Snow Weekend

Lauren (left) and Alaina (right)

We are just flying through our training season here at Beyond. We finished our weekend trainings with an overnight excursion on the snow near the Mt. Baker ski area. We spent the days practicing building anchors, setting up belays, perfecting our self-arrest technique, and working through our crevasse rescue system. We have less than two weeks before we all head up to the inlet for our last week of training, and then trips arrive! Here are the thoughts of Alaina Sawaya, a second year mountain guide, as she reflects on snow weekend and the summer to come.

Journal Entry *Snow Weekend 2011*
God is good. He has given me the most extraordinary group of individuals to be in community with and working along side. I am so stoked for our summer!!
I often feel as though I don't deserve this experience, along with so many other such moments in my life to which I feel unworthy. I am floored by his grace. My life is good because of him and all that he gives to me, and I am so thankful!

It is because of, and not in spite of, the snow and the rain and the cold and the exhaustion, we grow closer. The skills begin to solidify in our minds and the friendships take a deeper place within us as we dangle ourselves off of snow walls in harnesses and hurl them down steep slopes with ice axes flailing to "gain control before we roll"! Between rotations we challenge each other to deep snow frog-jump races and push-up challenges on foamies and ice-axe sculptures. It's all part of the madness we call Beyond. And we love it. We crave it. We anticipate it and tell stories about it. And now we are about to experience it all summer! This crazy bunch of imperfect but wonderfully made people become a working body of Christ! It's a miracle and we are part of it! We have been chosen to come together for his purpose, and as we approach this summer with enthusiasm, we should take an attitude of humility and responsibility for the work we have been given. He has great plans for us as we are woven into the lives of one another and the participants we encounter at Beyond. My hope is for us all to be fully present, fully engaged, fully aware of and fully thankful for each moment of those plans. Here we go!!

"For I can do everything through Christ who gives me strength" Philippians 4:13

"Yes a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth, but not have a rich relationship with God." Luke 12:21

Lord, let there be less of me, and more of you! Amen.