I didn't want to do this...

“You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast,

because they trust in you.”

Isaiah 26:3

Every Reason in the Book

A few weeks ago, I had a chance to attend a men's retreat at Shepherd of the Ozarks in the middle of nowhere, Arkansas (Harriett). Leading up to this event, at least 34 reasons came up for me not to attend; however, I knew I needed to go. There were 70+ men at this retreat, but eight of us had a chance to form a special bond.

A Challenge

The men's retreat was full of prayer, socializing, quiet time, and most of the things that would typically accompany a men's retreat. During our downtime on Saturday, a group of us decided to go on a hike. This was not your typical walk in the woods. We hiked up steep rock ledges, crossed a creek, and even used a rope as an aid to climb a solid rock face. The reward at the end was a trip into a cave where we all encountered complete darkness! Not something that I’m a fan of—I couldn’t get my headlamp on quick enough! Ha!

A Strong Bond

Where I am going with this story is not to talk about our hiking trip or even about the men's retreat, but rather to explain the bond that can form when trying something difficult with a group of friends. After we all hiked up to the dark cave and traversed back down, the mood of the weekend changed. We shared stories that no one thought they would be sharing. Some were comical, but some were serious. A few shared things that were weighing heavily on their hearts and their households. It’s hard for men to share deep thoughts and emotions with each other—this typically doesn’t come easy. However, when everyone goes through an uncomfortable situation together, emotions can be more easily shared.

A Great Idea

If you find yourself in a situation where you feel the need to get something off your chest, or you know a friend who seems to be struggling with something, maybe consider getting outside on a beautiful spring day and doing something difficult or out of the box from your daily routine. Taking a hike is just one of many things that can benefit both your physical and mental fitness, and Arkansas, for the next few months, is a perfect place!

John Ross Henderson

MD5 Facilitator