I cannot believe that I forgot to tell you: we had 11 salvations this last week! Praise God!!!!!! I know there was something else I completely forgot to say in the post earlier, but I really don't remember what it was. :( Story of my life. :)
Just so you know, I plan to write a long post about the whole summer after I've gotten home. But until then, we've got a whole new week of camp ahead!! Pray for our excitement as we see new students coming in today! Pray that God would teach us how to find joy in everything we do, even if it's something like getting up early to set up. Pray that we would find those moments precious, as we're spending them together for the last times this week.
Have a fantastic week, everyone! I'll see you soon!! :)
For His Glory,
Carly <3
Monday, August 2, 2010
Sunday, August 1, 2010
Super Summer 2010--reflection from week 5 and prayer requests for week 6
Hello, hello, hello!
Before I forget (like i have been for about 3 or 4 weeks now), you can go to http://supersummerpodcast.com/ to hear the messages from the camp pastors!
So this week, the orange team was "The Orange Burning Bushes". I thought that was a really neat idea. We were up against the "Gold Diggers" (shout out to the CBC youth!), "Blue Tsunami", and the "Dancing Green Lima Beans". Their silent cheer was the best--remind me to show it to you next time you see me. :) I would also love to show you ours, it was pretty awesome as well.
God is so cool!!! This was a really good week for getting to know my kids. Several of them were an encouragement to me throughout the week. Not because they did anything in particular to intentionally make me smile, but several of them just did by their actions, and the way they reflected good, solid walks of faith. I also felt that because I had some really receptive students, I was able to pour into them more easily than I've been able to in the past...so that was really neat.
I only went to the encouraging room once, but what a true blessing it was to see a young girl recognize that she could be seeking God more in her everyday life, and that she knew she needed to give Him everything she has, not just pieces. To see a youth seeking God's heart like that was REALLY cool.
I never get tired of seeing God's hand work and move in the lives of these students. That's definitely the coolest part of this job. Week 5? Awesome.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
So here are some prayer requests for week 6--our last week here at Super Summer!
1. Pray that we as a c. staff wouldn't get comfortable in the amount of unity and team-ship we've gotten to. If we get comfortable, it'll only go downhill. We may have gotten much better at this, but there's always room for improvement. Pray that this would still be something we're striving for!
2. Pray for us, that we would be focused on our tasks, the students, and MOST importantly that we would be focused on God. If He's our reason for doing all of this, then He'll make sure we're taken care of. Also pray for focus because this is our last week. We'll be doing lots of things differently so we can wrap everything up and prepare to go home. Pray that we won't "check out" before we leave, but that we'd stay 110% committed to God's work here.
3. Pray for us as we go back into the mission fields of our homes, towns, and soon enough schools. We know that the enemy is far from happy with us, and he's going to do everything within his power to cause us to stumble when we get back home. Pray that we would keep in mind where the attacks come from, and pray that God would just hold him back from us. I'm sure I'm not the only one who is excited to really make my home my mission field (more so than ever before), so Satan will try to stop that from happening.
4. Pray that we would all enjoy each other's company for our last week of camp. It's going to be hard to leave these wonderful brothers and sisters! We've made bonds that have helped us through this experience, and it's the Spirit who binds us together in unity; So it's a strong bond.
Thank you for all the prayer!!! God's not done yet! Pray that He would continue to do what only He can do, and move in this place!!
Lots and lots of love!
Carly <3
Before I forget (like i have been for about 3 or 4 weeks now), you can go to http://supersummerpodcast.com/ to hear the messages from the camp pastors!
So this week, the orange team was "The Orange Burning Bushes". I thought that was a really neat idea. We were up against the "Gold Diggers" (shout out to the CBC youth!), "Blue Tsunami", and the "Dancing Green Lima Beans". Their silent cheer was the best--remind me to show it to you next time you see me. :) I would also love to show you ours, it was pretty awesome as well.
God is so cool!!! This was a really good week for getting to know my kids. Several of them were an encouragement to me throughout the week. Not because they did anything in particular to intentionally make me smile, but several of them just did by their actions, and the way they reflected good, solid walks of faith. I also felt that because I had some really receptive students, I was able to pour into them more easily than I've been able to in the past...so that was really neat.
I only went to the encouraging room once, but what a true blessing it was to see a young girl recognize that she could be seeking God more in her everyday life, and that she knew she needed to give Him everything she has, not just pieces. To see a youth seeking God's heart like that was REALLY cool.
I never get tired of seeing God's hand work and move in the lives of these students. That's definitely the coolest part of this job. Week 5? Awesome.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
So here are some prayer requests for week 6--our last week here at Super Summer!
1. Pray that we as a c. staff wouldn't get comfortable in the amount of unity and team-ship we've gotten to. If we get comfortable, it'll only go downhill. We may have gotten much better at this, but there's always room for improvement. Pray that this would still be something we're striving for!
2. Pray for us, that we would be focused on our tasks, the students, and MOST importantly that we would be focused on God. If He's our reason for doing all of this, then He'll make sure we're taken care of. Also pray for focus because this is our last week. We'll be doing lots of things differently so we can wrap everything up and prepare to go home. Pray that we won't "check out" before we leave, but that we'd stay 110% committed to God's work here.
3. Pray for us as we go back into the mission fields of our homes, towns, and soon enough schools. We know that the enemy is far from happy with us, and he's going to do everything within his power to cause us to stumble when we get back home. Pray that we would keep in mind where the attacks come from, and pray that God would just hold him back from us. I'm sure I'm not the only one who is excited to really make my home my mission field (more so than ever before), so Satan will try to stop that from happening.
4. Pray that we would all enjoy each other's company for our last week of camp. It's going to be hard to leave these wonderful brothers and sisters! We've made bonds that have helped us through this experience, and it's the Spirit who binds us together in unity; So it's a strong bond.
Thank you for all the prayer!!! God's not done yet! Pray that He would continue to do what only He can do, and move in this place!!
Lots and lots of love!
Carly <3
Monday, July 26, 2010
Super Summer 2010--reflection from week 4 and prayer requests for week 5
Hello!!
Week four was a very good week. Thank you all for your prayers both for me, and for us as collegiate staff. Our working together as a team improved greatly this past week.
Here's something to celebrate: 28 new believers!!!!!!!!!! God does some mighty work, doesn't He??
The orange team was the "Orange Ops", our mascot was dressed in orange with twigs and such taped to him. We battled it out at the B.L.A.S.T. games against "Golden Corral", "Bluebonic Plague", and "Green Gangrene". Diseases are popular this year!
God had work for me in the encouraging room only once, this time the decision was for salvation!!! Besides the girl I talked to, three other girls who were in my family group accepted Christ. What a HUGE honor and privilege it is to have been part of something so much greater and grander than myself! It's really cool how God can use those who are willing to give it all over to Him. That's a lesson I've been learning since I got here. God is the one at work here, though. Only He can change hearts and lives and draw people to Himself. And what an amazing experience it has been thusfar to watch Him do it! I'm really excited because there are still two weeks left of camp; I can't WAIT to see what He has planned next!
This week I had Blob duty. Basically what that entails is me sitting on the dock, making sure that the kids are following the rules so they stay safe. It's a one-person job, so not the most exciting thing in the world, but still good. It was cool to get to know some of the students just a little bit better. One big plus about it? I got so much tanner this week! :)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Prayer requests for the week ahead:
1. Pray that we would continue to work together as a team, and continue to get better at doing it. Just because we did some things right this last week, doesn't mean that we don't have more to learn about it. Pray that we would all keep that in mind, and that we would all be open to learning and growing more.
2. Pray for the students who don't know God personally yet. Pray that God would make them uncomfortable until they realize it's Jesus they need, and He's the only One who can fill the void in their lives.
3. Continue to pray for physical endurance, strength, and awake-ness (Ok, so that's not a word, but you know what I mean). I feel that week after week, my body just gets more and more worn down. Pray that the food we eat would give us the energy we need, and that the sleep we get would be restful.
4. All other prayer requests are still in effect as well.
*Shout out to my CBC youth that are coming this week!!!!! I'm so excited to see what God has for you all!!!! (Aaaaaaaannd I'm excited to see you! :D)*
As always, I am so so so grateful for your prayers!!! Goodbye for now, and until next weekend!! :)
Lots of love!
Carly <3
Week four was a very good week. Thank you all for your prayers both for me, and for us as collegiate staff. Our working together as a team improved greatly this past week.
Here's something to celebrate: 28 new believers!!!!!!!!!! God does some mighty work, doesn't He??
The orange team was the "Orange Ops", our mascot was dressed in orange with twigs and such taped to him. We battled it out at the B.L.A.S.T. games against "Golden Corral", "Bluebonic Plague", and "Green Gangrene". Diseases are popular this year!
God had work for me in the encouraging room only once, this time the decision was for salvation!!! Besides the girl I talked to, three other girls who were in my family group accepted Christ. What a HUGE honor and privilege it is to have been part of something so much greater and grander than myself! It's really cool how God can use those who are willing to give it all over to Him. That's a lesson I've been learning since I got here. God is the one at work here, though. Only He can change hearts and lives and draw people to Himself. And what an amazing experience it has been thusfar to watch Him do it! I'm really excited because there are still two weeks left of camp; I can't WAIT to see what He has planned next!
This week I had Blob duty. Basically what that entails is me sitting on the dock, making sure that the kids are following the rules so they stay safe. It's a one-person job, so not the most exciting thing in the world, but still good. It was cool to get to know some of the students just a little bit better. One big plus about it? I got so much tanner this week! :)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Prayer requests for the week ahead:
1. Pray that we would continue to work together as a team, and continue to get better at doing it. Just because we did some things right this last week, doesn't mean that we don't have more to learn about it. Pray that we would all keep that in mind, and that we would all be open to learning and growing more.
2. Pray for the students who don't know God personally yet. Pray that God would make them uncomfortable until they realize it's Jesus they need, and He's the only One who can fill the void in their lives.
3. Continue to pray for physical endurance, strength, and awake-ness (Ok, so that's not a word, but you know what I mean). I feel that week after week, my body just gets more and more worn down. Pray that the food we eat would give us the energy we need, and that the sleep we get would be restful.
4. All other prayer requests are still in effect as well.
*Shout out to my CBC youth that are coming this week!!!!! I'm so excited to see what God has for you all!!!! (Aaaaaaaannd I'm excited to see you! :D)*
As always, I am so so so grateful for your prayers!!! Goodbye for now, and until next weekend!! :)
Lots of love!
Carly <3
Monday, July 19, 2010
Super Summer 2010--reflection from week 3 and prayer requests for week 4
Hello again!
Wow. God is Good! I can absolutely never say that enough!! He keeps showing me and showing me little glimpses of what that means, and it SO rocks. :)
So week three...SO much to say, both good and challenging. (But challenging is good too, right?) Let's start with some ways that God worked:
At LEAST 27 students accepted Jesus!!!!!!!!!! Pray for these students as they now have to go back into their lives and live that out. There were over 130 decisions total, including things like re-dedication, wanting to be baptized, special prayer requests, assurance of salvation, being called into vocational ministry...etc. Keep these students in your prayers as well, that whatever their decision, God would give them the strength to carry on and to do His will.
This week we were "Orange Bowl". Our mascot was a football player. You should have seen everyone doing the silent cheer...it was really funny to watch. We were up against the "Blueberries", "Team Shrek", and (this is the best one!) the "Golden Tickets". By the way, the orange team had its first overall victory this last week! (Not that it matters, but it's kinda cool:) )
This week I had KP duty for every meal. It was kinda cool to be able to meet every single student and sponsor in the whole camp (which totaled over 400 people), and giving them all high-fives. I also got to work at the high ropes course! That was a lot of fun too!
God had three different students for me to talk to in the encouraging room this week. The first one was a young and adorable girl who shared some struggles with me about her home life. Praise God that He was able to speak through me to her about some ways she can improve the way she reacts to situations at home. The second was a girl who needed to know if when she had accepted Christ that it had really counted. Through scripture, God was able to help her see that He's always there, even if we can't sense Him, and that she really was a follower of Him. The third was a young man who decided to come back to talk with someone about how he felt God calling him to share Jesus with his friends when he got back home. Not an easy task at all, but it was neat to be able to remind him that God goes with him in those times. Just like our theme verse! "God said, 'My presence will go with you, I'll see the journey to the end.' Moses said, 'If Your presence doesn't take the lead here, call this trip off right now.' " The Holy Spirit gives us the words to speak in those situations! I am so privileged to be used by the Almighty for His glory and Kingdom. God is SO Good!
I know I usually do two blogs, one to reflect on the previous week, one for prayer requests, but this weekend was especially busy. Part of the reason is because I got a visit from some very special people! We went to First Southern Baptist Abeliene, where Shawnee sang a special, and Nathan had the opportunity to preach! Both of my fellow collegiate staffers did a wonderful job! God used them in a very special way that morning!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
So for week four, here are some specific things you can be praying over...
1. Pray that God would bind Satan and kick him OUT of this place. Satan has been able to get footholds in and amongst us for far too long. He has no place here, but I know that my God is Greater and Mightier than he is, and He will work no matter what.
2. Pray for unity for us as a collegiate staff. This is something we've really been struggling with since the beginning, but I feel that we're finally getting close to being able to say that we're working as a team.
3. Pray for us as c. staff that we would give God all of ourselves, and more because He supplies us more than ourselves so that we can turn around and let it flow out into others' lives.
4. My prayer and reminder for myself this week (and probably the rest of the time here) comes from 2 Corinthians 9:5b-8, 10-15. I'm also working on memorizing this passage so that I can better carry it with me.
5. All other prayer requests from previous posts still apply, so feel absolutely free to go back and read them!
Thank you so much for all the prayer you have done thusfar, and all that you will continue to do. God is teaching me about the power of prayer while I'm here. We prayer walk a lot, and we've talked about how great times of revival have started with prayer. So don't think you're not helping!!!!
I have to go, but again and again, thank you!
Until next weekend!
Lots and lots of love in Him,
Carly <3
Wow. God is Good! I can absolutely never say that enough!! He keeps showing me and showing me little glimpses of what that means, and it SO rocks. :)
So week three...SO much to say, both good and challenging. (But challenging is good too, right?) Let's start with some ways that God worked:
At LEAST 27 students accepted Jesus!!!!!!!!!! Pray for these students as they now have to go back into their lives and live that out. There were over 130 decisions total, including things like re-dedication, wanting to be baptized, special prayer requests, assurance of salvation, being called into vocational ministry...etc. Keep these students in your prayers as well, that whatever their decision, God would give them the strength to carry on and to do His will.
This week we were "Orange Bowl". Our mascot was a football player. You should have seen everyone doing the silent cheer...it was really funny to watch. We were up against the "Blueberries", "Team Shrek", and (this is the best one!) the "Golden Tickets". By the way, the orange team had its first overall victory this last week! (Not that it matters, but it's kinda cool:) )
This week I had KP duty for every meal. It was kinda cool to be able to meet every single student and sponsor in the whole camp (which totaled over 400 people), and giving them all high-fives. I also got to work at the high ropes course! That was a lot of fun too!
God had three different students for me to talk to in the encouraging room this week. The first one was a young and adorable girl who shared some struggles with me about her home life. Praise God that He was able to speak through me to her about some ways she can improve the way she reacts to situations at home. The second was a girl who needed to know if when she had accepted Christ that it had really counted. Through scripture, God was able to help her see that He's always there, even if we can't sense Him, and that she really was a follower of Him. The third was a young man who decided to come back to talk with someone about how he felt God calling him to share Jesus with his friends when he got back home. Not an easy task at all, but it was neat to be able to remind him that God goes with him in those times. Just like our theme verse! "God said, 'My presence will go with you, I'll see the journey to the end.' Moses said, 'If Your presence doesn't take the lead here, call this trip off right now.' " The Holy Spirit gives us the words to speak in those situations! I am so privileged to be used by the Almighty for His glory and Kingdom. God is SO Good!
I know I usually do two blogs, one to reflect on the previous week, one for prayer requests, but this weekend was especially busy. Part of the reason is because I got a visit from some very special people! We went to First Southern Baptist Abeliene, where Shawnee sang a special, and Nathan had the opportunity to preach! Both of my fellow collegiate staffers did a wonderful job! God used them in a very special way that morning!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
So for week four, here are some specific things you can be praying over...
1. Pray that God would bind Satan and kick him OUT of this place. Satan has been able to get footholds in and amongst us for far too long. He has no place here, but I know that my God is Greater and Mightier than he is, and He will work no matter what.
2. Pray for unity for us as a collegiate staff. This is something we've really been struggling with since the beginning, but I feel that we're finally getting close to being able to say that we're working as a team.
3. Pray for us as c. staff that we would give God all of ourselves, and more because He supplies us more than ourselves so that we can turn around and let it flow out into others' lives.
4. My prayer and reminder for myself this week (and probably the rest of the time here) comes from 2 Corinthians 9:5b-8, 10-15. I'm also working on memorizing this passage so that I can better carry it with me.
5. All other prayer requests from previous posts still apply, so feel absolutely free to go back and read them!
Thank you so much for all the prayer you have done thusfar, and all that you will continue to do. God is teaching me about the power of prayer while I'm here. We prayer walk a lot, and we've talked about how great times of revival have started with prayer. So don't think you're not helping!!!!
I have to go, but again and again, thank you!
Until next weekend!
Lots and lots of love in Him,
Carly <3
Monday, July 12, 2010
Prayer requests for week three
Hello again! I hope you're still doing well!
Just a few ways you can be praying this week:
1. Pray for all the collegiate staff for physical health, strength, energy and endurance. It's very easy for Satan to grab onto our attitudes when we're tired. Pray for health, and pray that while we sleep and eat, we would be getting the rest and energy we need.
2. Pray that while we're here, we would learn what it means to work together as a team, all focused on the same goal, and that is Jesus Christ.
3. Please pray for my heart, that while I'm here, it would be here too--in the fullest way possible. I'm not much use to the Kingdom at all when I'm being selfish! Please pray that God would continue to capture my heart in new ways that only He can do, and that while I'm here, my attention would be on the tasks that are in front of me.
4. Continue to pray for the hearts of the students that come here, that God would transform them to love Him more.
All other prayer requests still apply from this last week as well. Thank you so so so so so so so much!! God is up to some pretty amazing things!
I'll post again on Friday or Saturday! And until then, I would love to see letters of how you're doing!
Tons of love!!
<3 Carly <3
Just a few ways you can be praying this week:
1. Pray for all the collegiate staff for physical health, strength, energy and endurance. It's very easy for Satan to grab onto our attitudes when we're tired. Pray for health, and pray that while we sleep and eat, we would be getting the rest and energy we need.
2. Pray that while we're here, we would learn what it means to work together as a team, all focused on the same goal, and that is Jesus Christ.
3. Please pray for my heart, that while I'm here, it would be here too--in the fullest way possible. I'm not much use to the Kingdom at all when I'm being selfish! Please pray that God would continue to capture my heart in new ways that only He can do, and that while I'm here, my attention would be on the tasks that are in front of me.
4. Continue to pray for the hearts of the students that come here, that God would transform them to love Him more.
All other prayer requests still apply from this last week as well. Thank you so so so so so so so much!! God is up to some pretty amazing things!
I'll post again on Friday or Saturday! And until then, I would love to see letters of how you're doing!
Tons of love!!
<3 Carly <3
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Super Summer 2010--reflection from week 2
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Hello everyone!! Thanks for keeping up with how I'm doing! I hope you're doing well!
It's extremely weird how different this week was from last week! The entire atmosphere was really different. I wish I knew how many campers accepted Christ, but we weren't told. I heard of at least three, but I'm sure there were more, as well as a lot of other types of decisions. But even if only one life was changed because of what God has us doing here, it would be worth it. But even if we don't know how God is working, or can't see it, that sure doesn't mean He isn't doing incredible things! One thing I've learned about God is that He is a Purposeful God. Every single student (and sponsor) were here together this past week for a reason. God won't waste those things, but instead He'll use them to change hearts and lives, and for His glory.
This week, the orange team was "God the Builders". Before you ask what that has to do with the color orange, just think construction vest. Now can you picture it? Okay, good :) We battled it out in the B.L.A.S.T. games against the "Goldfish" (gold), the "Blue Beluga Whales" (blue), and "Lime Disease" (lime green), whose mascot was a giant green tick. Extremely creative, but gross all the same. :)
So every week, our afternoon jobs (for us as collegiate staff) rotate. Last week, I was out at the tower, this week Nathan and I were out at the lake helping kids with paddle boats and canoes. While it might not be the mosty exciting job (unless of course you have three different canoe tips in the span of about 45 minutes :) ), I really enjoyed the relaxed pace of it. God definitely blessed us with some incredible temperatures this week! There was a lot of cloud-cover, and the humidity wasn't bad at all! What a blessing that was, all in itself! That may sound simple, but going on little sleep is hard enough on our bodies without the help of immense heat.
While I was out there on Thursday afternoon, some girls from my family group came and wanted to get into a canoe. One of them originally wasn't going to get in with her friends, so she was sitting in the grass on the hill watching as her friends got their life-jackets on. It was really cool that God presented the opportunity to sit down with her for a few minutes and ask what God had been teaching her during the week. She said that she really liked some of the things that the camp pastor (Chad Poe) had said about our comfort. He had preached about whether or not out comfort was more important than God's calling for us. I could instantly relate to what she was sharing with me. This crazy task that God has called me to this summer gets really hard at times, but just like my girl had been challenged by that, I began to be, too. And I can honestly say that it's only by my Savior's strength I can do what He has for me to do. He once told me, "I will never give you a task to do without the means to do it." I know that by His Grace, He'll help me continue to do His work while I'm here. God is so Good.
For those of you who don't know, we have what's called the "encouraging room" here. When the pastor gives an invitation for response at the end of worship, the encouraging room is for us as staff and sponsors to talk with students, and it's also where a good majority of the decisions are made. It wasn't in God's plan for me to go back with anyone during week 1, but on Thursday night, one of the girls from my family group came back. she came looking specifically for me (COOL!!!), and we went back to the encouraging room together. I was so encouraged by this young girl's heart for the Lord! She has only been a believer for a year; she accepted Christ the previous year at Super Summer. She's only just finished the 8th grade, and she's the only one in her family that knows Jesus. She just needed someone who would listen and who could encourage her. I am blessed to have been that person! She shared about some of the struggles that she has about living out her faith, and asked advice about some things (one of which included a boy because she wanted to be careful to make good, Godly decisions about it). God used her to touch my heart greatly, and I was challenged by her as well. There were things that she's good at that I'm still in need of working on. But when we were finished talking and after I had given her a hug, she brought such joy to my heart when she looked me in the eyes and gave an incredibly sincere "thank you". I told her that she was "SO welcome", and that's what I was indeed there for. We're facebook friends already, so now I can keep in contact with her, ask her how things are going, and encourage her on in the faith. God is so incredibly Good.
After reading and discussing the first chapter of Ephesians last Sunday night, we were each challenged to take a phrase or sentence to focus on this week. After getting a small glimpse last week of how God works everything together and wanting to learn more about it, I chose to focus on His attribute of being the "Great Orchestrator". I saw more evidence of that this week, as I was able to talk to one of my girls at the lake, and because God put the other girl in my family group so that when she came forward, He could use us both in each other's lives. God is so incredibly, and wonderfully Good!
So that's just an update on how this past week has gone. Look for another post tomorrow, it'll have some specific ways that you can be praying. Thank you so so so much for your prayers! They help more than you (or I) know!! Keep lovin' on God--He's the only One who can fill us, and the only One who can love us perfectly. :)
TONS of love!!
<3 Carly <3
Hello everyone!! Thanks for keeping up with how I'm doing! I hope you're doing well!
It's extremely weird how different this week was from last week! The entire atmosphere was really different. I wish I knew how many campers accepted Christ, but we weren't told. I heard of at least three, but I'm sure there were more, as well as a lot of other types of decisions. But even if only one life was changed because of what God has us doing here, it would be worth it. But even if we don't know how God is working, or can't see it, that sure doesn't mean He isn't doing incredible things! One thing I've learned about God is that He is a Purposeful God. Every single student (and sponsor) were here together this past week for a reason. God won't waste those things, but instead He'll use them to change hearts and lives, and for His glory.
This week, the orange team was "God the Builders". Before you ask what that has to do with the color orange, just think construction vest. Now can you picture it? Okay, good :) We battled it out in the B.L.A.S.T. games against the "Goldfish" (gold), the "Blue Beluga Whales" (blue), and "Lime Disease" (lime green), whose mascot was a giant green tick. Extremely creative, but gross all the same. :)
So every week, our afternoon jobs (for us as collegiate staff) rotate. Last week, I was out at the tower, this week Nathan and I were out at the lake helping kids with paddle boats and canoes. While it might not be the mosty exciting job (unless of course you have three different canoe tips in the span of about 45 minutes :) ), I really enjoyed the relaxed pace of it. God definitely blessed us with some incredible temperatures this week! There was a lot of cloud-cover, and the humidity wasn't bad at all! What a blessing that was, all in itself! That may sound simple, but going on little sleep is hard enough on our bodies without the help of immense heat.
While I was out there on Thursday afternoon, some girls from my family group came and wanted to get into a canoe. One of them originally wasn't going to get in with her friends, so she was sitting in the grass on the hill watching as her friends got their life-jackets on. It was really cool that God presented the opportunity to sit down with her for a few minutes and ask what God had been teaching her during the week. She said that she really liked some of the things that the camp pastor (Chad Poe) had said about our comfort. He had preached about whether or not out comfort was more important than God's calling for us. I could instantly relate to what she was sharing with me. This crazy task that God has called me to this summer gets really hard at times, but just like my girl had been challenged by that, I began to be, too. And I can honestly say that it's only by my Savior's strength I can do what He has for me to do. He once told me, "I will never give you a task to do without the means to do it." I know that by His Grace, He'll help me continue to do His work while I'm here. God is so Good.
For those of you who don't know, we have what's called the "encouraging room" here. When the pastor gives an invitation for response at the end of worship, the encouraging room is for us as staff and sponsors to talk with students, and it's also where a good majority of the decisions are made. It wasn't in God's plan for me to go back with anyone during week 1, but on Thursday night, one of the girls from my family group came back. she came looking specifically for me (COOL!!!), and we went back to the encouraging room together. I was so encouraged by this young girl's heart for the Lord! She has only been a believer for a year; she accepted Christ the previous year at Super Summer. She's only just finished the 8th grade, and she's the only one in her family that knows Jesus. She just needed someone who would listen and who could encourage her. I am blessed to have been that person! She shared about some of the struggles that she has about living out her faith, and asked advice about some things (one of which included a boy because she wanted to be careful to make good, Godly decisions about it). God used her to touch my heart greatly, and I was challenged by her as well. There were things that she's good at that I'm still in need of working on. But when we were finished talking and after I had given her a hug, she brought such joy to my heart when she looked me in the eyes and gave an incredibly sincere "thank you". I told her that she was "SO welcome", and that's what I was indeed there for. We're facebook friends already, so now I can keep in contact with her, ask her how things are going, and encourage her on in the faith. God is so incredibly Good.
After reading and discussing the first chapter of Ephesians last Sunday night, we were each challenged to take a phrase or sentence to focus on this week. After getting a small glimpse last week of how God works everything together and wanting to learn more about it, I chose to focus on His attribute of being the "Great Orchestrator". I saw more evidence of that this week, as I was able to talk to one of my girls at the lake, and because God put the other girl in my family group so that when she came forward, He could use us both in each other's lives. God is so incredibly, and wonderfully Good!
So that's just an update on how this past week has gone. Look for another post tomorrow, it'll have some specific ways that you can be praying. Thank you so so so much for your prayers! They help more than you (or I) know!! Keep lovin' on God--He's the only One who can fill us, and the only One who can love us perfectly. :)
TONS of love!!
<3 Carly <3
Monday, July 5, 2010
Prayer requests for week two
Hello everyone!
I just thought I would give some specific things you could pray for this week.
1. Please pray for our physical health, strength, endurance, and energy. On little sleep and lots of heat, our job isn't easy!
2. Pray for our emotional energy and endurance as well. We spend so much of it pouring into others, we need to make sure we're getting filled up as well.
3. Pray for spiritual discernment, that we would let the Holy Spirit be our guiding Force when we need to make decisions.
4. God has been showing me what it means to live outside of my comfort, pray that I would not only do that, but that I would delight in it because I know that God is using me to impact the Kingdom for His glory! What an honor to be chosen!!
Here are some things that God has been teaching me:
1.God has been teaching me what it truly means to pick up my cross every day, and die to self. There are a lot of difficult things about this task He has called me to. I have a new understanding of what living for Him and not myself means. Truly, what I want does not matter in the slightest. I have a whole new meaning to the phrase "reckless abandon". By His power, that is how I choose to live!
2.Also, I've now seen firsthand that living sold out for Him is not for the faint-hearted. God calls us to things that are far greater than our capabilities...but not above His. Only by His strength are we able to what He wills of us.
So, you should write me a letter... :)
Webster Conference Center
C/o Carly Donaldson
2601 North Ohio
Salina, KS 67401
There, I've even made it easy for ya! Thank you so so so so so much for your prayers!! They are much needed and appreciated! Pray that above all else, God would move in the lives of everyone here (students, sponsors, staff) in ways that only He can, that His will would be done, and lastly that He would receive all of the glory!!
Lots of love!!
Carly <3
I just thought I would give some specific things you could pray for this week.
1. Please pray for our physical health, strength, endurance, and energy. On little sleep and lots of heat, our job isn't easy!
2. Pray for our emotional energy and endurance as well. We spend so much of it pouring into others, we need to make sure we're getting filled up as well.
3. Pray for spiritual discernment, that we would let the Holy Spirit be our guiding Force when we need to make decisions.
4. God has been showing me what it means to live outside of my comfort, pray that I would not only do that, but that I would delight in it because I know that God is using me to impact the Kingdom for His glory! What an honor to be chosen!!
Here are some things that God has been teaching me:
1.God has been teaching me what it truly means to pick up my cross every day, and die to self. There are a lot of difficult things about this task He has called me to. I have a new understanding of what living for Him and not myself means. Truly, what I want does not matter in the slightest. I have a whole new meaning to the phrase "reckless abandon". By His power, that is how I choose to live!
2.Also, I've now seen firsthand that living sold out for Him is not for the faint-hearted. God calls us to things that are far greater than our capabilities...but not above His. Only by His strength are we able to what He wills of us.
So, you should write me a letter... :)
Webster Conference Center
C/o Carly Donaldson
2601 North Ohio
Salina, KS 67401
There, I've even made it easy for ya! Thank you so so so so so much for your prayers!! They are much needed and appreciated! Pray that above all else, God would move in the lives of everyone here (students, sponsors, staff) in ways that only He can, that His will would be done, and lastly that He would receive all of the glory!!
Lots of love!!
Carly <3
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