Faith, Life, and Lessons

At the Afrojack concert with Sarah The girls (minus Dan) at Afrojack (sorry for the weird lighting...) The bathroom at the Church: Scum of the Earth... the Church is run by a group of artists, and it's the most beautiful and interesting place I have ever been. Not very scummy if you ask me... (Cheesy joke; sorry)      In all of the experiences that I've been privy to these past few weeks, I've come to notice a common trend. In these group functions, though vastly different, the main intentions seems to be similar, almost the same, even. We want a genuine and passionate experience and a place where we belong. Everyone just wants to feel something.      When all the girls (and Dan) went to an Afrojack rave concert last weekend, all the concert-goers simply wanted a connection. People crammed together to feel like they were part of something bigger than themselves. The desire to be part of a group is innate in all of us. At the concert, the...

What is love? I think it may be one of the most overused and misinterpreted words in the English language. There is no distinction between the emotions that are all strewn into that 4-letter word: adoration, lust, infatuation, brotherly feelings, respect, companionship, mutual enjoyment… It’s all there. However, I’ve decided that one sect of this word stands above the rest. It’s the type of love that God the Father gave us at our origin: love that lets go. From the very beginning, God gave humanity the all-important gift of free will; we are not robots. As the only omnipotent being, our Father knew we collectively would sin and turn our backs on Him. However, his infinite love required a genuine reciprocation; He refused to force it. Because this type of love consciously allows the object of joy (the beloved) to leave, it is the most difficult and selfless. Parents, on a less extreme scale, also endure this type of love when their baby chicks move out of the house for college...

     I'm currently sitting in a tree in one of Denver's parks. Yes, sitting in a tree. As I sit here, I think of how uncomfortable trees actually are. It seems so idealized to be a hippie child looking at the world from above, but it really just leaves the indention of the bark in my butt. I do, however, think it's a worthwhile experience- partly because I feel somehow connected to my childhood up here. Climbing a tree is a somewhat vulnerable experience; there's no casual way to do it. You just hoist up your legs and hope for the best. Maybe only children have the innocence and confidence to be so vulnerable in public. Children and crazy people like myself.      Anyway, I think I've decided trees are a fantastic metaphor for people. Trees have roots, and they grow. They have layers and scars. They only grow in proper conditions. They need love and attention to grow fruit (occassionally even that doesn't work). As uncomfortable as this bark may be, it...

Dancing in the streets on the first night together... typical.  Rockin' the flower crowns at Camp KIVU

It's official!!!! I'm finally here: united with all my fellow Gap Year students and the lovely staff that will be guiding us (literally and spiritually) on this journey. Can I just say that I absolutely love it so far? I truly think this will be the best year of my life thus far (and probably for years to come). I'm surrounded by amazing people that I can only pray will influence me to become a better person. I feel like I'm drinking from a fire hydrant, and I'm just trying to take it all in. Let me back up and give you a little insight to what is actually going on around here. The first two days were really just dedicated to meeting each other and moving our seemingly abundant clothes and bedding into our rooms. The process took nearly the entire two days because my room (shared with three other girls) barely had enough space to stand with all our bags: a bit overwhelming to organize. After spending the night in the hotel with my parents Sunday night, I finished ...