Aiden Wolfe
In June of 2017, I was blessed to be able to fly out to Colorado and film a Wilderness Intensive for Reclaim Ministries. As you can probably imagine I was stoked to be able to travel out to one of my favorite places on earth and be able to use one of the gifts the Lord has given me to help one of his ministries. I remember when I first met Todd and Jon, immediately I remember thinking “These guys are legit!” On the ride up to the trail head, Jon said to my brother and me “I want you guys to know, that even though you are here to film, if God starts working on your hearts the video and filming comes second”. When I heard him say that I really didn’t know what to say, I mean I was there to help them, not the other way around.
After the half hour ride to the trail head, I got to meet everyone who was going to be on the intensive. After meeting one another, we started loading our packs with food, tents, and video equipment; and began our trek up the mountain. Once we got to camp and set everything up we had our first session… wow! You see the sessions are not what you would expect, they are not bible studies, and they are not “sharing sessions”, I like to call them “Man Studies”. During these times, we gathered around the campfire to discuss trials that we as men can sometimes face, and then discuss how to overcome them. I remember always being deep in thought after every study, thinking about each subject but also trying to make sure I film and get every shot possible. After about the third study, I became so deep in thought I think it was becoming visible as Todd came up to me and said “So Aiden, how are you doing” I casually replied “I’m doing good” but inside I was really struggling. In the Study that we just finished, we examined some of the Lies that the enemy places in our lives to keep our focus off of what God calls us to be. I was living one of those lies. It was the lie that said I was a coward… a coward for not wanting to finish school… a coward for not wanting to get married… a coward for being afraid of these things that everyone else seemed to not mind. You see, for as long as I can remember I have had this unshakable fear… This fear of not living up to the legacy that was set before me… this fear of not being the man I could or should be… this fear of Failure. Also being a perfectionist didn’t help the matter, I thought if it’s not perfect it’s a Failure. I knew that hiding from these fears was not what God wanted for me, but just admitting I was a Coward was a lot more appealing than the sting of Failure.
After responding to Todd’s initial question I remember glancing away trying to end the conversation before it started, and I remember hearing him ask if I was lying to him. That really moved me… I had given that same answer to a lot of people, but no one ever pressed any further (mainly because I wouldn’t let them). But that was that kind of “push” that I needed, and honestly the “push” I should have had a long time ago. The rest of the trip I got to talking with Todd and Jon about a lot, and they really helped me work through those lies I was living. They helped me realize that I am not just afraid of failure, but I am afraid of failing at something that I am Passionate about. They helped me see that if we fear what we are most passionate about we will never truly be passionate about anything. Reclaim Ministries was NOT the “Men’s camp” I was expecting. It is spiritual conditioning for your heart and soul, it gives you a better perspective on who God is, and what he wants for you. This is not a hike through the woods to go and get away from things; it’s a spiritual Journey that everyone should make. As I now reflect on how God used this event to forever change my life, I can only hope that this testimony will encourage others to embark on one of these Journeys that will forever change their lives as well. Thank you for letting me share my story with you, I hope that one day I am able to help others the way that these men helped me.
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