At 19 years old, I began my journey with ACMNP, not fully realizing that saying yes would shape the course of my life. At the time, I imagined pursuing a career in communications or political science and even worked for a fashion magazine. But something about ministry in the parks stirred my heart in a way nothing else had. What began as a single season slowly became the place where God began clarifying my calling.

I spent seven years serving with ACMNP—five seasons in the Tetons and two in Glacier National Park. Early on, I was given the opportunity to lead worship one Sunday. I had no idea that simple “yes” would become a life-changing moment. As I stood there leading, I sensed the Holy Spirit working both through me and within me. That experience planted a seed I never expected—that God might be calling me into pastoral ministry.

My early seasons were not without challenges. I worked in housekeeping and reported to a supervisor named Hazel, who had a reputation for being intimidating and strict. I was nervous around her at first, but over time we formed an unexpected friendship. Within a month, she promoted me to assistant supervisor, and we worked side by side for several more seasons. I’ll never forget the Sunday she came to worship simply because she knew it mattered to me. In small and surprising ways, I saw how relationships and faith intertwined.

There were moments of discouragement, but again and again ACMNP revealed what I came to call “wonder surprises”—evidence of God quietly at work. In Glacier National Park, I had the privilege of leading worship for a group that gathered each Sunday at the park headquarters. Forty to fifty people from different congregations came together, hungry for community and worship while far from their home churches. Watching how deeply those moments mattered to people left a lasting imprint on me.

One of the clearest memories I carry is standing on the back deck of Jackson Lake Lodge on a clear, starlit night after my first summer. I had been invited to work in the national office and was praying about whether to say yes. Surrounded by the beauty of creation, I felt an overwhelming sense of peace and closeness to God. Those moments don’t happen every day, but ACMNP created space for that kind of clarity.

What has always stood out to me about ACMNP is its unity within diversity. People from different denominations, traditions, and prayer styles came together in worship. I remember one communion service where leaders from various backgrounds stood side by side to serve—it felt like a glimpse of heaven.

ACMNP became more than a ministry assignment; it became the core of my life. It shaped my vocation, deepened my faith, and formed lifelong friendships. If I could offer advice to someone beginning their first season, it would be this: stay open. The first two weeks may feel like the hardest, but often the last two weeks—when you pack up and say goodbye—are the most tender. God does more than you can see in a single summer.

Looking back, I can see how God was writing a story far bigger than I imagined at 19 years old. ACMNP didn’t just give me a place to serve—it helped reveal who God was calling me to become.

-Krista Henning-Ferkin, Grand Tetons & Glacier National Park, Current Chairman of the Board of Directors