God Has Filled Me Up.

Wow. Man I just feel slightly overwhelmed by this post. I don't know how to convey the week God just blessed me with. I know that words will never really be able to capture what I saw, heard and soaked in. I know that you, my friendly reader, can only nod in agreement, laugh, or simply pass through what I type but I will try my best to share what God has done this week.

First off- the camp was filled with people. The total count was 185 when the camp ground capacity was 100. We almost doubled it...shhh don't tell the Ranger or Smokey the Bear for that matter. It took place in the state park of Fall Creek Falls in Tennessee. An absolutely gorgeous display of God's creation in nature complete with lakes, creeks, swimming holes, and water falls.

There were 8 ladies from the church who were cooks, tech people, Rodney (the pulpit minister), both youth ministers George and Courtney, our speaker Duncan Cambell, 2 nurses, 90 campers, older high school kids who were considered counselors or CORP (they served and did the grunt work like moving tables, setting up, etc), FIVE oh let me just say that again....FIVE elders who were there actively engaging with the kids, and the list just goes on and on. All of these people pulled together to make a week and a camp that changed the lives of over 100 young people.

Whew....well I think the best way to go about this is to tell you my "Camp Highlights". Ready...go! Now if you know anything about me, you are aware that nature and I are two unacquainted individuals. I know little about nature nor have I spent much time in it. Unfortunately trees don't have outlets for my laptop. During class, Mrs. Rubio taught the first day and said "I want you to let it rip this week. Jump off that rock. Go down that creek. Soak up His word. Sink into his glory. GO FOR IT!" Well I took that to heart and did exactly as Mrs. Rubio suggested.

I jumped off that rock. I saw teenagers moved by the Spirit of God in BIG ways. I leaped off that bridge. I went under that waterfall. I played ultimate frisbee until my tshirt was soaked with sweat. I read the Word every day and God showed me things I never knew about Himself. I dove into that frigid water. I played four square until I made it to the 4th square. I saw elders and ministers alike hold and laugh and cry with teenagers. I killed that freakishly huge bug that made my campers scream in terror. I laughed, and danced, and raised my hands in worship to the glory of my God. I rode that log across the gorge in the lake. I held hands and cried with my teens after worship just because we knew we needed our Father. I ran through the rain. I climbed over those rocks. I hiked down that cable trail. I took several handfulls of shaving cream in my face. I joined hands with my campers in the creek as we received 4 new sisters and a brother in Christ. I slid down a tarp of chocolate syrup and baby oil. I got muddy and dirty and disgusting and sore and never for one second did I regret it.

I saw God this week. In nature, in laughter, in smiles and most of all in the people. For one of those rare moments I witnessed teenagers decide to pick up their cross and follow. I felt the presence of God because these people, these TEENagers, forgot about themselves and truly LOVED one another.

What moved me the most was the fact that this church has shown me what it looks like to really love people. I mean a honest and pure and true passion for people. I want you to see that more than any picture of a waterfall or me covered in shaving cream.

If this post just isn't enough to wet your palette about my week, don't hesitate to give me a call or shoot me an e-mail. I'd love to hear from you! It's my prayer that God will FILL your heart this week and that you will continue to seek Him.

"Draw close to God and God will draw close to you" -James 4:8