Why We Do What We Do
At that moment, all eyes were on the skies. Some had never seen so many stars; for others, it was the first time they’d ever seen the Milky Way. As I rested on a rock, listening to the conversations around our camp, I thought to myself, “This is why we do what we do.”
We’ve just wrapped up another incredible river trip season. In our 24th year of guiding people through the canyon along the Colorado River, God continued to amaze, astound, and inspire us at every turn.
While exploring and experiencing the canyon’s features is always thrilling, it’s the people who come along that truly stand out for me on each trip. Day and night, the glory of God is revealed through shared wilderness adventures and canyon conversations.
A particular joy this season was our 7-day trip with geologist Dr. John Whitmore. That trip included a number of young folks, and as a former student ministries pastor, I still love connecting with youth. This rising generation is the one that will soon carry the banner of God’s kingdom and the torch of the gospel into a dark and desperate world.
And a torch is a fitting metaphor for this trip. Our lead boatman, Brian, has a tradition of making mini tiki torches and placing them around our camp each night. On the final night of this trip, we camped along a beautiful, long sandy beach. As we gathered for our final “circle time,” reflecting on the many wonders we encountered and the ways our hearts and minds were transformed by the trip, Brian quietly circled the beach, lighting half a dozen small flames that dotted the sand.
Watching each light flicker to life reminded us that, come morning, we would all go our separate ways across America. But each of us would carry the fire of what God had done in our lives that week, spreading it to our homes, communities, churches, and workplaces.
As the torchlight danced along the canyon walls, the kids and I played frisbee on the beach until the stars came out. We then shifted our marvel from geology to astronomy, watching as the silver stars began their celestial cry to all the earth, declaring the glory of God and proclaiming the work of His hands (Psalm 19:1).
At that moment, all eyes were on the skies. Some had never seen so many stars; for others, it was the first time they’d ever seen the Milky Way. As I rested on a rock, listening to the conversations around our camp, I thought to myself, “This is why we do what we do.”
Canyon Ministries is more than a tour company. We’re more than an apologetics organization. We are fellow children of our Creator God, simply reveling in His glory and craftsmanship, while inviting others along to do the same. Through what we do, we hope others will experience a life-changing transformation that will ignite them to carry the fire of the gospel message into the night. Along with the stars in the sky that pour forth their speech, we join with creation in being a voice in the wilderness.
For the King!
