This last week has largely been taken up by kids camp at ElRancho. About 90 or so of them from the ages of 10-12 took over our cabins and
our hearts from Tuesday evening through yesterday morning. Glenalyn and I,
along with our Kiwi friends Emma and Reuben, had the privilege of leading team
Ohana (yeah, from Lilo and Stitch).
It was a difficult and somewhat frustrating week with my
girls because I didn’t understand why God had put us all together, but on Saturday morning at the beginning of our closing session God hit
me with the crazy realization… my girls are me. Specifically, my girls
represent who I’ve been and who God is calling me to be.
girls because I didn’t understand why God had put us all together, but on Saturday morning at the beginning of our closing session God hit
me with the crazy realization… my girls are me. Specifically, my girls
represent who I’ve been and who God is calling me to be.
Maybe introducing you to the girls will help explain.
Who I’ve Been:
Jordan (pronounced Jor-dan, not Jordan)
started out at the quietest, stiff, most frustrating of all the girls because
she didn’t seem to want to open up to anyone. But with a lot of time and
patient effort, she was talking our ears off by the end of the week.
started out at the quietest, stiff, most frustrating of all the girls because
she didn’t seem to want to open up to anyone. But with a lot of time and
patient effort, she was talking our ears off by the end of the week.
Outside of a few select people, I’ve had a similar attitude.
I’ve only let people in to a certain point, and then shut them out. But put in
a little time, and I’ll do the same.
I’ve only let people in to a certain point, and then shut them out. But put in
a little time, and I’ll do the same.
Gina is afollower, through and through. Put someone in the lead and she’ll be content to
do whatever that person tells them to do.
I don’t know that Gina does it for the reasons I have, but
I’ve been a follower a lot of the time, too. Even in roles of leadership, I
tend to follow the lead of others whether or not I think I’m right and not even
try to voice my concerns.
I’ve been a follower a lot of the time, too. Even in roles of leadership, I
tend to follow the lead of others whether or not I think I’m right and not even
try to voice my concerns.
Who God is Calling Me
To Be:
To Be:
Ellie is thecraziest, wildest girl out of the whole bunch. She’s game to try pretty much
everything, and while she’s also the most frightened by what she’s about to do,
her courage in the face of that fear helps to bring out the courage in others.
The World Race, for me, is a start on the path to being that
girl. I have been, and still am (to an extent) frightened by what I am doing,
but I’m doing it because I know God’s put that call on my life, and in doing
that, I am releasing others around me to pursue His calling on their lives,
too.
girl. I have been, and still am (to an extent) frightened by what I am doing,
but I’m doing it because I know God’s put that call on my life, and in doing
that, I am releasing others around me to pursue His calling on their lives,
too.
Alyse is a leader.
It oozes out of every pore of her being. With the wave of a pinky, she can have
most everyone around her doing exactly what she wants them doing. It’s awesome
and frightening to watch her and realize she doesn’t realize the full extent of
that in her life yet, or how God can use that in her.
It oozes out of every pore of her being. With the wave of a pinky, she can have
most everyone around her doing exactly what she wants them doing. It’s awesome
and frightening to watch her and realize she doesn’t realize the full extent of
that in her life yet, or how God can use that in her.
While I don’t know if leadership oozes out of every pore of
my being, leadership has been prophesied over me this trip. I don’t know what
that is going to end up looking like, but God is calling me into it in some
way.
my being, leadership has been prophesied over me this trip. I don’t know what
that is going to end up looking like, but God is calling me into it in some
way.
Please…. Pray for each of these girls – that Jordan,
Gina, and Ellie (the three who became our sisters in the Kingdom Thursday
night) will grow up to be strong and amazing women of Christ who speak love and
peace into people’s lives with bold authority. And pray for Alyse, who still
has questions, that God will answer them to the fullest extent possible and
that she will become a sister to us, too.
Gina, and Ellie (the three who became our sisters in the Kingdom Thursday
night) will grow up to be strong and amazing women of Christ who speak love and
peace into people’s lives with bold authority. And pray for Alyse, who still
has questions, that God will answer them to the fullest extent possible and
that she will become a sister to us, too.
