Another great Men's Retreat...

Some reflects from my old camera phone and what a weekend to spend in the north with some guys who are concerned about their walk with the Lord.  I am whipped emotionally but so thankful that God has given the physical stamina to do this. 
 New place this year - Hiawatha Youth Camp on Piatt Lake, Eckerman, MI in the Upper Pennisula.  The absolute nicest place so far to hold our bi-annual retreat.
 My hiking partner for the day.  About 9.1 miles by the gps and through some wet terrain.  Some of the best peanut butter and almond butter and jelly sandwiches ever!!!
 Beaver dam at the furthest point from the park.  The water was above us by 3 feet on some parts of the trail.  No phone signal here.
 The upper falls.  I probably have so many pictures of this but here we go again.
 And again...
 And again...
 A huge double sided fireplace in the great room.  Not too many places that you can make a five foot long fire.
 Some of the guys playing a serious game of Risk that went to about 3 in the morning.  Still not sure who won the battle.
Looks serious doesn't it?

Running again through the Stepping Up series with Dennis Rainey and some of Staying in Love with Andy Stanley kept us on track with making this a very spiritual retreat.  About 20 guys who bonded over the 3 days.  Throw in some fishing, biking, hiking, kayaking, canoeing, hunting, 4 wheeling, basketball, ga-ga ball and you have one full weekend.

I told the guys this weekend that I have never been around a group of guys in one church who are truly trying to be a band of brothers for the sake of Christ.

Adam
A simple man serving a great God and the local pastor of Stillwater Community Chapel (stillwater-chapel.org). We are in our 38th year of full time ministry. God directed us to this local body of believers on the Western Range of the Rockies to grow with them in mission and mindedness of Christ.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Connect a bit of Scripture with a bit of life - Spurgeon

     I heard this phrase today along with another that if you connect a bit of Scripture with a bit of life, it will end up effecting all of your life.  This came up in my study of the book of James and specifically the verses dealing with not just being a hearer of the Word but also be a doer of the Word.  It is all about application.  I can't look at preaching the Word without giving steps of applying the Word.  It really is an incomplete sermon if I don't.      Many times I think it has to be big and many points and given cute aliteration that makes it snappy and I think easy to remember and fun to write down.  Reality is, if I would make it a bit of Scripture connected to a bit of life and just that it would probably accomplish much more.  How much time I spend on the opening statement and lame joke and research and introductions and how many points and the closing statement and so little time on connecting the bit of Scripture to the bit of life.      So I guess I ha
Read more

Galatians #15 - Galatians 6:11-18 - "On The Road Again..."

Image
  Another week closer and it involves some more travel for the Wolfgangs.  I feel like the Willy Nelson song, " On the road again... "  I don't know if I agree with the next line though. " ...I can't wait to get on the road again. " One of the members of the church in Wisconsin calculated that I will travel well over 10,000 miles to make this transition.  Traveling mercies prayers please. Last Sunday we will look at Paul's final words to the churches in Galatia.  He brought them the gospel (good news) message of Jesus and what resulted were churches forming throughout the region.  The letter is to defend that message that our salvation comes from and is in Christ alone.  Christ's sacrifice on the cross was sufficient for the forgiveness of our sins.  The summary statement of the letter is found in  Galatians 6:15 (LSB) .  " For neither is circumcision anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation. "  Translated another way earlier in  Ga
Read more

Sermon prep and maybe a video...

     James 4 has brought up some interesting study.  First, "the quarrels and fights among you."  Those are usually worse than you think even though we try to minimize them.  The source is simpler than you think because it is coming from within you.  The solution is easier than you think because the solution that James gives is that we need to humble ourselves before the Lord.  Any sincere resolution is specific and brief.  Beware of lengthy resolutions that usually include explaining it away or excusing some of the behavior.      As I have seen before, the words are a sign of the heart.  I read this week that if we have a critical heart we usually start by speaking evil of another to ourselves.  Then we progress to speaking evil of another to that person with a running tally in our heads of all their wrongs.  Finally, we speak evil of another to others and broadcast in a way that we are thinking that we are helping.  Giving judgment is always easier than giving mercy.  I
Read more