packed again

Today was suppose to be a still day of thinking, prayer, and recuperation to prepare for the start of my next week in at Timber wolf lake in Lake City, MI. Instead it was filled with E-Mails, phone calls, and uploads. It's all good though, I am packed yet again, and ready for an amazing week where God is going to do great things in the lives of my Young Life guys. Which by the way, there are 3 that I have been in constant contact with. I AM SO STOKED!!!!

As I promised, I will include some journal entries that I wrote while I was in Arizona.

5-23

Today is the first day at Lost Canyon. I feel like a little child saying that, but I am almost in a child like state of mind in this place. There are so many beautiful people here, I am so looking forward to getting a deeper look into many of their lives. I seriously want to soak up as much as possible in a really applicable way.

5-24

What to do about the sin in me..(Romans 7:15-20) tells very clearly that when I am cleansed by the blood of Christ, I am a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17). So, when I sin it is not this new creation sinning, it is the sin of the world/flesh creeping in. I must stay aware of my thoughts, actions, and words. Falling to my knees as much as needed. A reminder to surrender daily.

-A child told Martin (African leader who has been through many atrocities and horrible life events) during a camp in Africa that, “if heaven is like this, then I want to go there.” WOW!

-what is the “awe” of God? It’s like a beautiful mountain, the amazing splendor you are struck with. The word made flesh is a big idea, something powerful that takes over your life. The word becoming flesh is an experience shown by brothers and sisters in Christ.

6-2

~CHILLS~

Great group meeting time, stories shared and I was really tested today. I failed horribly because I really lost my temper with a group of kids today. It was field games and God set up a situation for me to be a leader but instead I lost my cool and threw a bucket of water on kids. ughhh…..

-When I sin, it’s not me who sins, it’s my “flesh” that fails.

6-5

WOW! Working today was pretty average, put in some big boulders and gave my testimony to the guys I work with (mostly high school kids). They were all just in a trance when I spoke, and when I was done, everyone of them prayed for me. It was powerful for me and very humbling. This evening we had the club where we explained what Christ did for us. We showed a video which is quite powerful and at the end they ask the kids to take 15 minutes of quiet time by them selves. The kid that came and stood next to me really let down his defensive walls, and was really impacted by the message. He was in tears as he walked outside for his 15 min. of quiet time. It was so powerful and I felt the holy spirit in that room. (I tightly clenched my legs and kept my head bowed for this kid, all through the 15 minutes, the presence of the Holy Spirit was amazing, chills all up and down my body)

6-6

Philippians 2:14-15 Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe.

From Oswald (my devotional) “God not only expects me to do His will, but he is in me to do it.” If I do anything against Christ, it is never in His will, it is sin within me coming out. God’s will is pure and blameless, the flesh is what acts out, sin can be beaten down though, I must keep my eyes continually centered on Christ. Today, I fixed/checked 448 chairs in the dinning hall. J

6-9

Today I woke up and felt so good. This amazes me because last night and most of yesterday I was sick and getting sicker. I had chills, fever, messy stomach, and just not feeling good. Marty’s (one of the older leaders) wife Susan was around so I asked her if she could feel my fore head and see if she thought I was feeling warm. She did and then I asked if she would pray for me. This woman holds Christ close to her and I felt the Holy Spirit. Yesterday night I started feeling so much better. The healing power of God has been bestowed upon me and I am so thankful. (My journal entry about this subject doesn’t do it justice; I was completely healed from all physical ailments. It was so obvious and not a coincidence.)

6-12 (8:00AM)

I ate this morning with Ryan (property supervisor) and Kevin (landscape intern) at Pine Country. It was nice to feel “set apart” from the other workers. Ryan gave me the direct impression that I would have a very elevated chance of being chosen as a landscape intern if that was something I would be interested in doing next summer. Today was the last Lost Canyon club for me. There was a lot of tears during the cross talk video. Mostly they were coming from Capernaum kids, but the emotions that were stirred don’t just come out because someone has a “simple” mind. The pain Christ endured on the cross is very real and for someone who has a relationship with Him will usually be put on his/her knees. It was really sad to say good bye to all of my work crew buddies, but that is all part of the package deal I suppose. I am ready for the next step God will place me.

Tonight was amazing when all the Summer Staff got together for our, or at least my last group meeting. Many people, in fact all spoke up and really stepped out of their comfort zone. It was so good for me not to have to experience a serious spiritual awakening through this trip. God did huge things, but I feel for the most part I am on the right track.

I wish there were specific pictures to go with each Journal entry, but I guess I just wasn't that organized. I wanted to write more about thoughts, and feelings, and ideas that I had more than actual activities and events. I came away with so much more than what I wrote about in the journal entries I selected, but these are just the ones I selected for your viewing pleasure.

Ohh also, I included some pictures from flying 1st class. The seats were big, the food was good, and I was extremely spoiled. I think I belong in coach though.yummm, the food really was good. It was fun.