Over the past 9 months Nicole and I have begun to establish a new church home at Terra Nova. The process has been a challenging one as prior church roots are replanted and new relationships must be cultivated. During this time, I had heard stories of past Adirondack trips from several men of the church. Therefore, when the 2007 trip was announced, I decided to take the opportunity to spend some time getting to know other men of Terra. The Peggy O’Brien trip, in my eyes, was going to be a 3 day backpacking trip with 18 more or less strangers. Come to find out, the 2007 trip was the first trip for more than half the group.

I won’t bore anyone with trip details, but so you are aware, the men’s retreat to Peggy O’Brien is a 3.5 mile hike from Keene Valley into the heart of the Adirondacks. We stay in 2 rustic, backcountry cabins situated near quaint John’s Brook for 2 nights. The time spent on the retreat was loosely structured with short devotional times on Friday and Saturday morning. Saturday morning’s gathering also included a time of worship with singing, prayer and communion. The large amount of free time is intentional in an effort to recognize that each man comes to Peggy O’Brien at a different place in his spiritual walk. As a result, freedom is given to each person so they can interact with God as they or the Spirit leads.

While there was plenty of time for men to be men, or boys to be boys, it was encouraging to see everyone taking chunks of time to commune with God, or each other, on intimate levels. Some men found this through quietness next to a stream, which allowed the pace of their life to come to a trickle so God could be heard through reading, music, or prayer. Some, including myself, sought new relationships during a long hike up Haystack Mountain. Others defied Mother Nature by chasing black bears through the woods with digital cameras. A select few went only for the annual consumption of a Baxter Mt. burger washed down by a pint of Lake Placid Brewery’s Ubu Ale.

I viewed the trip as an opportunity to establish new relationships with other men that I had been seeking. Truthfully, I didn’t enter the trip with a God focused agenda; however, God’s agenda proved to be slightly different. It is remarkable what He chooses to do in our lives when we take the time to be still and listen. Unbeknownst to me, God brought me to Peggy O’Brien to answer two prayers I have been praying for quite some time.

Several years ago my best friend, one I considered a brother, moved away, and since then I had been looking to fill that void. Over the course of the weekend, God showed me I didn’t need to replace the relationship, but focus more on that relationship. Friends you can truly love are sparse in our lifetime and I realized I cannot dispose of this relationship because of geography.

Secondly, the Adirondacks have always been my retreat; the place where my life comes into focus through the subtle nudges of God’s voice. The place where the vast creativeness and sovereignty of our Lord is so prevalent, I must leave renewed. I will close with my second answer to prayer which is illustrated below through my amateur poetic heart.

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s peak to me
o r spit me out!
u nleash your will, for too
l ong have i selfishly satisfied.
w hy do i see this same silence and
h ear everything that blinds me?
i s this all meaningless?
s pirit, still my soul,
p lace me on my knees.
e verything must have purpose.
r eveal yourself!
s peak to me!
fear ME.
keep MY commandments.
eccl. 13.12