This past week I spent in Hilton Head island with three youth groups for an adventures youth trip. It was by far one of the best weeks this summer. I was incredibly blessed to be able to leave the office for a week and spend time on a beach with teens who impacted my life for a week.
On most mission trips you go with the plan to help others and show them their fathers love for them. This trip was no different. However I also knew to be expecting the Lord to do big things in my life as well, it always seems in those times of leading that the Lord grows and teaches you more.
Before the trip even started the Lord started stretching me, as I hate to drive and typically get anxious at the thought of it. However on Friday morning I had to pick up a rental car in Gainesville GA and drive to Savannah GA to pick up another leader from the airport. this would be the farthest i have ever driven by myself, to say the lord wanted to start working on independence and leadership was an understatement.
The best part was that I didn't get anxious at all and the Lord made the drive really easy. But that was just one way I saw the Lord move this week.
On Sunday 50 participants including leaders showed up at Hilton Head ready to serve the Lord. These teens and adults came with hearts ready to pour out and serve the people on the island. I was blessed to spend all day Tuesday helping four teams at a ministry location with deep well. This is where we cleaned up a local persons yard all day.
The group Tuesday after working all day
I was highly impressed and encouraged with the amount of joy and willingness the groups had. It was hot and they all were working in the sun moving brush and cutting dead tree limbs, but not once did i hear anyone complain. The group worked so hard, and even encouraged each other and worked as a team when things got harder..
It was truly great to see so many young people put aside their wants and desires for a week just to show the goodness of the lord to others. Each night after ministry all 50 participants would pile into the dining room and you could sit back and just hear story after story how God had showed up that day, weather it be with playing with kids at the day care, or playing bingo at the nursing homes.
These teens truly understood the meaning of serving and giving the glory back to the lord. It was a great refreshing reminder to play hard and work hard, and in the end to stop and see what the Lord is doing around you.
