There is one thing that is echoing through my skull right now...
FIND YOUR GROUND AND STAND UP
People that don't believe in anything are white noise, the same noise you hear on the radio when you can't get reception. You can believe in something and still be a hypocrite. But you become a true believer in something if you actually put your life on the line and stand for that belief. Once it comes to that point, it's impossible to fake it. Everything that people see in you and everything that you hold dear to you is tested to see if it's real and if it helps you or hurts you.
But if you don't stand up, you cripple yourself. You keep thinking what you think you're standing on is secure, but you don't know for sure. Then when things start to cave in, you wonder why you didn't see this coming.
Right now, I'm saying that my life currently is proof. I left for the summer again, gave God everything, told him that He has control whether or not things are good or bad while I'm gone, and I didn't look back. I poured out 100% at that camp, and I came home to find that everything that I had left behind actually got better. God had taken what I had given Him and trusted Him with, and grew it more than I could imagine.
At the point when I realized this, the parable Jesus told of the servants and the Ten Minas. It's the complete truth. And I'm glad it is.
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Friday, August 10, 2007
SP Chronicles #8
Final entry for the SugarPine Chronicles, Log Account 8...
It has finally come. The last week of kids, the final week of Timber Mountain 2007. Barret and me summed it up neatly, I think: glad and sad. Glad that we can finally attain some comfort in our normal lives soon, but sad that we'll be leaving everyone here at SugarPine.
I thought last week was hard on program team. God decided to change my mind and make me a counselor this week, outreach week no less, while doing worship leader duties. I did the smart thing on Saturday and watched movies and slept and spent time with God, so that I would actually be prepared for whatever was coming. All my kids are from Fresno, they're all close friends, they're obsessed with WWE, and they all have an attitude. One of the kids Lawrence was really homesick Wednesday and had the whole cabin stage a fight so that he could get sent home. Instead they got seperated into different cabins. They came back into my cabin yesterday, and tonight I'm just hoping that they sleep peacefully.
The above paragraph is what I would've said if God did not give me His eyes to see. In truth, all that I just typed out is reality, but the entire time they were sluggin around their attitudes and causing trouble, God made me see each kid through His eyes, and helped me see past all their mistakes. These kids I got this week are the kdis that I always wanted to counsel. All of them (except one) are black. All of them love to wrestle. They cause trouble but they learn about God and are trying to fix the screwed up parts of their life with the help of God. He's just given me this complete peace and strength and understanding about anything that's happened this week. And suprisingly, this has been the most relaxing week of the summer, no joke. I don't know how, it just feels that way.
And now I get to go home. It's so sad always to have to leave Roseville and come to SugarPine, and the other way around. Both of these places are my home. And if not for Bridgeway I'd probably be working down here full time. I wish I could. But God doesn't want me to yet, if ever. I just know that I'm ready to come home. This has been a good summer, I do not regret anything of it. I will not make any promises about next summer though, that's too far away. And this concludes my final blog for Timber Mountain 2007. Thanks for the prayer and support guys. God bless.
It has finally come. The last week of kids, the final week of Timber Mountain 2007. Barret and me summed it up neatly, I think: glad and sad. Glad that we can finally attain some comfort in our normal lives soon, but sad that we'll be leaving everyone here at SugarPine.
I thought last week was hard on program team. God decided to change my mind and make me a counselor this week, outreach week no less, while doing worship leader duties. I did the smart thing on Saturday and watched movies and slept and spent time with God, so that I would actually be prepared for whatever was coming. All my kids are from Fresno, they're all close friends, they're obsessed with WWE, and they all have an attitude. One of the kids Lawrence was really homesick Wednesday and had the whole cabin stage a fight so that he could get sent home. Instead they got seperated into different cabins. They came back into my cabin yesterday, and tonight I'm just hoping that they sleep peacefully.
The above paragraph is what I would've said if God did not give me His eyes to see. In truth, all that I just typed out is reality, but the entire time they were sluggin around their attitudes and causing trouble, God made me see each kid through His eyes, and helped me see past all their mistakes. These kids I got this week are the kdis that I always wanted to counsel. All of them (except one) are black. All of them love to wrestle. They cause trouble but they learn about God and are trying to fix the screwed up parts of their life with the help of God. He's just given me this complete peace and strength and understanding about anything that's happened this week. And suprisingly, this has been the most relaxing week of the summer, no joke. I don't know how, it just feels that way.
And now I get to go home. It's so sad always to have to leave Roseville and come to SugarPine, and the other way around. Both of these places are my home. And if not for Bridgeway I'd probably be working down here full time. I wish I could. But God doesn't want me to yet, if ever. I just know that I'm ready to come home. This has been a good summer, I do not regret anything of it. I will not make any promises about next summer though, that's too far away. And this concludes my final blog for Timber Mountain 2007. Thanks for the prayer and support guys. God bless.
Friday, August 3, 2007
SP Chronicles #7
SugarPine Chronicles, Log Account 7...
Second to last week of kids is almost done. I can feel it. 26 hours from now they'll be packed up ready to go, I'll be doing traffic, and that much closer to 26 hours off.
This week by far...the toughest one yet. The first two days we had a couple counselors get sick or injured, that knocked program staff down to three people. And we had to send a kid home, that wasn't much fun either. My high school youth group was at main camp this week, but I only got to see them at nights because of our short staffing (no offense Missy). But as the week progressed, life found its bright points even though it was being difficult. My voice is getting pretty solid even though I knocked out my high range for the rest of the summer. Oh yeah and I finally shaved off my mountain man beard too, I look like I'm 17 again yay!
Besides that, I've been sort of listless. Not in a bad way. I've just pushed all the random distractions out of my head and let God take control as much as I'll let Him. There's been a lot of things that Satan has tried to throw at me this week especially. Lots of things that made me just want to run home, but I know I can't. This place and what I'm doing here is too important. And once again this week, I learned how important prayer is. So don't think that you praying for me isn't working, cause IT IS. Thanks :)
Epilouge: I just found out that I'm gonna be a counselor next week, as well as being the worship guy. DOUBLETIME!..one, two, three, four... (pray for me)
Second to last week of kids is almost done. I can feel it. 26 hours from now they'll be packed up ready to go, I'll be doing traffic, and that much closer to 26 hours off.
This week by far...the toughest one yet. The first two days we had a couple counselors get sick or injured, that knocked program staff down to three people. And we had to send a kid home, that wasn't much fun either. My high school youth group was at main camp this week, but I only got to see them at nights because of our short staffing (no offense Missy). But as the week progressed, life found its bright points even though it was being difficult. My voice is getting pretty solid even though I knocked out my high range for the rest of the summer. Oh yeah and I finally shaved off my mountain man beard too, I look like I'm 17 again yay!
Besides that, I've been sort of listless. Not in a bad way. I've just pushed all the random distractions out of my head and let God take control as much as I'll let Him. There's been a lot of things that Satan has tried to throw at me this week especially. Lots of things that made me just want to run home, but I know I can't. This place and what I'm doing here is too important. And once again this week, I learned how important prayer is. So don't think that you praying for me isn't working, cause IT IS. Thanks :)
Epilouge: I just found out that I'm gonna be a counselor next week, as well as being the worship guy. DOUBLETIME!..one, two, three, four... (pray for me)
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