All I Need.

I'm not even sure how I am up writing this blog right now. Kids Camp ended this morning. Due to having a very spirited and awesome team, I didn't get much sleep at all the last several days. My body is aching from being repeatedly hit in the dunking booth and slamming my bottom on the ground because the booth was apparently not made to be comfortable for people over 5 foot. On the bright side, it was an incredibly encouraging time. I am not disappointed; it was just different than last year. Did God show up? Absolutely! He did amazing things in the hearts of these kids. I think we were so scared and scattered and stressed last year that the Holy Spirit HAD to blow us away or we would have not survived. Ha!

I have a great story for you! One of our nights was the theme "Life's a journey, don't stop believin'," and we had painted a yellow brick road around the sanctuary. Colleene used it as her illustration of how God has planned a specific path for us to travel on during our life-- a path that is smooth and straight. A little girl, Kiaya, who is about 6 or 7 years old, tells Kim (her counselor) about her "Jesus sighting" that she had while we were all praying during the alter call. She told her that as Kim was praying, she saw Jesus sitting beside her in the seat, and He was smiling and so happy. Then she said that she also saw Him sitting next to me, the Yellow Team counselor, and that I am on the yellow brick road, doing exactly what I need to be doing.
Yes, God is wonderful. These kids... they see things and know things and experience things that I pray I would see, know, and experience in my walk with God at the age of 20! I am constantly being taught by them what it truly means to have faith and just let God be God. He IS real. He DOES move. All we have to do is believe and watch Him at work. (I have shivers just thinking about her words-- SO encouraging!!)

I am thankful that it's done, and I pray that the kids got so much out of it. My favorite was when we walked outside and let balloons go to represent that we are surrendering everything to Him. Our dreams, our futures, our lives. We let it go. It was sweet! And I'm always amazed at how God continually uses my life experiences to help and encourage other young girls in what they are going through. Phew, it's a good job.

This is what's been going through my mind lately:
how awesome is it to be a Christian?! I was looking around me at the wonderful people, leaders, moms and dads that God has placed in my life to challenge and build me up; how each and every one of us has something to offer to complete the work that God is doing throughout the world; how His Word is living- it changes us! How He uses so many ways to bless us and provide for us. I don't know... it's hard to explain. It's just been on my heart recently. How wonderful it really is to be called His family. I am forever awed by the simple things in life, the every day gifts and wonders of knowing Him and receiving from Him. It's too deep for me to put into words! He's great!!!!

I might have said this already... my mind is nearly gone. But the other week I just needed some good, quiet time with Him. I was walking outside by the water, and I was praying and praying that He would bring dolphins by. I just love them so much, and I felt so low that day, I just needed it, you know? Well, they never came. So I was getting a little mad at Him. I had been working hard, and all I wanted to see was a dolphin. He is God, it would not be hard to send a dolphin swimming by my house.
I went back inside really disappointed, but I enjoyed the beautiful sunset and took it for what it was worth. Well, the next day (which used to be our day off) we were working our Sno-Cone stand, and one of our friends asked if we wanted to go out on the boat. Uhh, not a hard one to answer! So a big group of us got to go out and swim and enjoy yet another beautiful sunset from the bow of a boat. And, guess what else we saw. Not just one, but at least 10 dolphins kept coming up all around us. One was probably 7 feet from the boat! And then they were jumping up out of the water. My little heart was so blessed, and so convicted. I had felt Him say to me "Keep waiting," and I thought it had been for THAT day, at THAT time. But it turned out that He had a much bigger thing awaiting me the very next day.

See what I mean? So many lessons and wonderful things for us in this life!! And though I've been exhausted, He has remained attentive and responsive to my needs and desires. Gosh, it's too much for me right now. Not enough sleep = overly emotional! I'll say good night. I hope that story, as insignifact as it may seem, will give you hope that He has something for you-- sometimes you've just gotta wait. Now I have a clearer picture of His promises... they are well worth the wait, no matter how long. He loves you and will always, always, always do what He says He will do.

Be blessed my friends, wherever you are and in whatever task He has appointed to you. Be faithful, as He is always faithful to us!
Love you!