Faith for Life
By April Salan (Pennsylvania) I have many favorite things about Semester so far, but if I was required to pick one, it would definitely be the people. The staff and my fellow students are some of the most wonderful group of individuals I’ve had the pleasure of living with. From dish pit to dancing nights to work on [project] crews, we never cease to find ways to bond with each other. One of the things I have… Read More →Road Trip Memories
By Katherine Whiteman (Texas) Greetings Summit Semester observers! This blog is for those who are seeking to get a glimpse of what the heck all forty or so of us are doing up here in the mountains of Colorado… by ourselves… with no connection to the outside world. We try our darndest to distinguish ourselves from your stereotypical idea of a cult. We avoid things like celebrating dictators’ birthdays (even if Mussolini’s birthday is the… Read More →A Small Defense of Community and A Serious Discussion about the Bible
By Hayden Keller Snow Wolf Lodge is eerie in the early morning. When something that is usually so full of life and happening is silent and lifeless it is a little ominous. When all the lights are out and long before the sun even thinks about rising the only thing that gives light is the vending machine and the glowing of a few green exit signs. It is almost otherworldly the way things reflect this… Read More →Colorado Sunrise
By Gracie Jacobs Taking thirty-two students four hours one way into the heights of the Rocky Mountains is supposed to be memorable. The problem is, that day and most of the memories that came with the trip into Ouray, Colorado will forever be lost to me. I’m sure that the van rides were full of competing playlists, window shenanigans, and, of course, lots of naps. Some students say we ran Chinese Fire Drills, frantically switching… Read More →A Trip They Won’t Forget
By Raelyn Gabrel Summit Semester’s trip to the Grand Canyon this year was a memorable experience for all who went. The drive to and from the Grand Canyon was long, and most of us used at least some of that time catching up on much-needed sleep. Once at our campsite we set up our tents and hammocks for the night and had a hurried dinner so we could go see the sunset and the Grand Canyon… Read More →Grand Canyon Adventure
By Abigail Lewis Picture this: you’re in the mountains of Colorado at beautiful Snow Wolf Lodge. At a designated time you hike a little way into the woods, so you cannot see or hear anyone else. Then you sit silently for an hour and a half. This is solitude time at Summit Semester. Once a week, we spend about one and a half hours in solitude in the beautiful outdoors. We are highly encouraged to… Read More →The Sweetness of Solitude
Imagine for a moment you’ve finally become acquainted with the gorgeous mountains surrounding your cabin and look forward each morning to the sunrise that reveals God’s creation — if such an acquaintance is possible. Colorado, blessed with towering mountains, running rivers, and the most beautiful Aspen forests, holds yet another site hidden away between the mountains. The same awe I experienced at the top of my first mountain, at the site of the clearest starry sky (complete with shooting stars and satellites), and at the setting sun each evening fell upon me once again as our van rounded a corner that revealed the largest sand dunes in North America: The Great Sand Dunes National Park.
By David Grossmann (Virginia) Hello, my name is David Grossmann and Summit has been my home and family for the past three weeks. Over my time here at Summit, I have enjoyed making lots of really close friendships with people I really care about. Even though it has only been three weeks I feel as though I have gained a second family. Being with such wonderful, caring, and sweet young Christians such as myself, I… Read More →Reflections on Summit Semester
By Nathan Davis (Illinois) I find that while I’ve spent some time here at Summit Semester I’ve begun asking big questions once again. Unlike other big questions I’ve had, these stem from beginning to understand how to think clearly, not from confusion. I think I owe much of this to two things which are built into Summit Semester: rhythm and rest. While Semester allows many typical freedoms, it also offers another form of freedom: structure. … Read More →Rhythm and Rest
By Kate Staub (Colorado) “Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me, and I learn.” – Benjamin Franklin Dr. Bauman walked in, a sweater vest and belted up jeans draping his slouched figure. Apparently weary from a day of travel, he was quiet, and no doubt worn from the thought of what awaited him (coaxing out, ambushing, and deconstructing his students’ collective and individual thoughtlessness). He was obviously a teacher; one… Read More →When God First Conceived of a “Professor,” He had this Man in Mind
By Kate Lewis (Texas) Hiking to the Cross, which is perched on a hill looking down onto Snow Wolf Lodge, was one of the most physically challenging experiences hikes we have had while at Summit Semester thus far. The trail started off fairly level, but quickly became steep and remained so for a long distance. I certainly felt as though my lungs were about to explode and my legs about to give out during the… Read More →Lead Me to the Cross
By Isaac Hans (Indiana) Choose-your-own Adventure Day! Each and every Monday here at Summit Semester we have what we call adventure day, where we take a break from studying to have an adventure out in creation. This past Monday we had a choose-your-own-adventure day and split into different groups around the area. There were some that went and climbed a 14,000-foot mountain, a handful that hiked to a waterfall, and a group that explored the… Read More →Adventure Day!