Hi Friends!
July has been a super busy and crazy month for me but I am excited to tell you all about it!
I have been blessed with the honor of being a part of coaching a swim team this summer and the best part has been getting to know the kids each day and watching them improve in their swimming. I never thought I would LOVE coaching as much as I do! Watching kids that go from barely swimming 3 strokes the first day to swimming across the pool with no help is truly amazing. Being a coach is SUPER HARD, which is something I never realized (thanks so all my coaches at the YMCA, CIA, all highschool, triathlon and UNCO). If it is in the Lord’s plans I hope to coach when I come back from the race, and I think this summer has really prepped me well.
In addition to coaching swimming, I have also filled my summer with teaching swim lessons. Some kids I have taught for the past 2 years, and some I have taught just starting this summer. I absolutely LOVE the moment where the kid realizes that they can swim on their own and don’t need my help. It helps me know I am doing my job well and empowering kids to feel confident in their abilities.
The highlight of my entire summer though was probably attending YOUNGLIFE CAMP with my girls last week at Lost Canyon.
It doesn’t matter where I am with these girls, we could have the best time laughing, adventuring and talking about God. All of these girls I have known for the past 2-3 years and this was the camp where I could see their true passions for the Lord come to life, as we wrote letters to the people that were serving us, the way we loved eachother as we shared about our lives, and when girls shared their desires for their friends to know Christ. Also, one of the girls accepted God as her heavenly father, truly for the first time at the end of the week!! PRAISES!!
One thing that I took away from the week was someting we heard during a time called Real Life, where people at the camp share their stories. Here is what one of them shared: When we talk negatively of ourselves, we are not only hurting ourselves, but we are hurting God. He created us with all these special talents, and abilities and when we look down on ourselves because of the way we look, or act, or think we are hurting God!! After this talk, we had the most amazing cabin time (where we share about the talk) where we let go of our insecurities.
WHATS NEXT??? TRAINING CAMP IN 8 DAYS!!
To prepare for this training camp I’ll be practicing hiking with my big pack (to get used to the weight), last minute shopping for clothes), and most importantly spending a lot of time with JC and praying for my camp!
You can be praying for:
my health, that an abundance of shoes would be donated, and for confidence in the Lord that he will carry me through this camp and my trip!!
Peace and blessings,
Jenny 🙂
