We are biopsychosocialspiritual beings.

Dr. Seitz was the first to familiarize me with this term, and I thought it a most appropriate title to encompass all things learned thus far at the Focus Leadership Institute. Please bear with me as I try to articulate each prefix, (and note that physio- would be a more appropriate prefix for the first section) as related to my current experience. It might be a long one.

This past weekend at our retreat, I attempted to hike 8 miles up and down a 3,500 ft. mountain in 4.5 hours. Given the shape I am in, that attempt proved unsuccessful. We were instructed to turn around, wherever we were, at 4 o'clock, at which point I was only roughly 2,625 feet up the mountain. Had we more time, the rest of our group could have made it I'm sure, but we were not quite as acclimated with the elevation (mind you we began our hike already 9,000 ft. above sea level) or mountains in general, as were the others. (Apparently, our group is the second, out of all the years they've attempted this hike, to make it to the top of the mountain the first weekend). It was a great time though! After I got past the leg-burning, I want to die stage, I loved the challenge and goal we were working toward! And, although I was told by one of the camp workers that he didn't expect me to make it that far for my first time, I was still pissed that I didn't get to the top! The guys have incredible pictures in front of the mountain-surrounded lake at the top, with the sun beaming off the water! Agh, but I'm not jealous or anything...
So, in preparation for future hiking, Alyssa, my neighbor from Arizona, and I are going to do inclines and stair-stepping like our lives depended on it. :-) Seriously. I am waiting on her now to go the gym at our apartment complex.

Class begins tomorrow. The past two days have each been a 7 hour intensive on leadership. Dr. Leland has been lecturing, and I cannot wait to have him in our worldview class! He is sharp and quick-minded, intelligent, passionate about Scripture and teaching, and an eloquent speaker. Needless to say, the past two days have not been that bad. His motto has been, "we are so glad you're here, but we cannot wait for you to leave," as the purpose of the institute is to equip FLI students to go confidently into the world as effective and competent Christians in a secular world. Conservative? You might say. Cliche? Perhaps. But that is the last thing being here feels like. For the first time, I am surrounded by peer leaders who all want the same thing, to be effective and competent in our generation. Not that I do not have that atmosphere at Asbury; I am surrounded by only 43 other students who chose to spend such an intense semester here in Colorado. And we have the opportunity to study under and be mentored by godly, competent leaders who are working to accomplish the same things in their areas of expertise. And I am so excited!

For the sake of your time, I will defer the social aspect until my next post. Spiritually, I have never been so enriched by a community. While I have been asking others to pray for time to digest everything and spend time with the Lord, it seems as though His word and teaching are incorporated into nearly every aspect of my day, whether in class or reading for class (okay, so those two things consume most of my day so far). In a real way though, not in a Christian bubble way. But back to understanding why I am here...I did not really know what to expect as I headed out west. Everyone here seems to have a story of how God brought him or her out here at the last minute or through crazy circumstances...and as I was talking with a girl named Joy on our way back from retreat, I told her that I had ended up here by my own choice. That I had worked this semester into my schedule at Asbury so that I could still graduate on time. Only I did not realize until a few days after being here that God humored me by allowing me to think that this was in my plan. And by His grace, I know I am here for divine reasoning which I do not yet understand.

I have so much more to share, it's ridiculous. But, Alyssa just texted me...and I'm off to get in the best shape ever! :-)