I will say this in closing about the weekend: GOD IS GOOD. To cap it off, God had to show off his artwork with one of the most breathtaking sunsets that a picture doesn’t even do it justice.