Yosemite Summit

I saw an awesome poster today that showed a guy climbing a mountain and above it was just the word “GOAL.” Below the picture is defined the word as “decide what you want to do, and then do it.”

My first reaction was that this was over simplifying the concept of goals, but the more I think about it - the more I like it!

I will still say that for a goal to be a genuine goal it must be specific and measurable, but nevertheless, I like this definition - “decide what you want to do, and then do it.”

Too many people NEVER DECIDE what they want to do in life, and they spend their entire life doing what other people tell them to do. (Granted, there are others who only think of themselves and only do what they want, but that’s another thing entirely!) But my point is that if there is something wild and crazy and exciting that you would LOVE to do - you simply need to DECIDE TO DO IT, and then, um, well, DO IT!

Take Yosemite Summit for example. I have wanted to go to Yosemite with a group of guys and hike for years - and I mean YEARS, but it wasn’t until I DECIDED to do it, and then DID IT that it happened last month. I’m not discounting God’s roll! I prayed about it for months, and got His (and my wife’s!) approval, but I didn’t let excuses and the intimidation of the details and costs keep me from doing it, and I had the time of my life.

And I’m doing it again next year!

So I find myself asking myself, “What else am I afraid to decide to do?” It is time to set another goal I think!

And I ask you the same thing! WHAT DO YOU need to decide to do, and then do? Don’t live in such a way that you will regret it later. If you need some prayer and encouragement, feel free to contact me and tell me your ambitious and “impossible” dream and I will pray with you that God will make it happen, and I believe He will, just as He made Yosemite Summit a reality when I trusted Him! (Just reference this post when you write.)

I dare you - make a GOAL today - “decide what you want to do, and then do it!”

• Don’t miss the video at the end, and click any picture for a larger view.

It’s hard to believe the Yosemite Summit 2008 is over. It’s been several weeks, but it still feels like a part of me is still there in the Sierra Nevada. It’s been fun sorting through the 5000+ pictures we took and reliving the fun memories. Not only the incredible PLACE we were, but the awesome friendships that were formed and will continue to grow in the years ahead.

It was an amazing time together and God did some incredible work in our lives. For me, my soul comes alive in this place and I finally feel truly free. We started our first day watching the sun rise at Glacier Point. The views are simply spectacular!

It was a time to leave the busyness and noise of normal life behind and just listen to God. There were times we could just sit and soak our souls in the presence of God as well as walking with Him on the incredible hikes.

There is just something powerful about reading God’s Word and praying when you are in a place where His handiwork is so much on display. The rocks indeed did cry out - God is real, and God is here.

The hikes themselves were indescribable. The first day we did a solitude hike (each separated by about five minutes so we could hike alone with God) and then on the second day we did the Panoama Trail which took us on an incredible hike around the rim of the valley, through many types of landscape and ended with the Mist Trail which goes to the top and then down the side of two thundering waterfalls. In the picture below we are near the starting point and in the background you can see the waterfall we would be at some seven hours later!

By the third day we did some easier hikes that had incredible views of the valley, some with a few straight down of seveal thousand feet! Below is one of the few railings due to the incredible drop straight down over 3500 feet!

The hikes were challenging - but the views breathtaking and like nowhere else on this continent. Not only can you not believe what you are seeing is real, but when you are hiking, you can’t believe “I’ll be there in a few hours” or “I was there yesterday?” We hiked through areas that at times looked like Narnia in winter - under the shadow of huge trees walking on several feet of snow while at other times we were out on barren rock checking out lizards. The scenery and climate changed constantly. We’d be hot and enjoying cold water to cool off, and later getting drenched from the mist of a raging waterfall. Like I often say, “This is the place God just showed off.”

I have been to MANY National Parks and NONE have the views and variety and splendor of Yosemite. I’ve often said the Grand Canyon is a yawner if you’ve been to Yosemite. We ran into some guys who were at the Grand Canyon just two days before (doing a cross country hiking trip) and they said Yosemite outdid anything they had seen at the Grand Canyon. They were in awe and said Yosemite far exceeded even their high expectations!

Yosemite is a photographers heaven. My wife was a little worried that I’d fall off a cliff in pursuit of a great picture and end up in real heaven. So I told her any time I saw an awesome, but dangerous, photo opportunity, my motto would be WWSS. (What Would Sara Say?) That motto cost me many potentially incredible shots… but also brought me home alive.

I have been dreaming of doing some of the serious hikes at Yosemite since I was a boy. Coming on this trip, and bringing a group of fellow children’s pastors with me was a dream come true. At one point I asked Yosemite had lived up to my grand descriptions of Yosemite before we arrived - and they all said no. One guy said, “You didn’t do Yosemite justice. You can’t begin to describe this place.”

There were people there from all over the world. (I was surprised there weren’t more Americans - or are we too used to having entertainment pumped into our homes?) I don’t know how anyone comes to this place and doesn’t leave with an awed sense of having been in the presence of the Creator. Everything here points to one thing: GOD.

I still have a lot of photo and video editing to do to create the “official” highlight video, but I decided to give you a small taste of what Yosemite Summit was like. It was truly a time of experiencing God in a place where his creative power is on full display and where his Voice is more easily heard. Men, as you watch this video, whisper a quiet prayer asking God if He is calling you to join us next year for Yosemite Summit 2009.

I’ve got lots of pictures to post and stories to tell about the very first Yosemite Summit, but for those of you who like to read the last chapter of books first - I’ll start by telling you about a very cool thing that happened at the very end of the trip.

I’d been to Yosemite many times as a boy and then not for a long time until my sabbatical in 2005. I’ve gotten pictures of many animals, but other than being “attacked” by a bear at Yosemite as a boy (you’ll have to ask me in person for the story - posting it takes away the fun to telling it!) I’ve not seen a bear at Yosemite. So on our first day in the park on our “solitude hike” among much more spiritual things, I selfishly prayed that God might let me see and photograph a bear on this trip. It was a childish prayer to my Abba Father, one I knew He may not answer, but I’ve learned He loves me enough that I need to at least ask. If my asking is wrong, He’ll show me by not answering.

I kept my eyes alert for a bear the entire trip half-expecting God might answer that prayer request at any moment. Even on our shuttle ride up to Glacier Point for the all day hike down to the valley, I kept my camera pointed out the window, on the rapid fire setting, and finger on the shutter in case I could get glimpse of a bear en route and be able to point to a picture and say, “That brown blur is a bear, really!”

Well, while God answered many prayer requests, and even provided in many ways I neglected to pray about, it seemed my “bear request” was not going to be answered, at least not this year. In fact, on our last time in the valley, we all took a final hour to be alone with God, and as I thanked Him for so many wonderful ways He worked and answered and provided on this trip, I humorously said, “even though you didn’t give me my bear.” I knew it was a silly thing to pray for, but I had really wanted to see a bear. Oh, well.

I’m not sure whether it was God’s grace, or mercy, or simply His sense of humor - but on the way out of Yosemite we saw some people pointing at something, and one of the guys jokingly said, “It’s a bear!” And it was! Guys started jumping out of the van while it was still moving, but since I was driving, I had to find a place to pull over. When I was parked, I took the risk of changing to my telephoto lens, I just had a feeling God was answering my prayer! Then as I jumped out of the van, I realized I was way behind the crowd running toward the bear with their cameras, and literally sensed God telling me to run in the other direction! I ran deep into the woods and then circled around hoping that the bear might run toward me as it fled the others trying to get his picture. I knew there was a chance that with this strategy I might never even get to SEE the bear, let alone photograph it, but it all happened so fast, I was operating on instinct. (Or God’s leading?) Sure enough, as I hid behind a fallen log with my camera ready, I saw the bear running toward me! As I raised my camera it jumped up in a tree and I got these pictures before he jumped and ran off in the other direction:

Here he is, looking right at me!

Then I zoomed in a bit, as he looked around.

Last shot before he jumped down and ran the other way.

Funny, how just as I had accepted God wouldn’t answer my silly prayer request, He chose to answer it. Oh, me of little faith! My Father had simply waited to give it to me as a final goodbye gift. He knew how hard it was for me to drive out of Yosemite - so he allowed the final pictures I took entire week to be of a bear. How cool is that? I couldn’t help but be reminded of Matthew chapter 7, forgive me for changing just a few words:

Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a bear, will give him a squirrel? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!

Matthew 7:7-11

Thank you, God, for loving me enough to send me a bear! You are too awesome. Next year I want to photograph a Sasquatch! (Hey, it doesn’t hurt to ask!)

Hard to believe, but Yosemite Summit has finally arrived! I am currently sitting on the floor at O’Hare International Airport awaiting to board my flight to Sacramento, California! I’m heading out a day early to shop for all the food, my wife was nice enough to plan the extensive shopping list and meal plans… Wow! That’s a lot of food!

As mentioned on my blog, I’ll be completely OFFLINE from Sunday through Friday, so there won’t be any updates here until after the UNconference is over. But check back for complete details, summaries, pictures, highlight video and more!

PRAY FOR THESE GUYS THIS WEEK!

I can’t wait to report on what God does this week in each of our lives and to SHOW YOU just how magnificent this place is!

It’s hard to believe, but I am packin’ by bags for Yosemite Summit!

It’s quite a puzzle, trying to balance “trim down and take the minimum” with “be sure you don’t forget!” The front room looks like Base Camp for a trek up Mt. Everest! (I’m sad to leave so much climbing equipment behind, but we really won’t need it all, maybe in a future year we will include rock climbing!)

As much as I am looking forward to getting away into the awesome outdoors (nowhere more awesome than Yosemite!) to enjoy some photography and videography, I am also really looking forward to connecting with the eight men that God has sovereignly brought together for this excursion. I have to tell you, when I stepped out in obedience to plan this trip last summer and put down a rather large deposit on the lodge, there was some fear! While I certainly would have enjoyed Yosemite alone or with a few guys, I could have taken a bath financially. I designed this as a break-even event so the cost could be as low as possible for the guys coming. Even one or two guys short, and it would have been a challenge. In fact, when the van rental ended up being hundreds more than budgeted, God took care of it. One of the last guys to sign up missed the closing and asked if there was any way we could add one more - I knew the lodge was very strict on occupancy, but I called to ask, and it “just turns out” that they lodge I had picked legally can hold one more guy! The cost went up slightly, but the extra registration took care of that and the extra van cost exactly. Go figure. (pun intended!) Then when one guy had to drop out due to an injury, God brought a replacement in a unique way, again meeting our need. And, just to show His grace, our injured brother will still be joining us the opening evening and the final day since he was transportation for one of the other guys. (And he is the only person allowed to be already registered for Yosemite Summit 2009!)

I have seen God’s Hand on this event in many other ways I won’t bore you with - but all to say, this trip is a God Thing, and I know He is going to do mighty things on this trip in the hearts and minds of the men coming.

If God is challenging you to step out in faith and DO something crazy - TRUST HIM - and step out and (to rob from Nike) Just Do It!

Yosemite Summit was designed to be a “stepping away from ministry” to focus only on God and my walk with Him for several days in a row. I know had it not been for the advance planning of this Adventure, this would have been just another “normal” month of life and ministry. It takes proactive advance planning to be able to step away - and boy do I need it! I thank God for speaking to me two years ago in a message on Recreation (pronouced RE-creation) and then pushing my spirit last summer to transform that initial prompting into reality by stepping into the unknown.

And THANKS GUYS for stepping out with me! And THANKS to anyone who will pray for us during this Adventure next week!

A while back I found the articles linked below on pastors.com and they were exactly what I needed at the time. I have since shared them with many men and I offer them here, not as something I think you might need, but as something I NEEDED that you just might too.

I recommend you read and digest just one at a time and actually DO the recommended assignment provided in each PDF download.

Confessions of a Driven Pastor I (Download Part One)

It’s no longer safe to assume that people in ministry have healthy souls and just need a little coaching in the leadership area. - Pastor Lance Witt

 Confessions of a Driven Pastor II (Download Part Two)

For years I intuitively knew that I was violating my soul. In honest and quiet moments, I longed to get off the treadmill but didn’t know how. - Pastor Lance Witt

I pray that you will find these artilces as convicting and as helpful to you as I did.

In Canada this past weekend I discovered that my host, Steve, was a climbing enthusiast who actually has some serious training and experience in rock and ice climbing! I found myself gawking at the pictures he had on display in his office that he had cut from magazines and a calendar that showed incredible views of God’s Creation along with quotes like:

Do nothing in haste, look well to each step, and from beginning think what may be the end. - Edward Whymper

To avoid critism do nothing, say nothing, and be nothing. - Elbert Hubbard

Adventure is worthwhile in itself. - Amelia Earhart

Without a struggle there can be no progress. - Fredrick Douglass

Success seems to be largely a matter of hanging on after others have let go. - William Feather

Some people see things and say, “Why?” I dream things that never were, and say, “Why not?”

Those are just a few I copied into my iPhone and e-mailed myself to save. On the ride back to the airport (when I think I convinced him to come to Yosemite Summit next year) he recommended what he said was the best climbing magazine, especially for awesome photography: Alpinist.com and while it is a little more than your usual magazine, I am definitely subscribing. But even if you don’t want to subscribe, you may enjoy the free wallpapers on the site, I downloaded them all and made them my rotating waller with a new one appearing every five minutes.

I love how they describe themselves:

We believe in sinker jams high off the deck, a bomber nut, the crescent moon, your partner’s whoop, sand-washing the fry pan, road trips, one-swing sticks, remembering to breathe, alpine starts (more for the alpenglow than the early hour), espresso in the desert, the plungestep, lenticular cloudcaps, rest days, the focus of a runout, a cold beer at the end of it all. If you believe in these things too, join us.

I may have to make that a cold Root Beer at the end of it all, but while I don’t even know what most of those terms mean - they sure sound exciting!

I’m not sure Yosemite Summit will provide this much danger and risk, but hey, you gotta start somewhere! After all,

The journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step. - Lao-Tzu

Time and nature, as experienced alone in the wilderness, are like huge hands massaging the soul and the mind, altering perception like a good massage therepist alters the condition of muscles.” - Burke Miller

The father of a friend of mine in my men’s group at church had a book published in 2005 titled, “Exploring the Power of Solo, Silence, and Solitude.”(Clifford E. Knapp, Editor, Thomas E. Smith, Editor) I have been borrowing it this week, and it is both fascinating, and a little sad. Fascinating because all these author see the value of getting alone to shake off the busyness and activity of life that robs us of the ability to truly LIVE. Sad because they don’t know how to connect with the Creator of all the nature and beauty they find so refreshing and rejouvenating.

Let me share some more awesome quotes from the book:

“Without great solitude, no serious work is possible.” Pablo Picasso

Our work for Christ is of the UTMOST “seriousness” - do we take the time to get alone with God and seek His direction?

“Why do I do this? … I do this for some reason that remains half-hidden from me, that keeps surprising me. I do it to burn up the dross that collects in my soul. I do it to burn up my forgetfulness and sloppy ways of living. I do it to remember simple gratitude.” - Amidon

When we do not take time alone, we do not take time to reflect. When we fail to reflect, we will fail to change. When we fail to change, we will fail to grow. When we fail to grow, we stop truly living. It is critical to our soul to get alone and allow God to speak to us! But most of us (and me for too many years) are too busy to hear God over the noise of our activity.

“It is easy in the world to live after the world’s opinion, it is easy in solitude to live after your own; but the great man is he who, in the midst of the world, keeps with perfect sweetness the independence of solitude.” - Emerson

To be ‘in the world but not of it’ requires that we step out of it long enough to allow God to shape us in His image. Then, and only then, are we able to step back into the world and shape IT, rather than be shaped BY it.

“I only went for a walk and finally concluded to stay out, til sundown for going out, I found, was really going in.” - Muir

When was the last time you were truly ALONE. I’ve often made the joke, “Do you realize, no one has ever been with you when you were alone?” But the truth is, Someone was! It has often been said, ‘God is a gentleman.’ He does not interrupt you, He does not stand in your path and demand attention. He simply waits. Perhaps that is why Psalmist suggested:

“Be still and know that I am God.” - Psalm 46:10

I’m looking forward to being in Yosemite in less than a month now. We will have some great times of fellowship, but there will be some times of intentional solitude as well.

As mentioned in the video for the First Things First Kidology online training session, my pastor challenged us to consider what “re-creates” us, and to intentionally PLAN it into our lives. Up until that time I wrongly considered recreation to be equal to play and often said my recreation and my occupation were the same: children’s ministry. How wrong I was! While I DO enjoy children’s ministry, it isn’t what re-creates me, it drains and uses me up! So I took the challenge to consider what truly RE-creates me, and for me it is time AWAY from ministry, out in nature with my Bible and camera. (and perhaps an iPod with worship or classical music playing.) As I prayed about what God would have me do to make RE-creation a regular part of my life, a dream began to form that slowly transformed into Yosemite Summit.

God has answered my prayers by filling up this retreat with 8 more men seeking the same. So now I’ve been working on planning the hikes and figuring out what to bring (and not bring). I am so looking forward to this time AWAY from life as “normal” to spend with eight other guys who love God and kids on this UNconference! As I always describe it, it is the conference that promises:

No Workshops - Just Worship
No Resources - Just Relationships
No Networking - Just God Working

Well, one of the ways I enjoy remembering or anticipating something is to look through pictures. So I took a few minutes (that’s all it takes on a Mac) to make a music video with pictures from my last trip to Yosemite on my sabbatical. (You can see those blog posts here, here, here and here)

ENJOY THIS VIDEO:

It may be too late for you to join Yosemite Summit, but IT IS NOT TOO LATE for you to intentional plan something into your life that re-creates you! There is no excuse. There is no “can’t.” You are not too busy. In fact, I would say, if you are feeling too busy, then you need to do this even more. There IS a way, if you are willing to seriously think and pray about it. You only live once, DO SOMETHING INCREDIBLE that will be a once in a life time memory. YOU are worth it! And your soul and ministry will greatly benefit. What’s holding you back? What recreates you? What refreshes you? Pray about it, and then GO FOR IT! Don’t let life sneak past… grab it and DO SOMETHING with it. What are you waiting for? Don’t worry, everything else will be waiting for you when you get back. Take a dream and allow God to make it a reality.

I’m not just typing idle words here, I mean it! What are you going to do?

I have updated what to bring and NOT BRING to Yosemite Summit on the BRING page of the site.

Be sure to work with your wife on the packing!

There will be absolutely no blogging, webcasting, twittering, jotting or text messaging on this retreat! (and that includes me…. especially me!)