God’s Faithfulness through Macomb Slide

Sometimes, learning to trust God begins when we come to the end of what we think we can do ourselves.

For Siobhan Barket, that lesson came in the Adirondack High Peaks, as she stared up at the steep Macomb Slide and wondered whether she was capable of leading the girls behind her through it.

But Siobhan's story with Tapawingo began long before that morning.

Looking Up to the CITs

Siobhan as a CIT, Summer 2026

Tapawingo Island has been a special place for Siobhan since she first attended camp at 9 years old. It was there that she fell in love with hiking, and where she first noticed the girls in the Counselor in Training (CIT) Program.

“I remember thinking they were so kind and sweet. When I was younger, I wanted to be just like them,” she said.

CIT is a four-week experience designed to help girls grow in their love of God and in their character while developing practical leadership skills and spiritual disciplines they can carry into every stage of life.

After hearing her older sister's stories from CIT and seeing the Christ-centered friendships she brought home with her, Siobhan knew she wanted to experience it for herself. She applied as soon as the application became available.

What she didn't know was how much the experience would challenge her physically, mentally, and spiritually—or how God would use those challenges to teach her more about Himself.

Facing Macomb Slide

One of those challenges came when Siobhan took her turn leading a hiking day. Each CIT in the program takes a turn leading their peers on a hike: preparing a spiritual emphasis, studying the map, and guiding the group along the trail. On this particular day, Siobhan was preparing to lead her CIT group through an especially difficult hike.

“I just remember my counselor talking about how we were hiking five high peaks that day, which was the most we had ever hiked,” Siobhan said. “I was like, ‘Oh my goodness, I don't know if I can lead these girls through this.’”

Siobhan and Fellow CITS on Top of a High Peak

What made her especially nervous was Macomb Slide—a steep stretch of exposed, rocky terrain that continued for nearly a quarter of a mile. Siobhan had never hiked terrain like it before, let alone while carrying the responsibility of leading the girls behind her.

The night before the hike, she couldn't sleep.

Her thoughts raced with everything that could go wrong. What if she couldn't lead well? What if she lost the trail?

So Siobhan prayed.

She brought those fears to God and surrendered the pressure she felt to perform well on her own.

“I turned to rely on the Lord. I was just so aware of my weakness in that moment,” Siobhan said.

And in becoming aware of her own weakness, she learned something about God's character.

“I was just awestruck at how He taught me that He doesn't forsake us and that He's just consistently always going to be there,” she said.

Learning to Depend on God

The hike Siobhan had dreaded became one of her favorite memories from the entire CIT program. She successfully led the group, completed all five High Peaks alongside the other CITs, and discovered that the slide she had feared was some of the most fun terrain she had ever hiked.

But what stayed with her wasn't simply the accomplishment.

“This moment just really sticks out to me as a huge learning experience in CIT where I was taught by the Lord about the way He reveals His character,” said Siobhan.

This experience showed Siobhan exactly who He is: a faithful Father who will never leave His daughter. When she felt inadequate for what was ahead, He was still there. That made her wonder, “How can I be more faithful to Him?”

Faithfulness in the Everyday

Growing up in a Christian home, Siobhan practiced disciplines like prayer and Bible study. But at Tapawingo, she was taught to understand the purpose behind the disciplines and build these habits intentionally. 

“I think one of the most valuable parts of CIT is that it teaches you how to follow Christ in a practical way,” Siobhan said. 

Siobhan’s CIT Group Practicing Spiritual Disciplines

As a CIT, she participated in solitude and fasting exercises, in addition to studying the Bible and memorizing Scripture.

Now back home, Siobhan plans to keep practicing spiritual disciplines and shape her daily habits around God's character. Once a week, she goes on a silent run without anyone or any distractions, praying and focusing on God’s presence in her life. Small changes to her daily rhythms have transformed Siobhan’s walk with her Heavenly Father, and remain one of the biggest gifts she’s received from the CIT program.

“I have seen a visible difference in what I’m doing now these weeks post-CIT compared to what I was doing before CIT,” said Siobhan. “I’m just so much more conscious of my actions and my thoughts and if they are bringing me closer to Christ or separating me from Him.” 

Not only does Siobhan feel more aligned with Christ, but she is learning to feel the small joys of walking through life with Him by her side. In the midst of high school, sports, and other responsibilities around her, Siobhan is leaning into the Spirit, seeking to glorify Him through her words and actions.

Siobhan and Her Fellow CITS and Counselors

A Community that Continues

God's faithfulness also became visible to Siobhan through the people He placed around her. The girls in CIT are unified by shared adventures and by their pursuit of Christ. This stable Christian community is part of what helped Siobhan grow in her personal walk with God.

“I think a lot of my growth in CIT is partially due to the fact that I was with other women who were pursuing Christ in the same way.”

Finding other girls to uplift her, encourage her, and keep her accountable was a treasure Siobhan found on the island. Though spread out across the country,  the CIT girls remain in close contact, sharing in each other’s struggles and joys, and putting what they learned into practice.

Taking Faithfulness Home

Siobhan returned home to Florida with more than memories of High Peaks, steep trails, and four weeks spent alongside close friends. She returned with a deeper understanding of her Father’s faithfulness and how to, in turn, live in faithfulness to Him. 

God met her in the moments before the hike up Macomb Slide. He was with her in the midst of grappling for rocks and finding the right foot holds. He was leading her as she was leading others. 

Looking back on this experience, Siobhan knows that while the terrain looks different, the lesson remains the same: she can trust in God’s faithfulness to steady her. 

“If I give my life to Him and I live my life for Him, that’s all I have to think about,” Siobhan said.

Written by Summer Staff Anna Ohashi