Making Commitment Moves, from the Trail to the Pool
“I believe in you Porter. You belong here. You are going to make an impact.” Nate Hausman smiled a reassuring smile at the trembling pale face in front of him. I was a nervous wreck my first summer up at base camp. I felt like an inadequate phony, somebody who truly...
Re-Orienting your (COVID) Compass
Questions for Reflection in light of COVID Sometimes it literally takes a pandemic for me to slow down and reflect. No shame in that, right? (Right?) Over the past months in quarantine, I’ve found myself asking a few key questions. I offer these as a guide to...
Religionless or Prophetic? A Look at Gen Z
Written by Jena Jekums, Compass Assistant + Writer Each new generation is shaped by certain events in history, trends, and the generation(s) that raises them. Accordingly, each generation has challenges that differ slightly, or even drastically, then their preceding...
What My Husband Never Told Me
This article was originally written by Eileen Wilder for the very first printed newsletter published by La Vida in 1991. The most powerful tool of the La Vida Program is undeniably God’s Creation. There is nothing that could be built, done or said that could conjure...
The Dance Sanctuary: How Vanessa Pillen is Inspiring Her Community Through the Art of Dance
By Amber Hausman Last summer, Nate and I went to the newly renovated Hotel Saranac for a date night of dinner and dancing. We entered the ballroom a little timid and waited for the class to start. As we moved along to the beat, we heard our instructor, Vanessa Pillen,...
Practicing Presence in the Midst of Challenge
By Ashley Miller '13 I imagine that anyone who has participated in a La Vida Adirondack trip still thinks of the phrase “be here now” from time to time. Participants hear this phrase as a response to many questions, “What time is it? How long is our hike? Where are we...