FINALLY an update! :)

Hey all :)

I am so sorry that I have not had a chance to write this past week! Things have been absolutely, insanely crazy since getting home from CIT week that I just have barely had a chance to check email much less write a blog post. Well, at least, until now.

CIT week was absolutely wonderful. God really stretched and grew me! It is amazing the things that happen when you go into a situation that is completely out of your comfort zone and you HAVE to rely on the Lord for strength. The week seemed to fly by it was probably one of the best weeks in my entire life. The overall theme was God's grace towards us. I learned anew just how gracious He is to His children.

On Monday night how coordinator Greg took us counselors on a 6 1/2 hour, 11 mile hike as a bonding experience. It was definitely that! Along the way we stopped by some waterfalls and he did an object lesson that I will never forget as long as I live. He stood at the top of the waterfall with a cup in one hand and a water bottle in the other. The cup represented us and the water represented God's grace. He was saying how so often when we are in trouble we expect God to give us grace but only in small amounts and only as often as we need it and only just barely enough to get us through it. As he spoke he was pouring little bits of water into the cup. I do not know why but the reality of what he was talking about really just hit me. Mainly because that had been the way that I had been living for the past eight months. I knew that God would give me grace but I was stuck in this mindset that I only needed just enough to get me through the worst of whatever situation and then I could handle it on my own from there. HAH! Not so.

So then Greg went over to the waterfall. He took that cup and held it directly under the water as it was overflowing within seconds. Then he looked at us and said that THAT was the grace that was available for us as children of God. That not only would God give us the strength to just endure through something BUT give us the grace to triumphantly overcome! One thing that he exhorted us to do this summer was to be tapped into that overflowing grace. To be in the Word and in prayer. To be bringing EVERYTHING before the Lord in prayer. The grace is there but I realized that I had not been dwelling in it.

Ok so all that to say-from that day on I saw God's grace in so many things around me but ESPECIALLY on Wednesday night.

On Tuesday night we had done a lost camper drill and that coupled with the hike plus the constant walking up and down from the chapel, to the cabins, to the dining hall really took the toll on my foot (the one I broke twice and had severe nerve damage in). It was to the point were I was in so mluch pain I could barely put any weight on it -much less- walk on it. It seemed to get worse as the day went on so I went to Greg (who is an emt) and told him and he wrapped it up for me hoping that it would somewhat alleviate the pain. It didn't. And we had a youth group coming to "practice on" and apply all that we had learned as counselors so far. Well, we went to dinner after setting up a game for them to play when they got there. I could barely walk by this time.

After dinner, Jac and I went to head back up to the game place. I ended up stopping half way and sitting on a picnic table. I looked up at the basketball courts (were the game was going to take place) and almost started to cry. I was completely overwhelmed by the fact that I was not going to be able to do it. I knew that there was no way I could physically be able to play the game and really mingle/interact with the kids as long as my foot was so bad.

So here I am sitting on a picnic table almost in tears and Jac just reached over and started to pray for me. After she prayed...I do not even know what happened. I just purposed in my heart to trust the Lord to give me grace because I knew that in and of myself there was no possible human way that I was going to be able to do it.

Let me tell you-the grace and strength that the Lord gave me from that moment on was...AWESOME! As soon as the kids got there and I focused on them and chose to trust Him and forget about me while serving others I almost completely forgot about my foot! The pain was alleviated and I was able to play the came and minister to some girls! It was so awesome! And all it took was me getting my eyes off myself and onto the Lord and then onto serving others while trusting HIM to get me through.

I had absolutely not strength BUT He proved to me that TRULY in our weakness HE is made strong! HIS GRACE IS MORE THAN SUFFICIENT!!! He is so good!

I know that this summer there will be many times were I will just not be able to go on physically and mentally and spiritually BUT I also know that my God will be there to carry me through! What a comfort that is...

So there it is. God is so good! Have I mentioned that lately?

Please continue to pray for me. This upcoming week I will heading off for the 1st of five weeks counseling. My age group will be 15-19 year olds so it will definately be a challenging but good week :)
~Please pray that physically the Lord will give me strength.
~Please pray that I will be able to carry out my responsibilities as a counselor to the best of my abilities and that I will quickly get used to how things work (considering I have never been there before this summer).
~Please pray that most importantly I will make an impact on these girls hearts and lives for my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I just want to honor and glorify HIM in all that I say and do!
~Please pray that my focus will be on HIM 1st and then on my campers 2nd.

Well, that is it for this week :)

My sister Abby is leaving for Papua New Guinea this THURSDAY at 3AM!!! I am so excited for her! She will be gone for five weeks! Please pray for her and do not forget to check out her blog here:

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Blessings :)