Grab Your Gear!!

I admit it. I am absolutely addicted to outdoor adventure activities. I could never get enough backpacking, climbing, canoeing, kayaking, caving, camping, hiking or mountain biking in one lifetime.

When I was blessed with twins, my outdoor adventures took a back-burner to mommyhood. However, when the boys were just over three years old, I was granted the opportunity to spend a week backpacking through Yosemite's wilderness area on an Outward Bound trip. The trip absolutely nourished my body, mind and soul, though it was SO different, because I spent the entire time missing my baby boys! It was a incredible learning experience and something I'd never trade for anything in the world. (Read more on my Outward Bound blog)

Before I could get another small taste of outdoor adventure, we found that we were expecting another little blessing. This poor baby girl of mine has no idea what's in store for her with this adventure-loving, outdoorsy, tomboy of a momma...

We just made plans for our first family camping trip. I am bouncing off the walls with excitement. I get to experience both Acadia National Park and the state of Maine for the first time, AND I FINALLY get to introduce my children to the world of outdoor fun. I've taken the boys on little hiking excursions, taught them to climb, and have taken them on other little jaunts in the outdoors, which they have loved, but this will be the first time that we will be completely immersing our entire family into the outdoors for four entire days. No phones. No electricity. No showers. No technology. No buildings. Back to the absolute basics. Us, God and God's creation. I cannot wait.

Do you know what makes any outdoor adventure activity successful? It's not the experience itself, though that is a huge part of it. It's the PLANNING. The PREPARATION. If you take the time to plan ahead and prepare for every scenario, you can absolutely relax and enjoy the experience, knowing that everything is ready, taken care of, and completely in God's hands. As we all know, even the best-laid plans can go kerpluey, but as long as it's all in His hands, you know you'll be just fine.

There are some key basic things you need to pack for any extended trip to the great outdoors.

What's in my backpack?

Well, the essentials. I have food, water (or a way to keep the water filtered), shelter, the correct gear, and the proper attitude.

We obviously need food to sustain us physically during our time outside. It may not be the same food we'd make at home, but I have turned into quite the gourmet chef with nothing more than a camping stove, fuel, matches and basic ingredients that are easily portable & packable.

Just as important as food is water - or some means to filter water found along the way. Although we can bring things to help flavor the water, they aren't essential. Water is a MUST though. No matter what. Without water, there is no trip.

Shelter. Okay, those who have been on an Outward Bound or NOLS course, don't slam me here. YES, I am FULLY aware that you don't absolutely have to carry any form of shelter with you. I have been forced to sleep under the stars with no tent or canopy and I survived. However, for the not-so-hardcore, you should bring some form of shelter. You aren't going to be guaranteed of sunny, clear, dry weather. And sleeping under the stars may be nice, but not when it's pouring down rain. Trust me.

The correct gear is of the upmost importance. Yes, you could get away without some of it, but you probably wouldn't want to try. We're not talking Survivor here. We're talking enjoyable excursion to the outdoors. So, you'll want to have a map, compass, first aid kit, a campstove, fuel, light, and the correct clothing/shoes. The map and compass will keep you from getting lost. The first aid kit doesn't have to be elaborate, but your blisters will thank you if you at least have some bandaids with you. Campstoves are essential if you want to eat more than bread and fresh fruits or nuts. Fuel, well, if you want to use that handy dandy campstove to fix some food that's actually hot (or at least warm), you need fuel. A source of light may not be an absolute necessity, but it is a great source of comfort and can come in handy for middle-of-the-night bathroom trips (or searching through a dark bag for a bandaid for that blister). The correct clothing/shoes... well... you can actually prevent the blister this way! If it's going to be in the 90s and humid, you do not want to have to carry or deal with heavy pants, coats, shirts and more. However, if the lows are going to dip down near 0, that tank top and shorts aren't going to be too comfortable. Plus, if you're in the middle of nowhere, who's really going to care that your clothes aren't that fashionable, don't really match, or are the same ones you wore yesterday? You should plan to dress in layers, and have clothing appropriate to the environment and weather conditions. This includes having rain gear, unless you're a die-hard true-to-nature person who thinks if it rains you are supposed to get wet. The correct shoes, just like the correct clothing, will keep you comfortable and ready for your adventure. Wearing those fancy sandals while hiking over rocks and through mud probably wouldn't help much. Good hiking boots and an old, comfortable pair of shoes to wear around camp at night are a good plan.

The correct attitude, though it cannot be physically packed into your bag, is so incredibly essential when heading to the great outdoors. As a Girl Scout, I was taught to leave a place better than I found it. Outward Bound also strongly emphasizes this concept. So, when I head outdoors, I go with the plan of service. I plan to find a way to serve others or make a place better. I also go with an attitude of submission - to God's plan for the trip. I go expecting the unexpected and anticipating a wonderfully inspiring, great time. Although the pre-planning may be extensive, once I get out there in the midst of nowhere, there are no longer any schedules, deadlines, rigid structures or other elements of the technologically-overloaded world I left behind.

As I've planned and prepared trip after trip in the past, I came to the realization that our Christian lives are much like my excursions to the world outdoors. We, as Christians, should be prepared and plan ahead. We should be ready for our adventure. Each of the five basics I listed above correlates to something we should have in our "spiritual backpack" each day.

Food: As a Christian, our food is God's word. The Bible gives us the wisdom, knowledge and examples we need to be successful on our adventure. His truths enable us to face any situation or trial along the way. The Bible makes several references to God's word being like food. Hebrews 1:3 tells us that He sustains "all things by his powerful word".

Water: Worship and the Holy Spirit are water for our souls. When we allow the Spirit to work within us, He quenches our thirst. When we allow our hearts open up in worshipping the Father, we are blessed with a river flowing through us and a spring of life welling up and overflowing inside us, filling us with peace, joy, love and eternal life. John 7:38 - "Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” John 4:14 - "but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

Shelter: God is our shelter in this world. When we need shelter from the storms of life, we pray. We find our safety and security in the shelter of God's protection through prayer. There are so many verses, especially in the Psalms, that refer God as our shelter. Our salvation also falls under this category. In order to rest in the comfort of God's shelter, we must first know Him and allow Him to be Lord in our lives.

The correct gear: The Armour of God is our correct gear in this world. Just as we had a list of necessary gear for heading outdoors, there is a list of necessary battle gear found in Ephesians 6. We should put on the belt of truth and the breastplate of righteousness, fit our feet with readiness and peace, and take up the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit. This gear enables us to firmly stand our ground and extinguish all "flaming arrows" from the devil. With the proper gear in place, we are prepared to battle evil and promote good.

Correct attitude: An attitude of service is just as important in this busy, technology-driven world as it is in the middle of the greatest wilderness. Romans 15:15 tells us we should have the same attitude towards each other as Christ had towards us. Christ gave us His grace so that we are equipped "for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ" (Ephesians 4:12-13). Facing each day with an attitude of service enables God to use us and work through us as we come in contact with others.

Each and every day, Christians should fill their Spiritual backpack with these five things: God's word (food), worship/Holy Spirit (water), God via prayer & salvation (shelter), the Armour of God (correct gear), and an attitude of service. If we have these things within us, we will be packed, prepared and ready for this great adventure called life. We can relax and enjoy the experience - even the trials - because we know it's all in His hands and He will take care of us. We can then go forward fearlessly, telling others of God's unending love, grace and mercy, and helping them find their way into the shelter of His wings.

So, Christians, grab your gear and let's go!