Friday, September 12, 2008

Wilderness Lessons Part 4 of 4

Fellowship

Other than the life-changing lessons we learned on wilderness, fear and faith, one of the strongest lessons we learned was in the area of fellowship. It wasn't really taught but rather experienced.

From the bug-bites to the smoke in the eyes, the steep hills and the deep conversations, the fellowship we shared with one another was stellar!


I was wondering about this at the beginning of the trip and concerned that some people might not feel like they would fit in or that someone would feel "excluded". Luckily this never happened in fact everyone was "in" in our group.

Fellowship is one of the strongest things you can experience in your Christian walk. It can build you up and give you enough faith and confidence to do hard things. Just knowing that someone is around you with comforting words and cheering you on makes you feel as though you could move mountains!

Everyone on the trip was very active in fellowship. From the leaders to the students, not one person went without something to comment on or someone to praise.

Philippians 2:1-3

1 If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.

This sums up the whole experience. We came together sharing the same love, spirit and purpose. We weren't selfish, vain or conceited and most importantly we considered others better than ourselves.

We encouraged, prayed, overcame fears, strengthened our faith and planted deep roots for a good and mighty God.

We did this in what we thought would be the wilderness but ended up changing our view on what wilderness meant. We look forward to leaving the wilderness we live in from day to day and going back to the place where we can truly get away from the wilderness. A place where God is everywhere!

Are you ready to leave the wilderness?

1 comment:

  1. The best fellowship was watching Ryan getting "Rick Rolled"!!!!

    But you are right - I dont think one person came away not feeling like they were closer to someone or feeling like part of a group - fellowship was by far my favorite part of the whole trip! How do you face the wilderness without fellowship - people on your side? It would make things so much harder!

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