Just wanted to give a 'numbers' update on the summer so far.....
After 4 weeks of camp, we have had close to 45 kids accept Christ as their Savior....many more made decisions to take their walk with the Lord more seriously and seek Him daily. Please pray for these kids...many go back to very difficult situations. We've already had one mom call the camp angry and hostile because her daughter chose to accept Christ as her Savior....that young girl will most likely be shunned by her family because of her decision. That is not uncommon here. So please remember these children in prayer....that they will find Christian support and be able to stand firm in the face of persecution and difficulties.
We have 4 more weeks of camp.....looking forward to seeing what God is going to do the 2nd half of the summer!
Saturday, July 3, 2010
Friday, July 2, 2010
Week 4, Friday
It's been another good week of camp....good group of kids....many made decisions for Christ. The campfire was testimony to that...lots of kids stood and shared their desire to follow God more closely. Makes all the long days worth it.
We had 2 workteams this week...both from CA. They were a big help, filling in all the gaps.
Lori was one of the ladies on one of the workteams.....neat lady, hard worker, loves the campers, loves the Lord even more. I have really enjoyed getting to know her this week. There is something else about Lori that is neat....she's the sister of one of my dearest friends....a friend I miss lots. As soon as I saw Lori, I knew she was Becky's sister....they have the same stance, the same smile, the same laugh. Although there are many differences in these two siblings, there are still those similarities. When I see Lori, I can't help but think of Becky. It makes me miss her, makes me think about the sweet times of fellowship we have shared, makes me wish she were here too.
I wonder what I remind people of.....
One counselor here says I remind her of her mom (and btw, that's a compliment...she thinks her mom is the best!).....someone else says I remind them of their "crazy" aunt back east somewhere. I guess I'm ok with all that.....
But we are called to be examples of Christ....to live a life that resembles his....a holy life. Our life should remind others of Christ....His love, His mercy, His patience, His forgiveness.....people should see those characteristics of Christ in our life. We should resemble our Savior.
I'm convicted. I know I don't always (I dare say I SELDOM) remind others of Christ. My flesh is daily (hourly) getting in the way. Even though it's my 'profession' to resemble Christ, I daily fail.
Bur thankfully His mercies are new every morning, and although I messed up many times this week....with campers and with staff.....I am confident in His forgiveness and His promise to use us despite our many flaws.
Like I said, I have greatly enjoyed getting to know Lori this week....even tonight I had another great conversation with her. She has been a blessing and a sweet reminder of my far away friend, Becky. And funny, she told ME that I remind HER of Becky....
I'm ok with that.... :)
We had 2 workteams this week...both from CA. They were a big help, filling in all the gaps.
Lori was one of the ladies on one of the workteams.....neat lady, hard worker, loves the campers, loves the Lord even more. I have really enjoyed getting to know her this week. There is something else about Lori that is neat....she's the sister of one of my dearest friends....a friend I miss lots. As soon as I saw Lori, I knew she was Becky's sister....they have the same stance, the same smile, the same laugh. Although there are many differences in these two siblings, there are still those similarities. When I see Lori, I can't help but think of Becky. It makes me miss her, makes me think about the sweet times of fellowship we have shared, makes me wish she were here too.
I wonder what I remind people of.....
One counselor here says I remind her of her mom (and btw, that's a compliment...she thinks her mom is the best!).....someone else says I remind them of their "crazy" aunt back east somewhere. I guess I'm ok with all that.....
But we are called to be examples of Christ....to live a life that resembles his....a holy life. Our life should remind others of Christ....His love, His mercy, His patience, His forgiveness.....people should see those characteristics of Christ in our life. We should resemble our Savior.
I'm convicted. I know I don't always (I dare say I SELDOM) remind others of Christ. My flesh is daily (hourly) getting in the way. Even though it's my 'profession' to resemble Christ, I daily fail.
Bur thankfully His mercies are new every morning, and although I messed up many times this week....with campers and with staff.....I am confident in His forgiveness and His promise to use us despite our many flaws.
Like I said, I have greatly enjoyed getting to know Lori this week....even tonight I had another great conversation with her. She has been a blessing and a sweet reminder of my far away friend, Becky. And funny, she told ME that I remind HER of Becky....
I'm ok with that.... :)
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Week 4, Tuesday
Well, week 4 has begun. We are back to jr campers (8 -12 yrs old) and the 'silliness' is back. I like jr camp.....they enjoy it when you dance, sing funny, tickle them, etc....they LOVE silly!
Today in chapel, the speaker taught his lesson in a 'silly' way. He was telling the story of Jonah and the whale. First he and his team sang a song they wrote about Jonah.....then he told the story, in a lively way. THEN, he wanted the campers to get an idea of what it would be like to be in the belly of a whale. So he brought in a HUGE black trash bag (it was taller than me)....he filled it with 'slime' (mixture of glue, borax, and other stuff), several cans of sardines, and topped it off with a few cans of tuna fish. It was DISGUSTING! And I have an easy gag reflex! And to make the whole thing even more disgusting, they added a camper to the bag and "shook" him around....and campers actually volunteered to do it!!!
So, needless to say, they emerged from the bag covered in nastiness and smelling awful. It was quite the picture. I think the kids got the idea and realized that the 3 day ride Jonah got in the belly of the big fish was not exactly pleasant.
But the one thing that really stuck out to me is the smell....it was pretty bad. And it made me think about what our sin must "smell" like to God. It's said that our sacrifice and obedience is a sweet fragrance to Him....our sin must be the opposite. That demonstration in chapel made it very real to me. As the smell permeated the chapel, the thought of the 'stench' of my disobedience and rebellion against God was convicting.....powerful picture.
My prayer throughout the day was that I would be a sweet fragrance to my Savior....even in the little things....like not getting upset when a kid spilled their drink on me.....giving up my bucket at the waterfight when a camper asked for it (I REALLY wanted to keep it and get some people wet!).....willingly being a mediator for a dispute when all I really wanted to do was go to bed....I pray through all of it the Lord was pleased and the fragrance of obedience and sacrifice was a sweet smell to Him.
Today in chapel, the speaker taught his lesson in a 'silly' way. He was telling the story of Jonah and the whale. First he and his team sang a song they wrote about Jonah.....then he told the story, in a lively way. THEN, he wanted the campers to get an idea of what it would be like to be in the belly of a whale. So he brought in a HUGE black trash bag (it was taller than me)....he filled it with 'slime' (mixture of glue, borax, and other stuff), several cans of sardines, and topped it off with a few cans of tuna fish. It was DISGUSTING! And I have an easy gag reflex! And to make the whole thing even more disgusting, they added a camper to the bag and "shook" him around....and campers actually volunteered to do it!!!
So, needless to say, they emerged from the bag covered in nastiness and smelling awful. It was quite the picture. I think the kids got the idea and realized that the 3 day ride Jonah got in the belly of the big fish was not exactly pleasant.
But the one thing that really stuck out to me is the smell....it was pretty bad. And it made me think about what our sin must "smell" like to God. It's said that our sacrifice and obedience is a sweet fragrance to Him....our sin must be the opposite. That demonstration in chapel made it very real to me. As the smell permeated the chapel, the thought of the 'stench' of my disobedience and rebellion against God was convicting.....powerful picture.
My prayer throughout the day was that I would be a sweet fragrance to my Savior....even in the little things....like not getting upset when a kid spilled their drink on me.....giving up my bucket at the waterfight when a camper asked for it (I REALLY wanted to keep it and get some people wet!).....willingly being a mediator for a dispute when all I really wanted to do was go to bed....I pray through all of it the Lord was pleased and the fragrance of obedience and sacrifice was a sweet smell to Him.
Saturday, June 26, 2010
The End of Week 3
The week is finally over....this one seemed longer and more tiring. I am SOOOOO enjoying our lazy weekend....I got lots of sleep, got caught up on housework, and spent time away with the family. Looking forward to a night at home :)
From what I can tell, we had about 20 kids make decisions for Christ. I don't know how many were salvation decisions and how many were rededications, but I am thankful for the changes made because of the love of Christ.
One thing that was stressed in the chapels this week was about making a choice concerning God. The speakers spoke mostly to the kids that were 'straddling the fence', as he put it. He challenged them to make a choice....you are either for God or against God. I agree that we need to make a stand for our beliefs....it was a good challenge. But my opinion is that there really is no fence....we are either for God or against Him...no in between. When we choose NOT to follow Christ, we are making a stand against Him. There really is no 'neutral' in this area.
I saw many kids making choices this week. As our worship team played songs, I saw several teens in the back, snickering, making fun of the people on stage singing, laughing at the motions to the song....in my mind I saw a direct and blatant choice being made. They were making a stand against God. In the same room, on the other side, I saw a young girl who I've known all her life singing praises to the Lord, hand lifted high, eyes closed.....her choice was easy to see too. She loved her Lord, loved worshiping Him and was having an intimate moment with Him at that time.....her choice was for God.
I know lots of kids left this week without making a choice to follow God....they left knowing the consequences of their decision...knowing they are choosing death over life. That breaks my heart. Every week I have to watch kids leave, knowing I may never see them again....not knowing if they will one day turn their hearts to God and choose Him. That is hard. But like I said in an earlier blog, we have to be content with possibly just planting the seed....not knowing if there will be a harvest later. We all want to be the ones that bring in the harvest....to see the bountiful fruit of our labors. But it's not always the case....in fact, it's usually the exception.
This week I am feeling the discouragement of it all....seeing more kids leave 'rejecting' God than those that accepted Him. But the Lord is slowly bringing comfort and peace to my heart...reminding me that he is faithful and His Word is truth. That is where I am trying to rest this weekend.
This ministry is amazing and I wouldn't trade it for anything.....the privilege to be able to daily and openly give the Gospel and teach the Word is amazing. But it's not always easy....and it's often exhausting. I'm so thankful that I have a God that meets all my needs and fills in the 'gaps' for me. There is rest in Him!!!
From what I can tell, we had about 20 kids make decisions for Christ. I don't know how many were salvation decisions and how many were rededications, but I am thankful for the changes made because of the love of Christ.
One thing that was stressed in the chapels this week was about making a choice concerning God. The speakers spoke mostly to the kids that were 'straddling the fence', as he put it. He challenged them to make a choice....you are either for God or against God. I agree that we need to make a stand for our beliefs....it was a good challenge. But my opinion is that there really is no fence....we are either for God or against Him...no in between. When we choose NOT to follow Christ, we are making a stand against Him. There really is no 'neutral' in this area.
I saw many kids making choices this week. As our worship team played songs, I saw several teens in the back, snickering, making fun of the people on stage singing, laughing at the motions to the song....in my mind I saw a direct and blatant choice being made. They were making a stand against God. In the same room, on the other side, I saw a young girl who I've known all her life singing praises to the Lord, hand lifted high, eyes closed.....her choice was easy to see too. She loved her Lord, loved worshiping Him and was having an intimate moment with Him at that time.....her choice was for God.
I know lots of kids left this week without making a choice to follow God....they left knowing the consequences of their decision...knowing they are choosing death over life. That breaks my heart. Every week I have to watch kids leave, knowing I may never see them again....not knowing if they will one day turn their hearts to God and choose Him. That is hard. But like I said in an earlier blog, we have to be content with possibly just planting the seed....not knowing if there will be a harvest later. We all want to be the ones that bring in the harvest....to see the bountiful fruit of our labors. But it's not always the case....in fact, it's usually the exception.
This week I am feeling the discouragement of it all....seeing more kids leave 'rejecting' God than those that accepted Him. But the Lord is slowly bringing comfort and peace to my heart...reminding me that he is faithful and His Word is truth. That is where I am trying to rest this weekend.
This ministry is amazing and I wouldn't trade it for anything.....the privilege to be able to daily and openly give the Gospel and teach the Word is amazing. But it's not always easy....and it's often exhausting. I'm so thankful that I have a God that meets all my needs and fills in the 'gaps' for me. There is rest in Him!!!
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Week 3, day 4
I didn't get to blog yesterday....I was still sick, down with a stomach flu....went to bed early.
But it's been a good couple days despite my setback of illness. The teens here this week seemed to be really enjoying themselves. There have been a couple incidents with behavior issues, but overall, it's been a productive and fruitful week. The Lord is definitely working in lives here and it's so awesome to be a part of it all, to witness it firsthand.
After skits tonight, several kids stayed behind to talk to counselors and staff.....I sat in the back, praying, watching.....i could feel the heaviness of the issues that these kids carry....the room seemed heavy. But by the end, as the campers slowly left the chapel, I could feel the air grow lighter.....I knew many of them were walking out "new creatures". It was wonderful to see the change.
Even as I type this, everyone is at the campfire (I'm home because Wes wanted to go, so I'm home w/ the kids)....they are sharing about the changes that have occured in their lives this week....and although I'm not there to hear them share, I know the Lord is being honored by their words and their testimony.
Thank you Lord for the power of your Word, and how it changes lives.....
Amen
But it's been a good couple days despite my setback of illness. The teens here this week seemed to be really enjoying themselves. There have been a couple incidents with behavior issues, but overall, it's been a productive and fruitful week. The Lord is definitely working in lives here and it's so awesome to be a part of it all, to witness it firsthand.
After skits tonight, several kids stayed behind to talk to counselors and staff.....I sat in the back, praying, watching.....i could feel the heaviness of the issues that these kids carry....the room seemed heavy. But by the end, as the campers slowly left the chapel, I could feel the air grow lighter.....I knew many of them were walking out "new creatures". It was wonderful to see the change.
Even as I type this, everyone is at the campfire (I'm home because Wes wanted to go, so I'm home w/ the kids)....they are sharing about the changes that have occured in their lives this week....and although I'm not there to hear them share, I know the Lord is being honored by their words and their testimony.
Thank you Lord for the power of your Word, and how it changes lives.....
Amen
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Week 3, day 2
I'm sick today.
Up all night with some kind of stomach bug.
I'm too busy to be sick....
at least that's my opinion....
guess God has a different opinion.
Although I was still 'around' all day and was mostly involved, I was not really 'into' it. But, even from a somewhat outsider perspective, I can see the week is going well so far. We have a pretty good group of campers. There have been a couple of small incidents, but overall, they seem excited to be here and interested to learn the things of God.
I'm home tonight, missing chapel, free time and the concert scheduled for later tonight. I don't really see the point in it, but for some reason it's where God wants me....I won't fight it, I'll just submit to it and wait for it to pass. Guess I should be thankful for the slower pace, right? I'll keep reminding myself of that, even while I can hear the massive rock concert going on in the chapel....breathe in, breathe out.....
Tomorrow is a new day.
Up all night with some kind of stomach bug.
I'm too busy to be sick....
at least that's my opinion....
guess God has a different opinion.
Although I was still 'around' all day and was mostly involved, I was not really 'into' it. But, even from a somewhat outsider perspective, I can see the week is going well so far. We have a pretty good group of campers. There have been a couple of small incidents, but overall, they seem excited to be here and interested to learn the things of God.
I'm home tonight, missing chapel, free time and the concert scheduled for later tonight. I don't really see the point in it, but for some reason it's where God wants me....I won't fight it, I'll just submit to it and wait for it to pass. Guess I should be thankful for the slower pace, right? I'll keep reminding myself of that, even while I can hear the massive rock concert going on in the chapel....breathe in, breathe out.....
Tomorrow is a new day.
Monday, June 21, 2010
Week 3, day 1
Well, it's the beginning of the third week of camp....120 campers! It's teen camp and that always brings a different dynamic....different set of issues. But I think we are ready, equipped to face the issues that will come up, ready to bring Christ to these kids.
Teen camp is also different in other ways.....more basketball and volleyball, later nights, more 'in depth' chapels.....so in some ways, teen week is more tiring than other weeks. I know for myself, I am going to have to seek the Lord's strength and endurance....I can already feel it and it's only the first day! But thankfully, we serve a God with an endless supply of all that we need.....it's a bottomless resource....we just need to come to Him, ready to receive...confident that He will meet those needs. I am there today....knowing that i am coming to the end of my strength, endurance, wisdom, even patience....
It's going to be a good week....I'm looking forward to all that God is going to do in the lives of these camper....and in MY life, too!!! :)
Teen camp is also different in other ways.....more basketball and volleyball, later nights, more 'in depth' chapels.....so in some ways, teen week is more tiring than other weeks. I know for myself, I am going to have to seek the Lord's strength and endurance....I can already feel it and it's only the first day! But thankfully, we serve a God with an endless supply of all that we need.....it's a bottomless resource....we just need to come to Him, ready to receive...confident that He will meet those needs. I am there today....knowing that i am coming to the end of my strength, endurance, wisdom, even patience....
It's going to be a good week....I'm looking forward to all that God is going to do in the lives of these camper....and in MY life, too!!! :)
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