Finally Here

Well...I made it. I'm finally here in Colorado Springs and it's gorgeous. I would really have liked if I would have written in my journal much more during the trip, but frankly, I just couldn't do it. I didn't know what to say; it didn't seem real that I was leaving everything I know and moving towards such uncertainty.

We've been kept "In the dark" about nearly everything up to and including now. I thought for sure that I was the only one that knew nothing of what lied ahead...turns out, none of us do.

The first guy that I met here was Riley Hall. He was walking through the reception lobby at the Denver airport and looked just as confused as I felt. We made eye contact for a second and somewhere deep down I knew that he was part of the program too. Seeing me sitting there reading "Wild at Heart", he knew that we were in the Denver airport for the same reason. "You look like someone I'm supposed to meet..." he said.

That was the point in which I knew...I wasn't alone. We had both traveled without companion from very different parts of the country and stumbled upon each other in the Denver airport. Riley is from Alaska. I flew out of the Jacksonville, FL airport yesterday. Talk about two people from two different worlds! But we are both here in Colorado for the same reason...to find our hearts as men.

Together we tackled the tasks ahead. We called Josh (one of the interns) who put us in contact with the other intern (Jonathan) who was picking us up. Jonathan gave us the phone numbers of the other two guys we were to meet up with: Forrest and Dave. I knew Forrest already, but didn't know Dave...so Riley and I began the search. It wasn't too hard...we just looked for the most confused 20-something year old that we could find.

Once Riley and I found the other two, we met up with Jonathan and began the short trip to Colorado Springs. During the drive, I asked Jonathan a number of questions about the other guys in the program and questions about the program in general. Truth be told, I knew he wasn't going to answer anything that I asked.

Eventually we made it to the cabin. It's definitely in the wilderness. There are other houses and cabins nearby but it's definitely unlike any living arrangement that I've ever had. Plus there are mountains in the backyard.

I've come to find out that this is actually only the third time that they've had the Training Ground program! They began the ministry last summer, had one in the Spring, and now here we are! Additionally, this is the largest group that they've had by far. In fact, they had to rent the house across the street from the cabin to accommodate everyone.

Tomorrow we are leaving for our first wilderness trip. They obviously haven't told us where we are going, but I'm still incredibly excited.

I have a feeling that I'm going to have to get used to uncertainty in this program. It will be a lesson in patience and trust. As frustrating as it can (and probably will) be, I know that it's a good thing.

In life, we can never really be certain about what lies ahead. For that reason we must fully trust in the Lord. It's something that sometimes seems impossible...but it's necessary.