Paddle it Forward

Hey friends.

Back safely after my 25th consecutive September canoe trip!

My dearest friend, fellow voyageur and outgoing Lake Wapogasset Lutheran Bible Camp, Board Chair, Tammy Mattson, has offered a challenge gift of $25,000 to mark the event in support of Wilderness Canoe Base.

I am beyond grateful for her most generous offer.

At the same time, those who have endured my many years of preaching know that I use a ton of personal stories and a lot of self-disclosure in my sermons, hopefully with respect for the text and a healthy dose of grace along the way.

One thing I have learned about self-disclosure is that one should never be the hero when telling stories. They are much more authentic when one is the onlooker rather than the hero.

This canoe trip has never been about me. It has always been about supporting the camp that shaped my life in so many ways. It has also been about the many blessed companions who have gone on those trips and the many gifts offered to the soul by the wilderness which surrounds us.

It may not be my last venture into the Boundary Waters. Heck, even over the hill rock bands keep touring after they retire. But it seems right after 25 years to put a wrapper on this part of the journey.

I think it is also a crucial time to support Wilderness as it ushers in a new day. I encourage all of you to join me in meeting this challenge grant.

What I would like to do over the next weeks and months would be to offer some reflections on these past 25 years, hopefully ones which will rekindle blessed memories of your own. After all, Wilderness is OUR STORY.

Paz, Jeff Barrow