My 2nd guest blog for the week is also written by my oldest son. This time he is writing about Challenge, the program that he participated in in Georgia. He had a fantastic time, came home with his clothes sopping wet and full of sand and had exploits of physical conditioning, rock-solid friendships and odd culinary behavior. In his words....
Challenge
This word might not seem intimidating, but give it a moment. Think it over. What would a challenge be for you?
Before you answer that question, let me remind you that it’s not a challenge unless it stretches you, which means its going to hurt. Yes, hurt. That’s what a challenge is; stress, pain, difficulty, sometimes all of the above.
Now ask yourself “What would be something that challenges me?”
Most of us know that once something like a car-wreak, house fire or someone dying hits, you have a couple of options: denial, deal or addiction.
But what’s a challenge that we can get in our day to day life, which we know isn’t going to damage us, much, and still builds us up? If you’re a young man between the ages of thirteen and twenty one, then there is at least one option available: CHALLENGE.
The Timothy Group’s mission is to train up strong men of God, who don’t fear the challenges of the world; men who will take the pains and troubles they are faced with and use them like stones to build great things!
Yes, this is a faith based organization; and yes, they make you figure out how to work with your team and get hundred pound boulders out of the woods and across the parade-field. God’s parade-field nonetheless!
In Challenge you will do lots of things, which are…how to say it?... Challenging! And you will undergo stress, and you will experience pain. And you’ll see some crazy stuff, like a kid shooting a BB out of the air with a BB-Gun! I am not kidding. You will learn the value of seconds, and the value of good food. You’ll meet people from lots of places, and you will see them grow.
You will also feel like a fish out of water. Though you won’t get scorched and you won’t get burnt, you will get smoked. A lot! But that’s OK, because smoked fish lasts longer.
You’ll end up running through the woods, trying to get your squad through a successive chain of obstacles. When you get to the end of the line, you’ll find yourself faced with something like a rope and a tree and a creek. And even though the instructions don’t make any sense, you’re still going to try and carry them out. You may end up doing a face-plant in the creek. But that’s fine, because by then you’ve already been in the water; either on purpose or by accident. And even if the waters wet and tastes like fish, you know its not going to kill you!
You’ll grab that rope, and you’ll face that obstacle, and you’ll give it what for! You’ll get messy. You’ll get smoked. But at the end of the week when you’re standing on that parade-field; and you’re feet are soaked; and you’re BDU’s are falling off; and you’re stomachs growling; and the Officers are lurking just behind you, waiting to dish out PT; you’ll be able to look inward, and realize: “I’ve grown!”
And then you’ll know that you’re ready for the next level:
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