A Friendly Reminder

"Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen."
                                                                       I John 5:21

On the fourth day since being home, I have realized how vitally important it is to keep my focus, even in the down time. After an entire summer of walking farther and closer with my God, I am still not immune to the distractions I face at home. Even on the days when I am stretched to the thinnest point, camp really does manage to have me on my best behavior. The spiritual struggle is heightened, and therefore so is my awareness of it. But it's just as important this week while I'm at home, though not so prominent.

It takes an alertness to cultivate a relationship - and that applies to ANYone I know. If I want to treat my family with the love and care they deserve before I go back to school, it's gonna take a conscious effort on my part. Just because I've known them "for forever" doesn't mean I can coast through the relationship for the rest of my days. They need to know EVERY day that I love them, and as we are changing and growing, there is always something new that I can discover in their lives while God has given me this wonderful opportunity to do so.

I ask you, my dear camp friends, how are YOU doing since you've been home? Is your relationship with our Lord still as vibrant and revered in your life as it was when you under pressure of camp? What's been clouding your vision lately?
It's so easy to slip into living for yourself once again and not even realize it. Don't forget Philippians 2:1-9 Let Him use you as a Christ-minded servant wherever you are.
Whether I'm at home or at camp or at school, there will forever be opportunity to discover new truths about God. The Christian life will not happen by accident. It's a choice. One that God readily rewards when I break down my idols and exalt Him above all.

Draw me nearer, Father.

In the Groove

Every cabin has a different flavor to it. Each girl adds her own distinct personality to the atmosphere as the group learns to work together. By Friday, we have found our groove and each cabin of girls has a preferred way of doing things, and a unique style of relating to each other. Each week I love to see all the pieces fall into place.
Here is my whole summer in one post - although these pictures evoke a multitude of more great memories and stories of how God had His way in hearts! Countless times, He shewed Himself strong on my behalf as He stepped in and touched lives in the way that I could only dream of doing. I look back with gratefulness that I was able to meet each girl and have the pleasure of sharing in her life for a week. God used each one of them to mold me and teach me. He is still working to make me more like Himself, and I pray He will keep doing the same for each of these precious girls I met this summer.

JUNIOR 1 *** JUNE 21-26 *** PASTOR JOE LACY

This group:
*** was the first cabin I ever had! They were great.
*** would randomly turn to one another and beg dramatically, "Honey if you love me, won't you please, please smile?" It always brought a boatload of giggles.
*** asked me to tell them a bedtime story on Friday night... So I told them about "the Wonderful Wizard of Wyoming." :-)

FAMILY FOCUS, CAMP MEETING *** JUNE 30-JULY 3 *** EVANGELIST DAN HADIK, DR GREG HUFFMAN

I made a sweet little friend!

TEEN 1 ** JULY 5-10 ** DR. GREG HUFFMAN

This group:
*** nicknamed me Blue Monkey.
*** Loved to cheer their team on during the game time... Go red!
*** They didn't so much love to take long hikes in the wilderness ;-)

TEEN 2 *** JULY 12-17 *** EVANGELIST CHUCK CRABTREE

This group:
*** were the masters at bribing the cabin cleanup checkers every day! (This particular day they dressed up "Bobby George" the pole in the middle of our cabin! It was hilariously creative...)
*** all wore their hair in pigtails for Wacky Wednesday.
*** would stop at nothing to win at game time! A very competitive, fun-loving, um, accident-prone group ;-)

JUNOR 2 *** JULY 19-24 *** PASTOR TOM LOGGANS

This group:
*** went fishing on the muddiest day EVER!! (and one even lost her shoe in the water. Thankfully, we found it.)
*** loved to sing! In their world, everything called for a song :-) They taught me a new song called, Jesus is Changing Me (actions included); they put their heads together to create a new song in honor of Wacky Wednesday; and they fell asleep every night listening to me sing, Jesus My Lord, My God, My All.

JUNIOR 3 *** JULY 26-31 *** PASTOR STEVE PITCHFORD

This group:
*** made a little couch out of the extra mattress in our cabin. Used it every night to gather around for devotion time.
*** racked up an unbelievably impressive amount of Hero Status throughout the week with all of their thoughtful words and actions.
*** picked more "surprise flowers" than I can count! They loved to give :-)



"For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth; to shew Himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward Him." II Chronicles 16:9a

The Lodge: 8:43 PM

Everybody bustles around me as I sit in the now familiar camp lodge. 

Some people help in the kitchen, as Mrs. Loftus prepares sandwich lunches for our hike up the mountain tomorrow. 

The SALT (junior) counselors unload their suitcases from the van, having just arrived from ministering at church this weekend. 

Dave (our resident world traveler) has arrived, at the same weekend that his parents came up to visit, and they are wondering the campground somewhere.... 

Six year old Toby sits at the table finishing his taco dinner under his father's command. :-) 

Spencer is down in the chapel pavillion setting up "The Emporer's New Groove" so we can watch it tonight (complete with popcorn!). 

And I sit. 

Not very helpful I know, but just thinking about the wonderful blessing of church at Emmanuel Baptist this morning. 

And how much I'm going to miss this state. 

These people. 

I better jump in and find a place I can help, because the buzz is still going on.