Adventures WorldRace SethBarnes Sponsorship Giving

| by archiveworldraceblogs

For the past 6 weeks it has been quite the roller coaster! Now, I’m not talking about the ups and downs of life through good times and bad, but rather through the places, people, and happenings. In this new walk as a reborn son of God, I have stepped into old roles as a new man. The Lord has brought me back to the place I ran from 18 months ago. I didn’t run out of fear or confrontation, but with the deep down yearning for something more. I found out what that something more is and that is exactly what has brought me back!
 
 

Coming back into camp ministry had it’s expectations and pre-suppositions again this summer. Not in a negative way. Just a new optimism and drive. I was walking into this mission field with a new poise and confidence that I had yet to see in myself. **Just a disclaimer ** I’m not talking about pride!** The new confidence in the words in my mouth and the passion in my heart!

 
My role would be simple, take on the same old position as the Outdoor Ed Director like I had in previous years. But this time around something was about to change. I had no campers signing up for my programs. Leaving for a year had seemed to wipe out all of the work I had poured into the program the 5 previous ones. This wasn’t a time of disappointment and complaining, rather a whole new outlook on the call at hand for the next 6 weeks! I have learned from the Race to walk in complete FAITH, optimism that the Lord DOES in fact have a mightier plan than “my ministry”, and of course a heart to walk in the moment each and every day….not living for the weekend.
 
 
So here I sit writing the account of the first half of my summer adventure with a greater excitement, a greater knowledge, and a greater appreciation for stepping into FAITH when all things seem bleak and going wrong!
Please take a minute and follow me in a little series of blogs that will tell the tale of the journey that has captured a new part of me…..and is far from finished!
 

THE RIVER OF LIFE!

The theme verse for our summer ministry comes from the Gospel of John 7:37 which says

, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within them.”

QUENCH YOUR THIRST is written all over the place at camp. It is an invitation for all who step through the front gates to take a look into their lives and see where they are thirsty. For many it will be their life of personal gain, some it will be the financial worries, and yet others will be answering the heart’s cry of  “what is my purpose?”.

So, the beginning………….Since I was out of “wilderness trip leading” to a degree, I was put in a personal place of asking greater questions of my call and purpose this summer. Many things came very clear right from the beginning as the Lord spoke clearly and some things were pretty vague that I see now in hindsight.
 

The first and probably the biggest thing was to speak at our camp’s Staff Training week. I knew pretty well what the Lord wanted me to share and I stepped into a new confidence with that knowledge. To sum up training camp in a nutshell, I spent 5 intense days speaking about the utmost importance of COMMUNITY, LOVE, and SERVANTHOOD. The whole week was showered with alot of new teaching on understanding WHO we are, and of course WHOSE we are. The kickstart of a identity journey, which of course usually begins with an identity crisis!

All in all, the truth of this RIVER OF LIFE that will flow out of us is only true when we walk in the Name of Jesus Christ. So, my message has been….let’s look at Jesus the Christ and let’s dive headlong into who this guy really is. Even if we don’t fully understand everything about him, are we willing to take a leap of FAITH to find out?! And if we believe in him, are we really willing to follow him in EVRYTHING that he has left us as to how to do that?!

I’ve been encouraged by the 40 or so staff that have walked this journey already with me this summer. I see Jesus everywhere I go! I see little kids and young adults changing their lives as they see how attractive following Jesus Christ really is. I’m encouraged and all I did was open my mouth and let the Lord speak in those 5 days. It has nothing to do with me and my “role”. God has a much mightier plan than I ever will and it’s just that crazy brilliant to see Him use such a messed up sinful human like me to do so much of His work! Bottom line is that in stepping into as much FAITH as I possibly can, I’m seeing that RIVER of LIFE that Jesus is talking about flow out of me! And I didn’t even ask for it….just living in the moment!

Tune into The River of LIFE – Part 2 for more of the story……..