There are so many meaningful memories from that summer, but the time I spent with my team on Sundays stands out the most. We would gather at different locations around Old Faithful and lead worship together. Those days were fun, exhausting, and deeply rewarding—long hours filled with constant movement, interaction, and service, but worth every minute of it.

Looking back, I can see how significant that season was in shaping my life and calling. I graduated from Furman University in spring 2016 and went on to Beeson Divinity School, where I completed my MDiv in December 2019. I married my wife, Anne, in September 2016, and we now have four children: Josh (6), Evelyn (5), Whit (3), and Julia (1). Anne is a schoolteacher, and I serve as the associate pastor at Mountain Brook Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama.

That summer at Yellowstone was formative in ways I didn’t fully recognize at the time. I can now see God’s hand at work, cultivating my calling toward ministry and shaping my path into church leadership later in life. The way I approach relationships in pastoral ministry today is deeply influenced by my experiences working alongside fellow staff members, as well as engaging with visitors and guests throughout that summer.

The Lord developed skills, awareness, and a sense of presence in me during that season that I continue to rely on in my daily work as a pastor.

Mark R. — Old Faithful, Yellowstone National Park, 2015