I am the president of a Christian church group of local teenage girls ages 12-18. Every summer it is tradition we set up camp in the mountains and un plug from cell phones, TV, and the pressures of day to day life with the intent to reconnect with one another, nature and our Father in Heaven. The week of July 20-24th our focus and theme was "daughter of a King," with various hands on activities and lessons to help drive home this idea that we are all daughters of God and have a divine purpose on this earth.
The very last object lesson, on the last night, at 10 pm we had the girls take a night hike. They were given empty back packs and sent on a hike in the dark, under a bright moon, with nothing to guide them but lights along the path and an assigned older youth leader. Then we had stations along the way with adults that would assign them "burdens" in the forms of rocks they would carry in their back packs, these rocks represented real life challenges they could face, "acne, immorality, addiction, challenges at school, friends, death of loved ones, suicide, divorced parents, etc."
In addition to the burdens we had moments along the path where they would be led off the designed route and become "lost" (with a guide.) This was to illustrate those times in their life where they or loved ones perhaps stray from their faith and find their way back to their faith.
The very last station of the hike was the most important for the whole week. We had a leader represent Christ and how through him our burdens can become light as we yoke our burdens with him. At this point he took off their back packs with rocks and they physically became lighter, it was at this point we read the "footprints in the Sand" poem.
I thought of you on this special night on the top of a mountain under the light of the moon and stars. It was such a magical moment and the girls knew they were part of a bigger plan, created by a Savior who is always beside them through this journey called "life."
Thank you for what you are doing Kathy Bee. In a world where many are lost and have forgotten their divine inheritance, you are telling a story that articulates the truth.