It is only three weeks until our first group of staff begin the journey up to Beyond for the summer. They are preparing to leave their everyday lives in civilizations and head up to live in community with each other in one of the most beautiful places on earth. Many of them are excited to leave behind pieces of their lives at home. When asked what they were excited to live without this summer, here’s what they said:- Almost everyone said: the world of technology, including computers, electronics, internet, Facebook, e-mail, cell phones.
- Paying for things! (like food, telephone, rent)
- My car
- Makeup
- My black dress pants that I have to wear to work
- Starbucks
- Thinking about 1,000,000 at once.
- My autonomy and do as I please lifestyle
- I'm pretty excited to live without the future. Not the flying cars, hover boards, and robots future, but the “When is my credit card bill due? What's going on this weekend? Where am I going to work?”. So much of this past year has been preparing for and looking towards the future while also trying to live in the here and now. It will be a blessing to only have the here and now.
Yet, like almost every experience, going to Beyond for the summer is bittersweet. The staff this summer will also miss much about their lives at home. Some of the things they will miss this summer are the following:
- My Family
- My parents
- My family, but I have a feeling my brothers won't miss me at all because they will get their own rooms while I'm gone....
- My girlfriend
- My little sister!
- Support groups I have at home
- Being there 24/7 for those who are closest to me
Some people will miss their activities…
- Hanging out with my YL kids.
- Long bike rides where I get a little lost.
- Making dinner with my roommate.
- Climbing.
- Being part of the fun things that happen in Seattle during the summer.
- Lazy days on the lake.
- Waking up with my housemates.
- Skiing (this happens every summer!)
And others will miss the luxuries of life in civilization…
- Dr. Pepper.
- The Sunday paper.
- Fruits and veggies while I’m on trips!
- My Sonicare (Don't tell my friends and family; they came in a close second),
- Sunday morning/evening worship.
Hebrews 12:1-3: 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. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
Although a lot of what we are “throwing off” this summer is not sin, we still join the apostle Paul in hoping that it will allow us fix our eyes on Jesus. Our prayer is that what we leave behind this summer will free us to run the race harder, will give us endurance to keep running in the future, and will spur us on to not grow weary or lose heart. May we fix our eyes on Jesus this summer! Join us in prayer as we embark on this journey.
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