Written By: Peter Wiersma
Most times I start my prayers with “Dear Jesus, thank you for this day”. I do this because it reminds me that each day is a gift. With that being said, today felt like Christmas!
The day started with a very scenic drive to Camp of the Peaks in the BelleDonne mountains which we have been in awe of whenever we set foot onto the balcony of Roy and Jen’s apartment. After arriving and nestling into our rooms of this very alpine and very beautiful lodge we were put right to work in various forms. Wanda and Judi graciously volunteered to mow the grass, which they soon learned meant that they would essentially be “mowing the side of the mountain”. Doug, Shannon, Nicole, Jan, and Phil were given the task of clearing an area of chopped wood and transporting it uphill to the woodpile. The team found a fast, efficient strategy to create an assembly line of sorts and made quick work of their task. Roy, Paul, Gary, and myself (Peter) were selected to help replace the slats in the railing of the balcony. Making use of a hodgepodge of tools we were able to get a good start with the hope of completing the rest of the railing tomorrow morning.
Our hard work was rewarded with a wonderful lunch of salad, pizza made with an authentic cheese from the region, and of course coffee. With full stomaches, we basked in the sun on the balcony, taking in the views of the snow capped French Alps while Roy educated the team on some of the unique beliefs of Islam and the culture of the Muslims. We were then sent our separate ways to spend 2 hours of personal time with The Lord.
From the responses of everyone, this time was extremely fruitful, and God spoke to the group in a variety of ways. Some chose to venture into the mountains away from camp and were struck by the beauty of the landscape and the undeniable presence of the general revelation of God. It had been mentioned earlier in the week that it is so powerful that this general revelation transcends language, culture, and geography and that anyone who sees and recognizes this creation as God’s can know who He truly is. God also decided to speak through the Psalms. As many sat beneath the mountains and next to a powerful stream it was hard not to feel God speak as he used these exact images in many of the Psalms that were read.
The order of the day was very beneficial as everyone was very relaxed heading into our drive up the one lane (but 2 way traffic) switchbacks of the mountain to the ski resort of Les Deux Alpes. On the backside of the resort was a natural view of the mountains, valleys, and villages that could only possibly be made better by the cross that had been placed on the ridge in which we stood. If you speak to anyone following the trip this will be a picture sure to be shared.
The evening was capped off by yet again some amazing French cuisine at a restaurant at the base of the mountain and some time in group prayer before shooting off to bed to rise for what is expected to be yet another impactful day.
“In His hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to Him. The sea is His, for He made it, and His hands formed the dry land.” Psalms 95:4-5
“For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities – His eternal power and divine nature – have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.” Romans 1:20