Hitting the Mark

I had the opportunity to join the Class of 2011 in their senior retreat to the Harvest Home Farm up north in Wisconsin last weekend. What an incredible time to commune with God in the beautiful hills and woods and pastures of the farm and to fellowship with close friends in a much different setting than our campus.

There were many life lessons learned there, but one that stands out is that of hitting the mark. Dr. Guthrie pulled out his bows and arrows the first day and set up a nice shooting range for us by the pavilion. On subsequent days we shot rifles, pistols, and shotguns. Each type of weapon had a particular type of target to shoot at—3D animal targets for the bows, old bowling pins for the rifles, metal spinning bullseyes for the pistols, and clay pigeons for the shotguns. Each target was very different than the other, but they all have one thing in common—in order to hit the target, one must properly take aim! The real thrill came when I lined things up, fired my shots, and visibly hit the mark. There were a few times when I thought I might just “wing it” on my own—not taking careful aim, or perhaps deviating a little from the form I was taught to use. More often than not, those were the times my shots missed the target completely. I believe this principle is true in my daily living as well—in order to accomplish my intended purpose and obtain fullness of joy, I must align myself with the instructions of God’s Word and respond to the Master’s will so my impact will be on line with His plans and purposes. Attempts to bypass the God-ordained principles result in missed opportunities and could inflict harm on those around me.

Perhaps I will write later on some other lessons from the farm and the adventures of the trip. It was a blast—a wonderful way to wrap up the school year. I praise God for the senior class, and it is my prayer that each one of the graduates will hit the mark as they launch into the next chapter of their lives.

Verity 2011 Senior Trip group picture at the Harvest Home Farm