Super Summer 2010--refleciton from week 1

Friday, July 2, 2010

Wow! What an incredible first week! God is too good for words; that being said, you might want to take a bathroom break, grab something to drink, maybe a snack or something--I have quite a bit to say about what He is doing. God has been working this week in some pretty amazing ways! I can't wait to share!!

Ok, I don't even know where to start! Well, how about with the fact that we have 11 new brothers and sisters in Christ!!!!!!!! And just because this week of camp is over, that doesn't mean that God is done with them.

So there are a few things they're doing differently this year, one of which is "family groups". Each collegiate staff member has a group of 25-30(ish) students who they get to know a little bit better, and get to teach them from the Word. The Y.E.S. members (youth evangelism staff) have outdone themselves with this idea! It's such a great way to make the whole camp experience more personal. After learning their names (NOT EASY, I had 28 in my group. Anything more than like...5 is difficult), you see them everywhere--meal lines, challenge course, lake, etc. You can high-five them and ask how they're doing with God. It really lets them know that there's someone who genuinely cares about them. And it's great for us because we have specific kids we can pray for all week. And when one of your kids makes a decision, you can celebrate with them and encourage them because you already have that relationship base with them.

So there was this student in my family group who touched my heart this week. He has very little range of motion anywhere in his body. He's 14 years old, and his favorite cereal is Fruity Pebbles. He is constrained to a wheelchair. He was so excited to be on the orange team (The Orange Cream Dream Team) during B.L.A.S.T. games this week. He was able to participate in everything we played, by way of his sponsor who pushed him around in his chair around the obstacles and even through the sand into the lake when we were out there. He was one of the loudest ones to cheer during the games, and loved every second of it. And so did I. He was such an incredible inspiration to me this week. Pray for him. Pray that God would make Himself famous because of one boy with a disability. God has already shown me so much through him. Pray that God would bless him, his family, and his wonderful sponsor who wanted no credit whatsoever for doing everything that he did.

There was this other girl in my family group who stuck with me all week. Every time she saw me, she would glue herself to my side. She rededicated her life this week. Only God can change hearts and lives. And that's exactly what He's in the business of doing.

So we all have specific jobs that change every week while we're here. This week, I was checking paperwork out at the climbing tower and zip line. I was excited about that job until Tuesday came. I was having a lot of trouble keeping the different groups organized, and the heat was most definitely not helping my attitude. I may not have shown it, but I was not being a cheerful giver. It was a very stressful afternoon. There was one very bright light during my Tuesday afternoon, though. There was a small group of middle school students, brought for the very first time to Super Summer by a young married husband and wife. What a gift from God they were that afternoon! They were so incredibly patient with me, and with the fact that we were running so far behind schedule. They were encouraging and had very Christ-like attitudes. God sent them at the very right time. There isn't a need of ours that is hidden or mysterious to Him. He knows exactly what we need--much better than we do, for sure! So thank you, Macksville Church, and thank You, LORD for sending them my way.

Thursday, I was excited to head out to the tower, get my job done with for the week, and not do it again. But me being there ended up being the absolute biggest blessing I could've never dreamed of. After it all happened, I knew exactly why God had put me out there this week. Some kids and a few sponsors came out, without being signed up for a time slot. One of those kids was sitting in a wheelchair, being pushed by the same faithful sponsor who had acted as caregiver all week. I see them approach the wonderful Y.E.S. member who was in charge. I see her go over and get a harness, and take it back to the little gathering of people. You guessed it. They were sending my friend up in the air. For the particular element they wanted him to be able to do, five people are hooked to a rope, and one person is hooked at the other end. The five run one way, the one runs the other, sending the one person up in the air. It's called "Ready to Fly".

After they had gotten a harness on him, they hooked him up to the rope that was going to take him into the air. His sponsor took him in his wheelchair and ran with him. The five runners went the other direction, and we all heard, "Wooooo hooooooooo!!" as he flew. What a beautiful sight to see! This gave me a whole new meaning to Philippians 4:13. I was the one asked to take all the pictures. God had me there so that He could bless me in a way I never would have thought possible, and more importantly to bring glory to His wonderful name. It took everything within me not to swell up with tears.

In the slideshow the next morning (this morning), after all the pictures of the B.L.A.S.T. games were done, there was a slide that said, "Do you think it's impossible to fly?" As pictures of my dear friend started rolling by, everyone started cheering for the beauty of what had happened. Funny enough, the runners for him were the same awesome bunch that I had seen back on Tuesday. The two groups had never met before this week, but when asked if they could be runners for my friend, the response was this: "We would LOVE to. We are [his] biggest fans!" And he flew that day. And God is so Good. I still can't believe that He allowed me to witness it all. It's funny how God has something in mind for you, and you're a little resistant to go where He wants you. And then He changes your perspective by showing you just a little piece of Who He is.

God is at work in so many ways. Ways that we have absolutely no knowledge of whatsoever. But He has invited us to be a part of it all. He has called us to be hands and feet, and to do His work. And I don't know about you, but I am SOOOOOOOOOOOO honored and privileged to get to be a very small part in it.

Exodus 33:14-15 is our theme verse this summer. Will you join God where He's at work?
He's promised it'll be hard, but He's also promised that it will be worth it. I encourage you to go out and make His Name famous.

Lots of Love!!
Carly <3