During solo time on our staff retreat, we were asked to write our personal relevance statement: why we are here and what our motivation is. This is mine....
When it comes down to the core of every person, we are all searching for something. All of us long to know who we are and we long for a sense of purpose and meaning in our lives beyond the surface. We all want to know why the heck we are here and what this is all about. In a sense, this is the journey we all share as human beings.
Yosemite is a place of wild beauty and majesty that puts the lives we have made for ourselves in fresh perspective. All of a sudden, we are small. We look at the wild and think, "maybe this way of life is not what I am intended for."
I believe John Muir, the man whose heartbeat is this place, understood this very well.
He saw that this natural beauty and majesty pointed to something bigger and something true.
Psalm 19 says, "The heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies display his craftsmanship. 2 Day after day they continue to speak; night after night they make him known. 3 They speak without a sound or word; their voice is never heard.[a] 4 Yet their message has gone throughout the earth, and their words to all the world."
I feel like Muir understood this idea of connection to the creator. That in our humanness, we have created such a disconnect, such a broken bridge between us and the way of real life.
Knowing about the intricacies, the rhythms and workings of creation, and experiencing and enjoying the beauty and majesty here fosters a connection back to one huge intention of our lives is to be; to know our creator and enjoy him forever...that's right, enjoy Him.
Yosemite is a place where I get to enjoy Him. We have all been given gifts, abilities, and passions. Yosemite is a diving board for this journey- a place that provides the opportunity to enjoy Him by using these passions and gifts of educating and enlightening, gifts of relationships and passions for climbing, challenges, exploration....
Everyone leaves Yosemite with something of an experience. I hope to be a small influence on people's shared journey, and know that Yosemite will be a part of propelling mine forward as well.
When it comes down to the core of every person, we are all searching for something. All of us long to know who we are and we long for a sense of purpose and meaning in our lives beyond the surface. We all want to know why the heck we are here and what this is all about. In a sense, this is the journey we all share as human beings.
Yosemite is a place of wild beauty and majesty that puts the lives we have made for ourselves in fresh perspective. All of a sudden, we are small. We look at the wild and think, "maybe this way of life is not what I am intended for."
I believe John Muir, the man whose heartbeat is this place, understood this very well.
He saw that this natural beauty and majesty pointed to something bigger and something true.
Psalm 19 says, "The heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies display his craftsmanship. 2 Day after day they continue to speak; night after night they make him known. 3 They speak without a sound or word; their voice is never heard.[a] 4 Yet their message has gone throughout the earth, and their words to all the world."
I feel like Muir understood this idea of connection to the creator. That in our humanness, we have created such a disconnect, such a broken bridge between us and the way of real life.
Knowing about the intricacies, the rhythms and workings of creation, and experiencing and enjoying the beauty and majesty here fosters a connection back to one huge intention of our lives is to be; to know our creator and enjoy him forever...that's right, enjoy Him.
Yosemite is a place where I get to enjoy Him. We have all been given gifts, abilities, and passions. Yosemite is a diving board for this journey- a place that provides the opportunity to enjoy Him by using these passions and gifts of educating and enlightening, gifts of relationships and passions for climbing, challenges, exploration....
Everyone leaves Yosemite with something of an experience. I hope to be a small influence on people's shared journey, and know that Yosemite will be a part of propelling mine forward as well.
Wonderful statement. Love you!!!
ReplyDeletei agree
ReplyDeleteNicely stated - - God is at the core of your experience - - it is refreshing to see and hear in your eloquent language!
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