“Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.” That is exactly what the 2011 ICMC US West is all about! While there will be much celebrating, reunion, fellowship, fun, laughing, sports, eating, dating, and all the other cool things that accompany our annual ICMC pilgrimage, those are not the ultimate reasons we attend. The true and lasting reason we are ascending to Estes Park, CO this year is to go “Higher” in our walk with God than we have ever gone before. It is Higher vision, Higher love and Higher faith; a Higher connection with God that we all seek. Imagine all of us descending from the Rocky Mountains on Sunday, July 31st having truly attained this Higher calling! How would our lives, our families, our friendships, our campuses and our world be changed?
For each of us to truly grab hold of the “rock that is higher than I,” the ascent must begin now. If you wait until you arrive in Colorado to begin your higher spiritual pursuit, you will have a much more difficult time gaining ground. Begin now. Begin pursuing God in a higher way today.
Practically speaking, what can you do now to prepare for this spiritual journey up the Mountain? Here are some suggestions that have helped me over the years.
Learn from the experts. Before I go backpacking in the backcountry of Colorado, I do all the research I can to prepare. I read books, magazines, and online articles. I spend time in chat rooms and at outdoor stores like REI, talking to people who have taken the mountain routes I will be taking and seeking their advice. To help prepare you for your upcoming Colorado adventure, we have asked several campus leaders to write inspiring daily devotionals for us to study. Thanks to a great suggestion from Steve Stevenson, all of these quiet times are taken from the Book of Psalms, and specifically from the Psalms of Ascent. These Psalms were written, read, and sung whenever the men of God would take their traditional pilgrimage back to Jerusalem; to Mount Zion. As they made their “ascent” up the mountain, these were the Scriptures they would focus on. How perfect for us to immerse ourselves in the same Psalms, as we make our pilgrimage up toward the Rocky Mountains and even Higher, toward God himself. There are fifteen quiet times, one for each of the Psalms of Ascent. We will all study these leading up to the ICMC and then will conclude them while we are there, on the mountain top in Estes Park, all together. How inspiring is that? Study them yourself and remind and inspire everyone in your ministries to do the same.
Cut weight. When I go backpacking every ounce makes a difference; I want to travel ultra light. I cut the handle off my toothbrush, trim the edges off my maps, and use the lightest gear I can afford. Every extra ounce can slow you down and hold you back. What sins have been weighing on your heart, sapping your strength and stealing your joy? Confess them to God and to a close brother or sister. Repent of them. Taste the sweet grace and forgiveness of God. Enjoy the ultra light experience and times of refreshing that come with righteousness in the Lord!
Get a training partner. Greg Jackson, an elder in the church here in Denver, is my backcountry partner. As our adventures near, we constantly inspire one another to practice with all our gear, to aggressively work out and train, and to pack all the essential items we will need for our journey. Who can be your spiritual training partner between now and the ICMC? Get together and get a plan for how you can help each other be ready for your spiritual ascent.
Define your goals. It helps me to establish clear goals for my Backcountry adventures. How long will we climb per day? How high will we go? What will make our trip truly “successful?” What are your goals for the ICMC? What do you want to learn? What do you want to change? Who do you want to connect with? Who do you want to be, when it is all over? The clearer your goals are, the more likely you are to hit them.
I am super excited to make this ascent with you all. Together we will climb the Mountain that is before us and grab hold of the Rock that is HIGHER than us all. I hope these practical tips help you prepare for this adventure of a lifetime.
If you haven’t already registered, we are almost full! Online Registration closes Friday, July 15 or once we reach capacity, whichever happens first. So, register today at www.hereamisendme.net and tell your friends to do the same. Once we reach capacity, we are unable to take any additional or on-site registrations, so plan ahead. Also, check out the ICMC US West Facebook Page to connect with friends and plan for a great weekend in Estes Park July 28-31, 2011!
See you on the mountain top!
John Lusk - Denver, CO
BONUS:
Click HERE for a set of quiet times to help prepare for the ICMC!