Chasing the light, cathedrals and how Redwood trees remind me of camp…

We missed church that morning. That is not such a huge deal, other than the fact that we truly love our church community and we want to be connected. But we don’t believe that God is not understanding about the times we are unable to attend church. That said, we missed it….

I got on my bike, a renewed effort to strengthen both my muscles and my joy after a season of being grounded from my bike because of medical complexity.

Though the temperature was 80 degrees and climbing as I got situated on my recumbent, I was overjoyed as soon as I began my ride on this beautiful summer Sunday. The ride in itself felt holy; the ability to move, the breeze, a collection of smells as I rode. Then I started listening to a sermon from one of my favorite pastors, Steve Carter.

He is brilliant, humble, engaging and a faithful teacher, pastor and human who adores his Savior. He teaches with an incredible insight, humor and wisdom that never fails to draw me closer into relationship to Jesus Christ. During Covid, he became “our family pastor,” through a series of what I can only assume was a God-himself-given appointment. We’ve met, chatted a few times and now, I consider him a “friend.” I haven’t had a chance to listen to his teaching much as of late, but this morning, as my legs began to pedal, my senses filled with the goodness, blessings of summer and my heart open, I was drawn to his teaching, his heart and the learning I always glean from him.

This particular teaching was so full of learning that I could write many pages. But as is typical with how I approach writing, it is usually one phrase that I cannot shake and the writing, learning and processing comes from there.

Steve talked about the Redwood trees in California; some are 300-350 feet tall, growing by 10 feet/ year. They are literally, chasing the light. Their bark is disease resistant. Resin that is fireproof. They drink fog, have a savings account of water. Therefore, they are also drought resistant.

Their roots, however are only 9-12 feet deep, BUT, spread out 100 + feet. They have interconnected roots with other redwood trees. When one redwood is sick, it somehow sends a signal to the others. They will stop what they are doing, send nutrients to the sick one…

I love nature and I love trees. As Steve described these incredible trees, I was fascinated. Then he began making connections to the community, body of Christ…

These trees function much like body of Christ.

When we are IN Christ…even though we have individual preferences, biblical mentality and convictions – nothing, nothing, nothing gets in the way of you being in Christ, me being in Christ and us being in Christ together.

I nearly stopped my bike as he said that last phrase.

Every week in my practice I hear about family, community and global tension related to the current state of the world. I hear about beliefs, differences, anger and pain because somehow, we have lost a sense of being in Christ together.

And yet, this summer, I again got to see, a community of camp staff, mentors, leaders, support staff, kitchen and maintenance staff model these very truths that our world so badly needs.

Our oldest daughter spent the summer on the Shores of Lake Michigan as a camp counselor where her grandparents met and I also spent four summers. It is a place that has deep roots in West Michigan, a long legacy of serving families and building the kingdom of God.

My daughter says, “it was life-changing in every way,” from the campers she met, friends she made, experience of being on the shores of our beloved Lake and most importantly, the communion she experienced with her peers as they all grew into deeper relationship with Jesus. She tells me over and over how she had never experienced Jesus this same way – praying together, supporting each other and even praying for me with some muscle difficulties this summer.

My mind was thinking about her and her camp community as Steve continued and I kept pedaling…

While I hiked, I came to a group of Redwoods, grown in a circle. A ranger explained: one falls to the ground, seeds scatter. The rest send nutrients, and as they come together there is an interconnectedness. These trees grow connected to this tree that has fallen that is actually alive. This is called a cathedral…

Again, the connection to the body, community of Jesus seekers and followers: This is how I connect to the alive, dynamic, compassionate and loving body of Christ. I join him and others, not asking him to connect to me…

In a world that is more polarized and self-focused than I can ever remember, let us understand in the words of Steve Carter:

When people can care, share vulnerability, this is underlying meaning of cathedral in in the church. Redwoods can’t grow alone, nor can Christians. We must have community that we invest in. Who are we one-anothering?

From what I was able to witness through my daughter’s summer, there was a one-ness with her staff, that though they had different jobs at camp, ages and populations they served, they all came together for prayer, communion, sharing and being one with each other and Jesus. Campers and staff came together as individuals had different needs while at camp. My daughter told me how on two different weeks, a camper attended camp who simply couldn’t make the steep climb down the stairs to Lake Michigan, so instead of “Polar-bearing in Lake Michigan,” the whole camp went “poolar-bearing in the camp pool” instead. What  small and mighty examples of the life we get to share together in heaven. That is why the ending is so difficult after 11 weeks together…

I have talked to so many recently who’ve asked me how our daughter is doing with the transition out of camp life. If you’ve been there, you know what I am going to say. If not, here’s the truth.

Leaving camp, just like leaving any beautiful experience with Jesus is SO HARD. Our hearts long for the connection, focus and passion of being with Jesus and others who seek him. Yes, the fun of camp is not easy to leave either, but for most, I believe it is about communion and community.

As I listened to Steve, all I could think about was the phrase, “chasing the light.” I want to be like those Redwoods, chasing the light toward heaven. I want to be interconnected to those who love Jesus too, and to those who don’t know him yet, giving care and roots when things are beautiful and when they are not. I want to give the unconditional love and support that is so needed this side of heaven. I want to live in such a way that my life says, “nothing, nothing, nothing gets in the way of you being in Christ, me being in Christ and us being in Christ together.” And I want to grow with my cathedral, the holiness I get to witness in every good and perfect gift until God calls me home.

I am profoundly thankful for camp ministry around the world that brings us a vision of life together with Jesus and his people. Thankful for every beautiful opportunity that our daughter and her friends got to experience this summer and I am thankful for the Lord over it all: sunsets and waves, campfires and fireflies, songs and skits, creativity and laughter and the planting of sees that will take root and forever chase the light.

May we all, chase His light, wherever and however we experience it. May we all share it, however we can. And may we be connected to one another that when one hurts, falls or falters, we are aware enough to help heal.

Both/And

Xoxo

1 Corinthians 13:4-8