Saturday, August 9, 2008

The Eleventh Man


We just got back from our backpack trip into the Weminuche wilderness in southern Colorado. What an incredible experience! And what an incredible group of 9 other guys I got to hike with. Every one of them very different from the others - ranging from 19 to 64, from Canada to Texas, and from east coast to west - literally! We hiked 40 miles over every terrain known to man - got rained on every day, and saw the hand of God at every glance.


And what I took away from the trip was a profound sense of church. There was a presence that could only be in a gathering of brothers of common faith. We came up with a phrase on the trip. Since there were ten of us, we decided that Jesus was with us and he was the eleventh man. From that realization on we credited everything to that extra person in the group. And let me say that he carried more than his weight throughout the trip.


The guys on the trip could tell you about the talks they had with the eleventh man present. They could describe the times that extra guy lent more than conversation to the journey. His presence protected and led and motivated us all to be more than we thought we could be. It was a miraculous time.


So here's to the eleventh man on the trip. Thank you for your wonderful presence!

1 comment:

Morgan said...

As a wife of one of the guys on the trip, I too want to thank the eleventh man for protecting, blessing and bringing the love of my life back home to me. Thank you Jesus for watching over and giving the guys the extra measures they needed to live fully on their trip. Thank you for painting a beautiful portrait of your love in the scenery and the camaraderie between the guys.

Mike I also want to thank you for encouraging and challenging Glenn to go on this trip. The eight days apart was torture but it reaffirmed to me just how much I love him. He is my God designed other half and without him I am only partially shining the glory of God. Thank you for providing an opportunity for us to rekindle the passion for one another that has gotten lost in the system of being too busy. It is a perfect beginning to our vow renewal in two weeks.

I can't wait to meet you one day! Love, Morgan