January. The thick of Michigan winter. The time of holiday hurrying has settled with thick layers of snow in our roads to slow our pace. Shortened days and falling temperatures send us to the sanctuary of indoors. Retreat becomes second nature.
For two weekends in January, both High Hopes and Fish Club packed their warm clothes and stored up energy to practice the rhythms of quiet mixed with fun. There were hay rides and sledding in slush (sorry mom and dad for the mud stained snow pants), ghost stories, ice wall climbing, and walks on frozen lakes. Laughter and shrieks bubbled their mirth as we threw snowballs and lobbed jokes.
And then there were the times of hushed reflection. “How do we handle fear?” we asked God through prayer and silent times in scripture. “Is God still present even when I lack faith?” were mysteries we honored and dared to ask ourselves and each other. We journaled. We prayed. We watched movies that helped us connect our questioning to the greater world.
But mostly, we allowed ourselves to experience the presence of God’s spirit all around us, from our shared meals to deep questioning, to even our fears in riding horses for the first time. God was with us as we packed our clothes, food, and anticipations. God was with us as we shared our vulnerabilities and frustrations. God was with us as we giggled and played games and God is with us now, imparting all the lessons we learned to build our faith even as we make peace with our fears and questions.
~Beth Jarvis, Youth Ministry Director