A man in love cannot be deterred — he will cross a thundering torrent and scale the castle walls in the dead of night, if only for a mere glimpse of his beloved. Love does not need a three-step plan or a set of principles to guide its quest. Drawn by desire, it is a pursuit navigated solely by the heart. This is no sugary tale — it is Christianity as revealed by Jesus. A story of how He would come for us and how we, as beloved sons and daughters, would follow Him regardless of the cost. Love is utterly unstoppable.
It is in our nature to long for God, and it is His nature to long for us. This is the longing that drew thirteen men away into the wilderness — an invitation to have as much of Him as we truly want. He had prepared this place for us beforehand, of that we hold no doubt. And when God calls us, encounter is sure to follow.
Under the big open sky or out on the wild frontier of the reserve, around the campfire or in the quiet of night, He met with each of us. New friendships were formed and strangers became brothers, a kinship forged by fire. It was a rare privilege to spend four days with a group of brave men who were willing to be deeply seen.
“If I find in myself desires which nothing in this world can satisfy, the only logical explanation is that I was made for another world.”
Thank you men for blessing each other by your presence and honesty. Thanks not only for the deep times, but also for all the spontaneous fun we had. In the Kingdom, there is no such thing as a small glory. Your individual contribution as co-authors in the story is indispensably required as each of us writes a new narrative to fill the pages that remain - the adventure we were called for.
photos by Marcos Cruz and Mike Arnold