Rocky Mountain High

Last Wednesday (4/2) my friend Jennifer and I flew to Colorado to attend Captivating, a women's retreat led by Ransomed Heart. This was my fourth journey to Captivating and my second time serving on the event's work crew. (Some of you may be familiar with Captivating, as there's also a book by the same title, written by John and Stasi Eldredge).

We had such an amazing time, it is difficult to know how to put it into words. The landscape of the Rockies is just so spectacular, and we were blessed with incredible weather -- blue skies, moments of light snowfall, and really pleasant temperatures for enjoying the outdoors.

Speaking of the outdoors, we started our Colorado adventure with a hike through the Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs. The stunning rock formations were shadowed by the snowy pinnacle of Pikes Peak. We watched as rock climbers scaled the seemingly smooth surface of the rocks, finding hand- and foot-holds that were unseen to our eyes. It was amazing to watch their slow, deliberate movements inch them closer to the top and imagine the courage it took to hang there as they figured out their next step.

After meeting up with the work crew and the team from Ransomed Heart on Wednesday afternoon, we caravaned to our final destination: Frontier Ranch, located near Buena Vista. This Young Life ranch is situated on Mt. Princeton, one of Colorado's 54 "14ers" (mountain summits over 14,000 feet). This specific area of Colorado is known for its 14ers, and in one stretch of highway you pass a total of 10 14,000 foot peaks on either side of Buena Vista. All this to state (or understate), it's breathtaking.

The whole weekend was breathtaking -- to watch women from all over the country and even the world (attendees from Australia, England, Switzerland, Canada, and other places as well) gather for worship, restoration, and fellowship. I am so grateful that I was able to attend, serve alongside the Ransomed Heart team, hear the stories of so many women, and share the experience with Jenn.

(I have to conclude this post by encouraging all of you reading to visit Ransomed Heart's Web site and check out their events page. Tim and I both would urge you to check out upcoming dates for the Wild At Heart men's retreat and Captivating women's retreat. They are truly life changing.)