Burying my rock

Ethan Bossier. Dry Creek, Louisiana. Begin transmission.

I thought long and hard about writing this blog. I mostly worried about my ability to stay consistent, about my ability to stay discreet when necessary, and a bunch of other things. I’ve seen the impact that a blog can have, either for good or ill. In the end, I decided it was worth the risk. I hope to honor God with these writings, to bless people’s hearts, and occasionally to vent some of my own thoughts so that I can be a better Christian leader. That being said, ya’ll hang on, open up, and please enjoy this journey with me.

My name is Ethan Bossier. I am the firstborn son of a hard working heavy equipment operator and a mother who worked just as hard both in and outside the home. My parents are devout Christians, and they tried desperately to raise me right, though with little enough cooperation from me. I graduated from Louisiana College in May of 2013 with a psychology major and biblical studies minor. I am currently serving my fifth year on the summer staff at Dry Creek Baptist Camp. A few months ago I was blessed enough to be offered a job as the yearly intern at the camp, beginning this August. This has been a long held dream of mine, so I quickly accepted and immediately began making plans to begin my ministry. I plan on using my time here at the camp to trying to grow up, to start being a big boy, and to mature as much as possible. One of the ways I plan on putting that into practice is through personal and spiritual discipline, one aspect being this blog.

I took the name “Burying My Rock” from my dear, long time friend and roommate Sam R. Franklin. The phrase means coming home, finding where you belong, and putting down roots there. It gives the image of taking a rock from somewhere dear to you and carrying it with you until God leads you to the place He has without a doubt prepared you for. Sam took up his rock while on a mission trip in Mississippi. He took it as a token of the mountain top feeling that he felt on that trip, the feeling that comes with serving God and kept it as a reminder of that feeling while he walked in the valley. Years later, God led him to serve on another mission trip in Wales, and Sam knew that this was the place that he God was calling him. He chose to bury his rock on a hillside in Wales, knowing he was leaving his heart-of-hearts there in the process. I have not physically buried a rock yet, but I plan to. The gravel driveway that stretches a quarter mile through the pasture to my family’s house will soon be one rock short.

My story that ends at Dry Creek is a long one, and will be the subject of another post. All that needs to be said right now is that God has been the author and director from start to finish, and I understand that more and more as time goes on. I was made for this place, for this camp. I love the campgrounds, and the people here, and the opportunities that come with this type of ministry. I look forward to serving here as long as God allows me, but even if He takes me away, I will always return here, to where my heart belongs.

I talked with Sam just today. I messaged him on Facebook, because he is currently serving in Wales again. He told me that he visited the hillside where his rock was and I couldn’t help but rejoice with him. I plan on burying my rock at the prayer garden that lies deep in the woods here at the camp and I’ll go back from time to time to reflect and talk to God. I’ll use the physically buried rock as a way to remind me during the hard times that this is where I’m meant to be. I have buried my rock.

Ethan Bossier. Dry Creek, Louisiana. End transmission.