Roadtrip 2010: Part 7, The Rockies

We spent about 24 hrs in the Rockies exploring by car, going on a couple of hikes, and camping.

And the Rockies my friends, redefined prayer for me and changed the way I will pray for the rest of my life. Let me explain.

We drove into the park sometime in the afternoon and it took us awhile to get to the actual camp grounds we were planning on staying at. We probably got there around dinner time, checked in, set-up, and cooked some dinner under the moonlight. As we drove in there were signs everywhere warning about this being bear country and you better freakin have your food in air tight containers or in your belly. Uhm, remember that time we were driving across the country and have more food in our car than we even know what to do with? Bear Country. Whatever.

After eating camp fire roasted bananas smothered in marshmallows, peanut butter, and dark chocolate (what, you're drooling? you should be!) we went to bed probably around 9:30 or 10.

Fast forward to maybe 2:30 or 3:00 in the morning...
Casey: (panicked voiced) MELISSA! DID YOU HEAR THAT!?
Me: (woken up out of a dead sleep) no. go back to sleep.

listens.

WHAT THE (insert expletive) IS THAT?

I have never heard such weird bizarre noises in my life.

Casey and I literally were trembling in fear. (Casey at one point even asked for permission to turn over! ha!) And I have never been so overcome with fear in my entire life. I think I literally thought a bear was going to eat me. (Side note for the fans: turns out Caroline is a total bad-a and was never as scared as Casey and I were, she was simply just trying to calm us down. She even admitted to wanting to laugh a few times at the things we were praying. Whatever man, the devil was after us.)

So for the next 2.5 hours the three of us prayed like we have never prayed before. I mean, I prayed for people to be woken up with an urgency to pray for us. I prayed for the Lord's hand to cover our tent in protection (I probably said this upwards of 100 times). I prayed for my friend Summer (friend in Kansas City who dominated us with truth) to be flung out of bed. And I praised the Lord for who He was over and over and over (and over!) again! I claimed Christ's victory as my own. I prayed for time to speed up and the sun to rise faster. And everything anyone else prayed I said "yes Lord!" to. out loud. with passion man.

And when I just happened to look up and see the entire front of the tent become completely covered in gia-freaking-normous animal shadow (complete with ears, tail, and 16 thousand pounds of meat on the little guy) - I think I about wet my pants and threw up at the same time. My eyes were probably as wide as pumpkins. Or wider.

Now listen, it's all fun and games now. But at the time, it was life or death. (And I actually really do believe once satan realized the fear up in that nylon tent, he took full advantage) And when the sun started to rise I have never been so glad for it be 5:30ish in the morning in my life. Praise Jesus for 5:30 AM!

It was one of the crazier experiences of my life (more crazy than running a marathon in shoes that don't fit). But the Lord actually had a LOT to say about it. And it really did redefine the way I pray. There is something about being at what you think is the very end of your life, completely helpless, and terrified out of your ever-living mind, that makes you cry out to the God of the universe because He's the only one who saves! I have never prayed with such expectation that the Lord is in control. I have never freakin put satan back in his hole like I did that night. I have never prayed with fervour and total belief in the Lord and His power like I did that night. Honestly, it is a hilarious story now that I laugh throughout when I tell in person. But the Lord was up to something that night...

Drawing us to Him. Shaping a trust in Him that has never been there before, one that can't be shaken. And asking us to come closer, to believe more, to understand He truly is in the fight over our lives. To be intimately held by our Savior and sung sweetly back to sleep in peace.

Ridiculous. And by that I mean ridiculously good.

And here are some pictures of the place where it all went down.

me with my little buddy: the new stove!

the morning after: please note ridiculously tired eyes in above two pictures.
that's what a bear and some prayer will do to ya!

victory of surviving the night!

And just for the record: turns out what scared us that night was simply some elk because some idiot left his goldfish on the ground... awesome. thanks dude, means a lot.