The Gift of Struggle

It's been a whirlwind of a week. After spending four days in KC for a long Thanksgiving weekend, I was home for one day before jaunting off to Houston for the week. On Friday night, I flew to Minneapolis to meet Sarah and the boys at a hotel adjacent to Mall of America. I spent Friday night (swimming) and Saturday morning (indoor amusement park) with the family before emceeing a banquet later in the day. It was for Coldwater Foundation, a Christian wilderness ministry aimed at helping teens and college students (as well as groups of adults) grow in their leadership and faith by using the ruggedness and beauty of the Boundary Waters as the classroom. It's an organization that's been deeply personal to my life since experiencing it first-hand in 2015. since then, it's been a constant in my life, and I've been honored to serve on the board of directors for the past three years. The event was beautiful, the people were wonderful, and it was fun to celebrate all that Coldwater has, is, and will be doing.

One of the speakers was a mom who has sent multiple kids through Coldwater programs. She was giving a testimonial about Coldwater's impact on her family's life. In it, she made a profound and powerful statement. While discussing the immense challenge the Boundary Waters can provide, she explained how, in these moments of profound struggle, "our needs are simplified and magnified." Having been into the wilderness many times, her words cut right through me. So, so true. When the rain rolls in, we need a tarp to protect us from the elements. Very simple and very important. When we pull into camp after a long day of paddling, we need dry shoes/socks and a fire. Very simple and very important. When we get disoriented with the geography, we need a map and compass. Very simple and very important.

Let's contrast the wilderness with our daily lives. We generally live in comfort. A roof over our heads (with heat and A/C), food readily available, dry clothes in our closet, and convenient transportation. With comfort comes new "needs."

I "need" a new car.

I "need" a vacation.

I "need" the newest iPhone.

I "need" another pair of shoes.

When we bask in the comfort of our modern lives, we lose sight of what it means to truly need. Comfort breeds discontentment. Comfort leads us to take things for granted.

In the wilderness, I'm beyond grateful for any food. At home, I take for granted my pantry.

In the wilderness, a fire brings me life and great joy. At home, I take it for granted that I can set my environment to any temperature with the push of a button.

In the wilderness, I consider myself fortunate to have one extra set of dry clothes on me. At home, I take for granted an entire closet of clothes.

Embrace discomfort. Be grateful for struggle. It can be a gift.