So here is to my journey into the blogging world. This may be kind of a strange blog to post on my World Race blog but it is about my life right now.
My summer at camp is nearing the end, and the time has come for me to reflect on what all has happened this summer. Let me tell you some tales and lessons from my summer of being a high school staff leader to the crew girls of Clydehurst Christian Ranch, summer 2012.
For the last 10 weeks I have attempted with some success and some failure to weave together the roll of boss, mentor, friend, and fill in parent to nine amazing high school girls. Four started out not knowing what to expect after working last summer, four old campers knew they loved camp but did not know what it looked like to be on staff, and one had only heard of this place. A place that is as close to home as my real home, a place that my mom calls “My heaven on earth”. These nine girls that God placed in this position for the summer have taught me so very much. I came to camp with high expectations; most of them have been met or long passed. Let me brag a little bit about the girls that now hold a spot in my heart. This might be kind of a strange first blog but here is a love letter to my crew girls.
I have been so humbled to think that God choose me to be your leader when I am daily humbled by what you have taught me. First, I have never seen such strong servant hood demonstrated. As a collective group, each of you has shown to me what it means to selflessly serve the Lord and the people around you. You have shown me what it means to finish a job and not stop till you give it everything you have, even to the point of passing out during mopping. It soon became apparent that one of our biggest struggles of the summer would be to get you all to take a break when a break was needed, and to accept help from other people. Second, your love of God’s word and dedication to your daily time and devotions has been so great and humbling to watch. I have to admit that there have been so many times this summer that I put my job, my relationships, my sleep, and my fun above spending time with God. You have been such a great inspiration to me to guard that time that I need to spend with Jesus daily. Lastly, I have seen you reflect Jesus’ heart of compassion in your actions. So much of what I get to watch you do is overflowing out of a heart of compassion. I thank you for demonstrating this.
I have had the privilege to grow alongside you kids. It has been my joy to watch you grow in your faith and strengthen your relationship with God while you have been here. So many great things have happened this summer. I have gotten to see you change and mature so much. Here are some of the things that I have gotten to watch you learn. Learning your identity is found in Christ, learning what it means to let people love you, learning more about the person that God has called you to be, learning to extend grace both to others and yourselves, learning to laugh at mistakes, finding out that God does not need us but He chooses to use us, learning that you don’t always have to be ok but it is ok to show your true face, growing in confidence of who God has made you, taking the opportunities to step up when you are asked only to find new strengths, learning to trust God with people that we love when we can’t be there, learning that our value does not come from our actions but what Christ has done for you. I pray that none of us will leave this place the same person that we came. Together God has changed us and grown us.
To Larissa my comrade, co-parent, other crew girl counseling half, partner in crime, voice of reason, and friend. I feel so fortunate and blessed to have worked with you this summer. You have kept me going so many times I have wanted when I wanted to quit. You have supported so many of my crazy ideas and held me back when I needed it. You have been patient with me, given me much grace and been so forgiving of me when I do things without thinking first. We made a great team. It is evident to me that Jesus planned it for us to work together this summer. I learned so much from you. I want to say thank you for your Love of the Word of God it has be inspiring. When we were planning this summer I asked you how we would know if it was a successful summer. I don’t remember what the answer was but I know now that the summer of 2012 was a successful.
I am so proud of all of you; you have done great work this summer. I look up to you girls. Here is to the dream team and the best summer of our lives so far. I pray that we go home and take what we have learned and the people we have become and continue to live out our lives to glorify Jesus. Go big or go home, you all went big and now it’s time to go home. So choose joy, live your lives though the lens of grace, finish the race and keep the faith, laugh a lot, and remember who’s you are. I really do love you.
To everyone else reading this, that is what I have been up to this summer.
