Fun Times in Branson

Who knew Branson, MO could be a place I was excited to go. This past week I got to spend a little "vacation" with my fellow Mid- States AD's and RD down in the great state of Missouri. Some of our community contacts in St Louis allowed us to use their condo, free of charge, for a couple nights. What a blessing! It had an amazing view and beds that felt like you were sleeping on clouds! (This was the view from our balcony-Table Rock Lake)

We got to just hang out and relax in the midst of the craziness of the summer. We had good food (much of it made compliments of Zach's amazing wife, Ellen), shared some laughs, spent time processing the summer and praying together, and spent a day on a boat on Table Rock Lake.

Some of the highlights of the boat were: Diet Coke breaks, watching Jason and Zach compete for the best football grab while jumping off the boat, basking in the sun on the boat deck and in the water, cruisin through some of God's amazing creation.

We also got to play putt-putt. Heidi took home the trophy, much to the chagrin of the fellas! Apparently, Heid beats them at a lot of things down in the Birmingham office.

All in all an amazing time of rest, relaxation, rejuvenation and most importantly, fellowship with one another.

Thank you Lord for that amazing opportunity and for using it to refresh me.

Immeasurably More

IMMEASURABLY MORE

2 little words with such big meaning. 2 little words that seem so selfish to ask for and yet ridiculous not to ask for

IMMEASURABLY MORE

What the Lord does and longs for us everyday. The Gospels are full of these words. A man who wants his sins healed walks away on new legs. A man on a road to Damascus trapped in hatred that he can't even see receives a transformed life and a prominent place in the Bible.

immeasurably more

2 words that, without thinking about, you can pass right over in Ephesians 3, not realizing the power that is contained within them. Words that speak of things you can't even fathom or believe to be true. Words that speak of blessing far beyond what we deserve as people who are fallen and depraved. Words that speak volumes about the intense, never ending, gracious love that the Lord has for his children.

Jesus, may I never stop believing that you can do immeasurably more than all I can ask or imagine. This summer may you open my eyes (and the eyes of my staff) to these 2 small words. May we watch for you to do immeasurably more and when you do, may we give you all the praise and glory. "To Him be glory, in the church and in Christ Jesus, throughout all generations forever and ever. Amen." Ephesians 3:21

July 4th-YouthWorks Style!

The 4th of July has come and gone. My Green Bay staff had a different kind of week this week. Instead of participants coming Sunday and leaving Friday they had participants come Sunday, leave Wednesday morning, and then another set come Wednesday night who will be leaving Saturday morning. Because of this interesting schedule we didn’t know if we would be able to catch any of the fireworks (since the nights when participants come is spent doing dinner, orientations, Club, and then church group time). Fortunately the parking lot of our housing site has a nice view of most of them so after we got through all the things that needed to happen that night we all gathered in the parking lot to watch the fireworks exploding over the trees. We were able to see most of them from that vantage point and it was an added bonus that we didn’t have to fight traffic to get home. The weather was perfect out and it was a nice treat to the end of a long day.

One of my staff said that watching the fireworks made her homesick. It made me pause a moment. After 7 years of doing this I have become very accustomed to either not seeing any fireworks, or to watching them with a group of about 70 people that I have just met. I forget that in "normal" life people are gathered with friends and family, usually for a whole day celebration, to celebrate the freedom that we have. My 4th of July friends and family have come to be my staff (my summer family) and the participants (new friends that we have met). How lucky I am each summer to welcome 16-24 new people into my "family" and each week during the summer 50-70 new people into my group of "friends." In a year or 2 I won't be doing this anymore (or maybe it will be 3-4 more...who knows!) and I will only be able to look back at all of the July 4ths that I spent all across the country...Rapid City, SD...Pine Ridge and Rosebud Indian Reservations, SD...Bayou la Batre, AL...Chattanooga, TN...Green Bay, WI...with fond memories. During the pause I thanked the Lord for His abundant blessings in the people and places I have encountered on the many July 4ths spent away from home.

(My roommates, who are the prayer partners to my Green Bay staff, sent some fun goodies to them in honor of the 4th so I included some pictures of us sporting the glow necklaces, the light up flag, and the Uncle Sam hat. Thanks ladies!)

(Picture 1(top row) Catherine (urban staff in Green Bay), me, and Aaron (program staff in Green Bay) and (bottome row) Arsenia (utility staff) and Karen (urban staff in Green Bay). The SD was nowhere to be found when we took the picture...sorry Noel! Picture 2 is me, Catherine, and Karen. Picture 3 is me sporting my American pride. We are all waering matching shirts because we had a new set of youth and adults come in that evening...it helps them to know who the staff are when we all match!)

Parker

Parker...just the name of my sweet nephew brings a smile to my face and joy to my heart. I got the amazing opportunity to have a short respite in the midst of a YouthWorks summer. One of those days was spent with this sweet little boy. A boy, who I am told, calls me almost daily from his toy cell phone and who immediately says my name when asked "Guess who is coming over?" or "Guess who is meeting us at grandma's house."

We took him to the park to play one evening so I just had to share this adorable shot of him at the top of the slide.

Looking at this picture I see the face of a little man...which is crazy because it feels like 6 months ago that we were visiting this month early baby in the hospital!

Thank you Lord for the gift of children and for the love and joy that they can bring!

Peace that surpasses ALL understanding

In the 2 months prior to being back out in the field for the summer the question was posed to me by various people "How are you feeling about going back out?" The only answer I could give them was that I was peaceful.

And this feeling has continued into this, the 4th week of the summer. I feel peaceful. Of course there are moments of joy and moments of feeling overwhelmed, moments of tiredness and moments frustration, but at the end of the day, and what I feel sitting here right now, is peace.

(Wildlife Refuge Green Bay, WI)

I've decided that it is good to feel this way. Peace means I am right where God wants me to be. Peace means that he truly is the one who has led me back into the thick of another summer. And peace means that I can be assured that he is taking care of the details and the issues and all I have to do is keep listening for his voice and direction and keep walking along this path that he has chosen and everything will be alright.


Thank you Lord for peace...peace that surpasses any understanding I have. I look forward to what you are going to do in me and reaveal to me this summer as we walk this YouthWorks journey together.