Wear Your Joy like a Pink Boa!

I'm not usually a fan of pink boas but I think that's the best way to describe the sometimes socially-awkward, bold peace that is joy - it's not made to match everything and certainly wants to stand out. It also gives the wearer a new confidence and fun attitude. True it can be quickly stolen, but it you give it away fast enough you get to keep a growing portion.

This last year I've been on a quest for joy only to realize it was chasing me. I've talked so much about living in truth, loving our communities, and laughing bringing joy to the world, but forgot that joy is an attitude not something you can wrap up with a bow. A mid-summer trip to the Colorado mountains as an advisor with the youth from my church reminded me that life is about the journey not the destination.

Our destination was Fort Collins, Colorado and the National Youth Conference for the Church of the Brethren, but what made the trip most meaningful was the journey to and from meeting God in the mountains. True nothing bonds you like 10 days in a bus that sometimes feels more like an ark, sleeping on church floors together or playing countless rounds of Uno. But it's in doing life together 24/7 that brings out everyone's true colors and builds new relationships.

Admittedly, I didn't know what to expect hopping on a bus with 37 people I didn't know very well and mostly under the age of 18. But I was more than pleasantly surprised by how refreshed and renewed I returned after being blessed not only with their company, but their infectious joy and laughter. Sure, there was a bit of drama at times, but all the best stories have those, too.

Whether we were looking out over Ohio from King's Islands' Eiffel Tower, exploring the St. Louis Zoo, swatting away mosquitoes at McPherson College, sitting still and listening in a prayer labyrinth, guessing the shapes of the rocks at the Garden of the Gods, vying for the gold at the Olympic training center, holding a new friend from falling out while White WaterRafting, hiking up the trails in the Rockies, sorting clothing at the Habitat Restore, dancing and singing during conference worship, fulling engaged by the wonderful speakers and musicians, enjoying Twisted Lizard Tacos in the Windy City, playing carpet ball while talking about what awaits us at our return or shouting at the top of our lungs during the bus sing-along to the conference CD as we pull into the final parking lot - God was moving in our midst and leading us in new ways, deeper ways than any of us could anticipate.

Our joy was as bright and bold as the pink cheap luggage tape we wore like headbands, boas, and neckties. It was like the 3,000 glow sticks lighting a gym and like millions of bubbles raining down on us.