The Walk

This past week the guys went on a camping trip where we discussed the 23rd Psalm and how you see God. My take on the chapter is that by it we can see that the lord is not only our Shepard as it says, but also he is a teacher and correcter with his rod and staff. I came to that thought while reading the chapter and thinking about Proverbs 13:24 which says "Whoever spares the rod hates their children, but the one who loves their children is careful to discipline them". So I thought of how many times my mom and dad have told me that while I was growing up. Now looking back I see how I am actually comforted by the correction I was given. Also how the same hands that disciplined would also protect me and care for me. So that was my big take for the chapter.
It was a few good days roughin it out in the woods. my second night i slept out by the fire with a few other guys. It was rather chilly but a fun time. We ate jerky, sat around the campfire, ate hotdogs, and did guy stuffs.
So then we came back to the lodge and sent the girls off for their camping trip and we had a few more days just for guys around the lodge. We had a guest speaker "Finley Robinson" who came and discussed what it is to be a man by the Bibles standard. I quite enjoyed it. I was blessed that i already know and try to follow just about everything he hit on, thanks to the Godly men in my life from my dad and the men in my church. something that kept coming to mind this past week was something my dad said to me as he was pulling out after dropping me off a few weeks back and that was "Be The Man". I thought I already knew what that meant and I did to an extant but I am realizing there is more to it. I am trying to lead by example here in the way a young man should act. Even when that means having to be different from the crowd and the possibility of being poked at or mocked for it. But thats part of "being the man" standing for whats right even when you stand alone.

Lastly we are possibly looking at snow in the next few weeks and i am pretty excited for it! It is very nice out here right now with the leaves changing and the cooler weather. Don't get me wrong I do miss the Florida heat, my jeep and driving around with my country music cranked up! I do miss my family and friends and my church but I am settling in and continually praying for the Lord to show me what he has in store for me.

 As I was finishing this up these words came to mind

 Well, you can run with the big dogs
You can fly with the eagle
You can jump through all the hoops
And climb the ladder to the top
But when it all comes down
You know it all comes down to the walk

Till the next time.
Love Jared 

Living Out Loud!

This week I hiked up Mt Ida a 13 thousand foot peak, it was pretty awesome! It was quite a tough hike, but well worth it. From that high you can see for miles around, it was great! We were awakened at 2 a.m. by sirens and banging on doors. Needless to say some of the guys in the dorm were not happy with a few hours of sleep and the rude awakening. I was loving it and thinking it was hilarious. We started the hike around 4 a.m. and stopped on the way up to eat breakfast and watch the sunrise. We reached the peak about 8:30. We stayed up there for about an hour and a half just taking in the sights and doing a short lesson. We started our descent around 10:20 and made it off the mountain approximately 3 p.m.

This past Friday I had my first chance to go down and do some outreach work at Colorado University during their international coffee hour. Me and our group of about 8 just hung out and talked to students for a few hours. We talked about everything from Jesus to food to technology. We will be going back every Friday to do the same thing for the rest of the semester. Just trying to build friendships and shine Christs light into the campus.

Saturday I was able to do some caving at Fulford cave. Me and a group of nine guys were climbing, repelling, and just exploring for about four hours. Needless to say it was ridiculously amazing!

As I post this tonight, I sit and think of what this year has already had for me so far and what is yet to come and how much i continue to learn and discover.

In the morning all the guys will be leaving for a three day camping trip. To do guy stuff, talk about guy things, and learn about guy stuff. It should be a blast.

So I shall leave you with these words as they seem very appropriate for these past days and for the ones to come.

Wake the neighbors, get the word out
Come on, crank up the music, climb a mountain and shout
This is life weve been given, made to be lived out
So la la la la, live out loud
Live out loud

Love Jared.

This Is Where The Rubber Meets The Road

Well I have made it out to Timberline. Sorry the post comes after my first day, haven't really had the time to do any of this since I got here. Pretty awesome campus out here. Really warm and cozy in the side of the mountain. Sadly my worst fear has become a reality.............. these people in Colorado do not have a clue what SWEET TEA is! Me and the other students from the south are feeling the withdrawals of it. So I went and bought a pitcher 10lbs of sugar and some tea bags.  I am now converting Northerners and some Canadians haha.
I start class tomorrow I'm pretty excited the format of classes and activities are much like that of good old Grace Camp! So now that I kinda know what is going on I should be able to post regularly. These lyrics came to my mind as meeting students and staff and seeing what is in store for me this year and what I should be looking to do and or to witness and set an example to students, as I am the 3rd oldest student here.

Fire up your engines, come on, let's go
This is where the rubber meets the road
It's time to put in motion everything you know
This is where the rubber meets the road, meets the road

Those words come to mind because. I came here for more training but I have realized how much I have been trained already and should not say I am not ready to do anything yet and that I should look for opportunities even while being trained.

Love - Jared