Everything that I loved about the wilderness were so far failing to make an impression on Brianna, a twelve-year-old girl from one of the roughest parts of Spokane. Through all of these conversations, I was forced to think about the Gospel in light of their lives, where addictions, abuse, and absent parents make life seem hopeless. 

My melancholy mood moves toward delight as these rocks summon more than memories of physical challenges. They remind me of struggles that evoke a change of mind and a renovation of the heart.  On these metamorphic outcroppings God has taught me many lessons about His life-giving grace.

Lightning in the clouds reveals the unfolding drama as we battle darkness, fatigue, and altitude. After climbing the first thousand feet, we approach the glacier: nothing but sheer ice for the rest of the way, time for crampons, ice axes, and rope teams. Our group splits into five guided rope teams, each hoping to summit this extinct volcano.