The past couple of weeks have been a blur and its been probably the best two weeks of this summer. July 5th-8th was the Defender sports week. (Defenders our a homeschool sports organization that who I coached for last volleyball season) We had around 30-35 Defender campers come out and it was a different week than all the others because we had both junior high and high school ages and it was nice knowing most of them. Usually the campers come with their youth group leaders but since they didn't come in youth groups, we got to lead devotions. I was with the high school girls and since I had coached most of them, I enjoyed the interaction with my girls. Spending more time and interaction with the girls was a favorite for me and seeing hearts challenged and encouraged at the end of camp was a highlight.
We had several campers who were wrestling with some big questions about God and wondering if He even existed. At the end of the week it was a big praise to hear how the battle in hearts were over and how God had revealed Himself to them.
Turned 24 on July 5th! It's kinda weird being that old cause I'm told I don't really act my age. :) Which I would agree--who wants to grow up? Not me-I'll just go to Never never land!! :) lol I did have a great birthday and thankful to spend it at camp with great friends. I played tackle football and bang up my knee in the afternoon and then later hit the same knee twice going down the waterslide later that day. The second time I hit it down the slide I knew something wasn't right. It swelled up pretty nice and I limped around like a pirate for a few days. It was good for me because I realized how much I don't like to ask for help and how independent I am. Just another way He humbled me. Thankfully nothing was torn or ripped. Which was a praise for me with no insurance. God is good. Swelling is all gone and just left some pretty sweet bruises. :)
High school week just ended and the week flew bye WAY to fast and I mixed emotions as I realized that it was the last full week of campers and realized that I only have two more weeks left. It was the biggest group we had out at camp all summer along with 30-35 pre-K to Kindergarten day campers that came out Wednesday. It was probably the hottest week with 90% humidity some days. It was HOT, but thankfully didn't have cranky campers or staff, just hot and tired ones. :)
The favorite part for me these past two weeks have been on the last night of camp we do prayer stations. We have different stations that all have different focuses of confessions, forgiveness, lies vs truths, and many more. Those two nights were my favorite because I saw the body of Christ at work. People from all backgrounds sharing and confession there struggles together, praising God, discovering lies they had been believing and replacing then with truth. It was beautiful. That is how the church-the real church of Christ should be. Thats what's missing in the "traditional American churches".
God's been showing me different lies I have been believing in my life and its amazing at how Satan can take part of a truth and twist it so much that we start believing it. I've also been learning to daily surrender everything to Christ because if I don't it just builds up and can become ugly or turn into a lie. Its hard, but I am thankful for the strength He gives me. Goes back to the whole grace thing-blows my mind how He still loves me.
We'll I'll be heading back tonight for the final two weeks. We have family camp this weekend and tear down next week. :( The D-team will be doing some final training together to prepare us for coming back home. The heart and one of the main focuses of Extreme Kansas Camp is us staff. Being trained as a disciple who makes disciples. Its been a great experience and I want to stay on the mountain just like when Jesus and the disciples went up to the mountain and meet with Elijah and Moses and the disciples wanted to build tents and stay there. Shawn explained that when we have great experiences we want to capture those moments and just stay in our tents forever, but we have to come back down the mountain. These next two weeks are going to be preparing us to come down from the mountain and prepare us to go out and apply what we've learned and become disciples who make disciples in our communities.
Keep us in your prayers and thoughts has we prepare to come down from the mountain and pray that the D-team can get excited and apply everything we've learned.
Love you all and enjoy today!!!
-Broken Within