Brotherhood in the Desert

Brotherhood in the Desert: Reflections from the Samson Summit

This past Friday afternoon, I flew into Albuquerque, New Mexico to meet a few friends. I’ve been in the mountains of Tennessee and Colorado, but this was my first time seeing the desert mountains. The beauty of the area took my breath away. After meeting a few friends at the airport, we drove up to Santa Fe and on to the Glorieta Adventure Camp for the Samson Summit.

The Samson Summit and the Brotherhood

The Summit is an annual event presented by Samson Society. Founded in 2004, Samson Society is a community of brothers who come together in true authenticity—open and honest about the struggles, failures, and victories of life and recovery, without fear of judgment or shame.

I’ve been part of this brotherhood for years and have attended the Summit for about six. Each year, it’s a space where brothers reconnect, grow, and recharge.

This Year’s Theme and Teaching

Our keynote speaker this year was Chris Bruno, LPC, of ReStory Counseling. Chris specializes in men and masculinity, sexual addiction, trauma, and abuse. Every year, Samson brings in some of the top speakers in the country on topics like story work, healing, and relational restoration.

One of Chris’s statements that really struck me was:

“Men respond better to a vision than to correction.”

He went on to say,

“When we live in shame rather than vision, we are caught in a never-ending cycle of death.”

That idea resonated deeply with me. During a small-group discussion later, men shared about how easy it is to get trapped in the pain of our behaviors—so focused on what we do wrong that it becomes our whole world. But when we begin to look for the cause of the behavior—the need we’re trying to meet—rather than just the effect, we start to experience real freedom.

The Real Heart: Connection

While the teaching and breakout groups are powerful, the real heart of the weekend is the brotherhood.

This weekend I had coffee with a brother from Florida that I talk with every week, but only see in person once a year. I caught up with a friend who serves as a chaplain in Germany for our military. I spent time with a friend who makes me look small—and I’m 6’3”! I met another brother from Hong Kong attending for the first time. And I shared a forty-second hug with my friend from Virginia. (There’s a story behind those hugs—shoot me an email if you want to hear it!)

These are the moments that keep me coming back year after year.

Why It Matters

Weekends like this remind me that recovery is about presence and connection, not perfection. We were created for connection. All the way back in Genesis 1:26, God said, “Let us make man in our image.” That was God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—living in perfect community for all eternity—preparing to create us in their image. A part of that image is community. We need other people in our lives.

If you’ve ever felt alone in your struggle, there’s a seat at the table for you. Recovery happens in community. It doesn’t have to be through Samson Society and the Summit—it might be AA, NA, Celebrate Recovery, your place of worship, or simply a group of close friends who give you the freedom to be open and honest.

There’s a quote often heard in recovery circles:

“The opposite of addiction is not sobriety—it’s healthy community.”

That’s been true in my life, in the lives of the men I spent this weekend with, and in the lives of hundreds of others I know. I believe it can be true for you, too.

If you need help finding a healthy community, send me an email at RWCoaching2@gmail.com. I’d be honored to help you find it.