This past summer I had the amazing opportunity to live and serve at Old Faithful in Yellowstone National Park with A Christian Ministry in the National Parks. Basically the way ACMNP works is that you apply through them for your top three choices of parks (sometimes you get your top choice, sometimes you don’t even get one of your choices), then, once accepted, you apply for one of the concessionaires.
I was on a team of ten where I helped lead worship services on Sundays for visitors in some of the greatest scenery in the United States. Growing together with my teammates, especially on off days where we got to explore the park together and be in nature was definitely one of the best parts of summer. My favorite moment of the summer was spent with three of my teammates hiking in the southeast corner of the park, seeing a wolf, overlooking the Yellowstone Caldera, and eating way too much ice cream. Obviously constantly being around the same 30 or so people everyday has some challenges and conflicts arise. But, overall, the people I spent the summer with were overwhelmingly supportive and loving and kind.
I have never been one for public speaking, but this summer I was required to give two of the messages. I spent the entire week before my first Sunday stressing out, but as soon as I stood in front of the twenty or so people gathered on the Old Faithful Inn Mezzanine, I felt a rush of calm. I’m still not set in stone on where my life is headed career wise, but that moment of calm where I anticipated stress made me feel as though this was a step in the right direction.
If this sounds like something you’d be interested in doing with your summer and have questions, let me know!
