As of Wednesday night, the forecast for Thursday was 100% severe thunderstorms from 12pm-8pm and then rain throughout the night. We sent out messages to our prayer warriors asking for prayers. As a group we prayed Wednesday night and again Thursday morning at devotion time. When I checked the weather Thursday morning after devotion time the forecast had changed! We serve a BIG God!
We were joined by our weekend staff, Brian, Casey, Dave, and Chip on Thursday morning. Casey and Brian sat in the back of the van as we left Cran-Hill and they jumped right in and began building relationships with the boys. The boys opened right and and began sharing their stories. We arrived at Red Bridge to begin our backpacking trip at about 2pm. The boys were excited to begin this leg of our journey and were quick to get packs on and head out for our first camp site.
I was so impressed with the way these boys pushed themselves on the first leg of our journey. There is a lot of uphill and it was a bit slippery but the boys pushed right through and made it to site #1 in record time. Nate and Dylan were two who especially pushed themselves in this first leg! Everyone was in awe of Gods beautiful creation between Red Bridge and our site. We made a few stops along the way to enjoy the views!
Once we arrived at our first site the boys put their tents up and collected firewood for the evening fire. While we were setting up for dinner we did get a few little sprinkles and found cover under the leaders hammock tarps. But it didn’t matter, they all still had a blast!
We closed the night around the camp fire with riddles, stories, and a few testimonies. God is using every opportunity to help mold these boys into young men. These boys will be forever changed after this week! We are having so much fun and watching as God works on each of us! Continue to pray for us as we venture deeper into the Manistee forest today hiking to our next stop at the waterfall.
Wow! God’s country is beautiful. Thank you for the update it’s great to see how happy and much fun everyone is having on the trip. We pray that in the quietness of the woods that God will be heard and that hearts will be changed.
We pray that God will continue to cover all with his love and grace as that’s all we really need. God is our rock, and strength and our refuge.
Psalms 46:1-3
God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change And though the mountains slip into the heart of the sea; Though its waters roar and foam, Though the mountains quake at its swelling pride.