I just got back from the mid-year Service Adventure leaders’ retreat. With people coming from Colorado, Kansas, Oregon, New Mexico, Pennsylvania and Alaska, we convened in sunny San Diego. When we weren’t out exploring the city, we were having meetings and conversations about everything related to Service Adventure. Not only was it helpful to share stories and questions about how the year is going, but it was encouraging on a broader-strokes level.
Being at leaders’
retreat gave me new energy to return to work, and new excitement about
the transformative power of this program. I was energized by the stories
of former program participants who have, sometimes years later,
expressed gratitude for the ways they could now see that their lives had
been changed for the better. I also, in hearing about past and present
challenges and sometimes great pain in Service Adventure households,
strangely found a thread of hope that emerged. I felt strongly the sense
that, most of the time, it is worth it to confront the mental and
emotional struggles that arise.
Sometimes, in living closely
with others who see the best and the worst of you (and you of them), you
come across the damage that was done earlier. Scars we all have. The
imperfections of being human. But amidst it all, you find the treasures,
too. And that’s where the beauty and redemption come in.
This, I
think, is why so many people react negatively to the idea of living in
community. We don’t want other people to see our scars, and we’re deeply
afraid that the damage will overcome the treasures. But this weekend, I
was viscerally reminded of my dearly held belief that this is the way
to become the best person I can be. Intentional community is a mirror
that reflects to me my worst patterns, and with enough practice and
grace and prayer, I can use that to become a better version of myself.
This
weekend, in a way, felt like a renewal of vows. I’ve committed again
and again to diving into the wreck of messy relationships and flawed
humans, and I will continue to re-commit to this my entire life. To
extend grace time and again. To pursue deeper relationships when shallow
ones feel easier. To be vulnerable. To try. To forgive. To show up in
the difficult and raw and emotional moments, and let God do the rest.
Check out some photos from our Service Adventure retreat below, and check out my blog for more posts.
