pausing in the whirl wind to reflect and give thanks

Friends! I have not forgotten about any of you. I actually think of each of you often. Thinking is something I have learn how to do this summer. There is a difference between idle thinking and purposeful thinking. You know like instead of just humming to the song that is playing, I'm actually focusing on what the words are saying or instead of just thinking about my friends, thats you by the way, praying for you all and giving God praise for each of you.

Anyways, I have typically been reading the blog quickly on the weekends, laugh a lot to myself cause no one ever understands when I try to explain things, and then have to turn the computer off and go back into the isolated world of camp! Camp is done for me this summer and I have learned some of the biggest things ever that I haven't fully processed. First of all, when I arrived at camp for orientation, I wondered what I was doing there. I was at a completely different camp this year without the comfort of familiar faces and friends to lean on. It was just me and God. Also, I learned what God's love is and how he loves. I haven't fully grasped it but it is something that has stuck with me. Just think about this: Why is love a commandment? and What do you mean when you say 'I love you'? Those hit me hard, spent a week wrestling with these questions and focusing my energy and thoughts on God. It was neat. So neat that I started wondering to myself why I don't do that more often.

My last week at camp I learned the Bigness of God. Don't know if that is truly a word but it is what God truly is. As my last week approached, I became very sad about leaving and threw a pity-party for myself. Sorry, I would have invited you guys but I didn't think if would be very much fun for you. Anyways, I was convicted on thinking about myself and instead I decided to give everything to the Lord for my last week. He had been doing great things during camp for the campers and in my own life. I was now expecting more change then ever in just one week that I had. So, I find out for the last week I have the one age group I have never had and that I would consider the hardest for me to have patience with and that is the elementary group. As I read about these "brand-new" to camp 3rd graders, I see that none of them have accepted Christ. I took a deep breath and again, prayed for BIG things. God did more than what I could have ever expected. Guys, all of the campers in my cabin accepted Christ that week. It truly wasn't 'just the thing to do' either. It was for real. As I asked one of the campers why she wanted to accept Christ as her Lord as savior, she said she wanted to know Him more! An 8 year old said that! God wasn't done quite yet as I had been praying for a specific family whose father is currently in Iraq. This family has a daughter who will be at A&M in the fall. Her mom had shared a few things with me and my heart broke for her and this family. On friday, after all the parents had prayed for her, this sweet new sister in Christ accepted Jesus as well and was baptized along with the girls in my cabin. I was crying for joy and for glory to our Father.

This story is more indepth and I would love to share it with any of yall when I see you but I just wanted to share with you what I have learned this summer and to ask each of yall for encouragement and accountability that I never lose sight of how great our God is. We don't have to be a camp to see great things happen or to refect on Him always, I want to be able to do this with my friends.

I wasn't sure where this post was going to be lead when I first started typing but I do want you to all know I am thinking of each of you and have enjoyed hearing about your travels. I'm off to Alaska in the morning and don't worry, I will have pictures to add onto the others that yall of shared to show the glory of God's creation. Thank you friends, brothers and sisters.

"Therefore if there is any encouragment in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the spirit, if any affection and compassion, make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose." Philippians 2:1-2