Creating Space - D13

What's your favorite space?  Maybe it is a rocking chair by the back window or a breakfast nook where you enjoy a cup of coffee.  Maybe it is a spare room in your house that is an "electronic device free" zone.  It could be a garden bench in your back yard or at a nearby park.  It could also be a hiking trail or a spot alongside a local pond or lake.

Creating space is a great part of our daily or weekly routine.  Having a place to go that invites us to rest and relax is a healthy rhythm in the midst of the busyness of family, work, hobbies, commitments, etc.  However, creating space is not just about finding a place to go, but creating a space where you can be present in God's presence.  More precisely, it is an opportunity for us become intentionally aware of God's presence because we are not occupied or preoccupied with anything but Him.

Around camp we have many of these intentional spaces that invite our campers, staff, volunteers and guests to rest, relax and worship God.  From lean-tos and gazebos to giant logs and garden benches, we love serving others by providing these spaces.

We also have a more intense intentional space we like to call The Cabin.  Some have called it the Hermitage or the Fortress of Solitude because of its size and location.  It is a great space that we enjoy extending to friends, pastors and staff who like the outdoors and need a little help creating some healthy space as part of their rhythm of worshiping God.

What's your favorite space?  Where do you go?  Is it part of a routine or rhythm to intentionally be with God?

Worship - Morning Song

I spent last night at the Cabin... which has been a weekly routine for about two months now. After putting Natalie to bed and kissing Kelly goodnight I scooted out the door and down the road.

I took the evening hours to refine some thinking/writing that I have been doing in preparation for the summer. This morning I woke up (somewhat with the sun) around 5am. I stoked the fire and then stretched outside on the porch in the cool morning air. After little breakfast and some quiet, I spent a good hour in worship by singing.

I love the cabin! It provides me the freedom to sing loudly, triumphantly, with fist pumps and bellowing "Amens" and everything... without causing anyone else an ounce of discomfort or distraction.

Here's a song that I just could not stop singing. I encourage you to settle in, take a moment to relax - then hit play and close your eyes.

"

Solitude & Silence

This past week we had our New Year's party with friends and family from southern PA. This was our 3rd year in a row and we've got the routine down to a science. Our friends filter in one by one and hunker down for a few days of rest and relaxation. We have a huge feast of pizza, wings, shrimp and snacks for New Year's Eve. We run around outside at camp and make trips to the YMCA during the day. We play games, watch movies and talk right into the morning hours. There's a mixture of earlier risers. Some of us are awake and ready for breakfast each day, while others are awake and ready for lunch. We've got some pretty good cooks and bakers in the bunch so there's never a shortage of homemade desserts, breakfast baked goods, soups and snack foods. We're so very thankful for a great group of friends that have been together for a little over 10 years now. It has been a blessing to walk along side each other through high school, college, weddings, children being born, ministry positions and career paths. We are grateful for the ways God this crew to encourage, challenge, care for and support each other. Thanks everyone.

My brother-in-law Aaron came up a few days before the New Year's festivities began. He spent a day and a half out at the Cabin as a personal retreat. Aaron spent time in prayer, reading scripture, in silence, reading The Critical Journey and resting. The progression of his time at the cabin revolved around a series of reflections designed specifically for this personal retreat.


Check out Aaron's comments on the retreat at: Existemi.blogspot.com

I'm excited to see the Cabin fulfill its purpose of providing an accessible space that is intentionally available for spiritual formation and renewal. It is a quick trip from camp with easy set up and it is also surprisingly quiet. This spring I am looking forward to some new renovations to the cabin and developing the trail system on the property. As the Cabin continues to be utilized I am formulating resources and guides for personal and small group retreats ranging from several hours to several days. I would love to share and discuss any personal retreat resources you have used. You can email them to: abc@arrowheadministry.org.

Solo

In past few years (especially this year) we have been creating intentional spaces around camp. These spaces are designed for experience because CAMP makes a great connection between experiencing your surroundings and experiencing God.

Every day in all kind of ways we are influenced by our surroundings. People, buildings, weather, cities, suburbs, animals, trees, solitude, stressful situations, busyness, silence and a host of other "externals" are part of our experience as we walk (the moment by moment) with God each day. For a specific time, camp is a unique place with unique externals. For some it is a weekend or a week, for many a summer, and for others almost a lifetime. For everyone it is an invitation.

Here at Arrowhead we are passionate about inviting others just like Jesus. Jesus called many to follow Him for a time. There were 12 disciples that He called to follow Him for a specific time for a unique purpose. They walked (moment by moment) with Him for over three years. Jesus invited them to experience life with Him. That invitation included times of prayer, reading scripture, talking with people, sharing meals with others, solitude and silence. At Arrowhead we INVITE our campers and staff to experience camp life with us. As they experience camp life they also experience the same invitation that Jesus gave to His disciples - to follow Him.

One of our newest intentional spaces is a small cabin that we moved... to a secluded spot, nestled into a small clearing against the tree line of a wooded area. The photo above comes from a very good friend who recently spent a snowy day of solitude at the cabin.