Something that tends to happen when a group of outdoorsy people get together? The regaling of tales of past adventures.
Have you ever found yourself sitting around a campfire sharing stories of favorite trips, first trips or even worst trips? Those intense experiences that bonded you to people and taught you endurance and courage?
The Story Starts Like This:
“It was a dark and stormy night…”
“The fish was thiiiiis big!”
“It was the best sunset I’ve ever seen…”
“I was sooo sore after that portage, but it felt so good to challenge myself!”
“I never imagined the view from the summit would be that stunning.”
“Do you remember that time when…?”
“That was the coldest night of my life!”
The Joy of Remembering
I was thinking about how fun it is to tell adventure stories, but also how deeply meaningful it can be.
I am blessed to know many people who love the outdoors and who love Jesus.
For me personally, my love of nature is intertwined with my faith in a way that can’t be separated. When I’m telling or listening to stories of outdoor adventures, most are also stories of faith from me and people around me.
It reminds me so much of the great cloud of witnesses!
Hebrews 12:1 says: “Therefore let’s also, seeing we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, lay aside every weight and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let’s run with perseverance the race that is set before us.”
Sometimes it’s like I can feel others that have gone before me encouraging me to keep going. To keep learning how to love Jesus better every day. And those stories of the faith journeys of others help me feel empowered. I can find the energy to keep on keeping on even when I’m discouraged.
Similarly there have been times when I’ve been doing a tough hike or portage and have reminded myself of the people who walked the trail before me, carrying the same weight. That encouraged me that my task is possible and worth completing.
The Cloud of Witnesses
Hebrews 12 also reminds me that we all have people we’ve looked up to who were beloved mentors or leaders. Some of those people have since passed away.
I’ve sat around campfire circles where we’ve told stories of the great adventures of the people who have died. We’ve remembered their senses of humor, their skill sets and their character in the face of challenges.
Not only does the retelling keep their wisdom and memory alive, it allows us to grieve and to celebrate their life.
This is such an important part of our faith. We know our hope is in Jesus and in a salvation that allows us to rejoice as we grieve.
Remembering our Heroes
As I was thinking about this idea of telling stories, I kept thinking about how the Bible retells stories of the heroes of the faith—just as we do for our personal heroes and people we love.
Hebrews 11 is a perfect example of this. It goes through a list of individuals considered to have been faithful and the great things they did.
Storytelling through History
This also makes sense in the context of the culture. Many ancient cultures had oral traditions where the history of the people was passed on through stories from each generation to the next.
We don’t just see this in the Bible. Homer wrote an epic called The Odyssey about a man named Odysseus and his journeys. Much of it involves the elements of nature and survival.
Here’s an excerpt that talks about nature. It reminds me of stories of friends who describe their experience being in the Boundary Waters during an intense storm nicknamed The Blowdown:
“…churned the waves into chaos, whipping all the gales from every quarter, shrouding over in thunderheads the earth and sea at once—and night swept down from the sky— East and South Winds clashed and the raging West and North, sprung from the heavens, roiled heaving breakers up—and Odysseus’ knees quaked, his spirit too…”
This writing was meant to be recited or sung, and was designed for people to hear it.
History shows that the ancient Israelites had an oral tradition as well. They would have passed on lessons, histories and faith through that oral tradition.
While histories were also recorded in writing simultaneously, I think this shows that some stories are meant to be told.
Tell your Story
I think that this is true, even today.
Revelation 12:11 says, “They overcame him because of the blood of the lamb and because of the word of their testimony”.
The testimonies that we have are a gift. They have strength within them.
The stories we tell show the character of God. They can encourage someone going through a similar situation. Or they can provide a different perspective resulting in a solution to a problem!
They remind us of all the wonderful ways God has continued to be good through our lives and the lives of those who went before us.
Just like our outdoors stories can be testimonies of God’s character and presence, they can also carry wisdom and beauty and encouragement.
As you think about this in your life, where do you have a story that needs to be told? Who are your heroes of faith in your personal life and testimony?
Works Cited: Homer. (1919). The Odyssey. London : New York :W. Heinemann; G.P. Putnam’s sons; Robert D. Miller II, « Orality and Performance in Ancient Israel », Revue des sciences religieuses [En ligne], 86/2 | 2012, mis en ligne le 15 avril 2014, consulté le 06 août 2024. URL : http://journals.openedition.org/rsr/1467 ; DOI : https://doi.org/10.4000/rsr.1467
Here’s more…
- Hearing God in Our Outdoor Adventures
- Build Christian Community through Outdoor Adventure
- Find Your Way to “Hidden” Beauty
- The Joy of Remembering Our Outdoor Adventures - August 8, 2024
- 9 Devotionals for Your Next Trip - July 18, 2024
- Lessons from the Pearl - June 6, 2024
