Not long ago, a group of senior adults from our Young at Heart group participated in a retreat at Maranatha Bible Camp. This is the same camp our Kindergarten through 6th graders attend each summer. WOW! What an experience! So many memorable moments that provided reminders of the goodness of God. One of those moments happened on an early morning hayride. When I say early, I mean we loaded up that chilly morning before the sun was even up. The air was bitter cold. Luckily, those brave souls piled on layers of clothes, extra blankets, and sleeping bags to make it bearable. In the sky was a full moon that was brighter than usual. I learned later that it was a supermoon, the night when a full moon is at the closest point to Earth’s orbit. Did you happen to see it? It was impressive. The supermoon was setting in the west as we reached the highest point on the camp’s property. I was frustrated that I couldn’t capture a picture of what I was seeing. The pictures wouldn’t do it justice.
Let me interject a quick story here. This spot at the camp isn’t only the highest location, but it is also where the ziplines begin their descent down the long hill. Earlier in the week was another Senior Adult Retreat. That’s when I met a new friend named Janet. She’s an 84-year-old lady who uses a walker. She’d never been on a Zipline and was determined to change that while at the retreat. And her kids weren’t there to stop her. Guess what? She did it and became an instant inspiration to everyone there. Let me know if you want to see the video.
Now back to the hayride. While at this spot, we had a chance to talk about the history of Maranatha and all the ways God has provided for her over the years. It was a time to reflect on journeys with Jesus that began there, to look out over the camp and know countless campers grew a deeper love for Jesus here, that all those campers were immersed in an environment that helped them focus and see Him more clearly. It was refreshing. We were in a place where many campers (and those who brought them) made life-changing decisions that influenced the trajectory of their lives. It was inspiring to consider what God might do next at this special place.
The moment that we had been waiting for finally arrived. The horizon quickly began to change as the sun began to make its presence known. The color! The visibility! The warmth from the sun could be felt just after daybreak. All a welcome change. As I took in the moment, my thoughts went to how many sunrises and sunsets the world had experienced since the beginning of time. How many took someone’s breath away? How many went unnoticed? I sure am thankful I got the chance to witness this sunrise—the beautiful handiwork of our loving God on full display. Yep! It made my day. Sunrises are a great reminder to me of just how faithful God is. Every day I wake up, I know this truth, the sun will rise, and I can count on God no matter what!
“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”
Lamentations 3:22-23
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