In this picture above are two of seven teams comprised of two individuals per team. Each team must orienteer using an azimuth, compass, and individual pace counts to eight different waypoints across a diverse and rugged Oklahoma terrain–their final destination being their campsite. Once they arrive at their camp, they must set up individual shelters and survive off the land for two nights. Every aspect of this experience is graded and scored, revealing the “lone survivor.”
These fourteen young adult men have invested almost nine months in a discipleship program whose mission is to equip them to build a life of true success.
This final endeavor is the capstone to GAP’s discipleship mission.
As I consider what these men must endure, I’m reminded of Christ’s promise in John 16:33, “These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”
Driving to the retreat, I shared the following with the GAP students riding in my truck, “Try your best to see every moment with an eye toward joy.”
Why would I share that with them this morning?
Life’s a lot like a survival retreat:
- External obstacles to overcome that are outside of your control.
- Internal challenges that demand self-governance.
- A host of surprises that require each man to work as a team and be resourceful, resilient, wise, and kind.
- But, Christ has overcome, and He is near.
And so, they will read James’ words a little different by the time they complete this great task, “Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”
May God grow them into men who genuinely build a life of true success and live with joy.
— May 12, 2022