A Farewell to Plunge

I’ve spent the last two weeks driving  up and down the east coast doing what my mom called “The Farewell Tour.” It was an amazing two weeks, but it was also very emotionally exhausting. I laughed, cried happy tears, explored, ate amazing food, cried sad tears, and spent awesome time with wonderful people.

However, one of the most emotional goodbyes was, strangely enough, to a place. This place happens to be in Weaverville, NC, up the mountain from Young Life Windy Gap. Over the last several years, Pioneer Plunge has easily become my favorite place in the world. Just to walk into the main cabin is a spiritual moment. The smell of the log cabin, the knowledge that it was built by the hands of fellow young-lifers almost 50 years ago, and the ever present memories that fill the space. It is truly touched by God.

My first encounter with Pioneer Plunge was almost five years ago. I applied to be a guide after several close friends recommended it and felt that I would feel at home there, and I’m so glad that I heeded their advice. I can remember being nervous the first time I headed up to Plunge with my fellow guides. It was probably a combination of uncertainty about what my role as a guide would be and the large black bear that we spotted running through the woods. I was also nervous about my 24 hour solo, but don’t tell our campers that (Plunge guides have to possess a certain “I’m not scared of anything” swagger in order to put our camper’s minds at ease. In reality, the first time you’re a guide you have no clue what is going on the first few days).

Later that week, regardless of fears and anxieties, I hiked with 15 campers and dropped them off at their solo sites. Once they were dropped off, I settled into my site  at the top of a mountain, overlooking this:

I found that over the next 24 hours, my dreams became a lot more concrete. People kept asking me why I wanted to join the Peace Corps/be a missionary. The problem with this question was that I only had “stock” answers. “To serve others, experience the world, yada yada etc etc.” While these types of answers are completely honorable and amazing, I knew in my heart that wasn’t the real reason. I just wasn’t exactly sure what it was. And so on my solo, I began journaling and letting my thoughts flow freely. And sometimes when you allow yourself to do that, magic happens.

“I have a stronger faith when I am away from home because it forces me out of my comfort zone. This then leads me to fall on only God for comfort… to be closer to God, I have to go elsewhere.”

And in that moment, I understood completely the desire of my heart and why God placed it there. Also in that moment, I fell completely in love with the way that God uses Pioneer Plunge.

Fast forward 3 years. I have received a nomination to serve with the Peace Corps as a Community Health Educator. And something is telling me that I HAVE to be a plunge guide again. Like an annoying urgency and an irrational fear of not getting chosen as a guide. Welp, low and behold I get the spot and return to my beloved Plunge, this time with the knowledge that I’m going to be leaving the country in roughly 6 months. However, I didn’t know where I was being placed, what language I would be speaking, what exactly I would be doing. I. was. freaking. out. So, of course, within the first day of arriving at Plunge, God hits me on the head with some scripture to calm me down, and the verse has basically become my mantra:

• If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
  if I settle on the far side of the sea,
  even there your hand will guide me,
  your right had will hold me fast.
  – Psalm 139:9-10

If that’s not perfect scripture, I don’t know what is. I mean, I will literally be settling on the far side of the sea. And I love the use of the word rise.   It inspires me to rise up to the occasion. To not just get from point A to point B, but to rise up and live fully during that time. And I found that verse almost immediately upon arriving to Plunge. It’s as if God couldn’t wait to get through to me. Needless to say, the rest of the summer was beautiful and I loved every minute of it. I loved getting to speak of my future service to campers, to hear their excitement for me and be able to reflect those feelings in my heart. It lifted me away from being only apprehensive to being completely excited for what was to come. So when our session came to a close, I found myself missing Plunge something awful.

“I miss our campers, the sounds of God rustling the trees, and the rolling thunder putting me to sleep. I miss strangely familiar nightly routines of pee spots and toothbrushing. I miss the simplicity of Plunge. It was hard to say goodbye today, but I know I’ll be back. It’s amazing how God works at Plunge, and there is no other place in the world that I have experienced His hand in my life so fully.”

And so, on February 27th 2014, I returned to Plunge one last time to say goodbye before leaving for the Albania. I felt like I needed to say “thank you” for carrying me through the various struggles and emotions that come with the Peace Corps. I wanted to let God know that I didn’t care if it was 19 degrees when I started hiking, because I knew that His voice was going to be there loud and clear. Away from the distractions, away from the noise, only listening to the wind in the trees that has become my favorite song. My heart would be calmed once again.

“Coming to Plunge always makes me feel sure of the things I am meant to do and gives me an encouraging push to send me on my way. Last summer I left reaffirmed in my decision to join Peace Corps. My heart was overjoyed with my decision. So now, a mere two weeks from departure, my heart can once again be reaffirmed. And so as I sit by this fire, I can begin to feel the freedom that comes with accepting and embracing His call in my life.”

*Photo Credits: Otto Solberg (Photos 1,2,7)