I had girls over tonight with the idea of having a "girls cabin time" I had emailed a few girlfriends for prayer in the night and here is what I sent them in response of the night and the ways in which the Lord moved...
Ladies!
Thank you so much for praying (even if you didn't get the email in time, haha.) Oh it was sweet, SO sweet. Only about 7 girls came but 7 was the perfect number. I told them how I think its hard for girls to have good deep conversations with each other and how I wanted this time to be that for us to talk about "real life" not just the surface level "fake life" we like to present to everyone. I cannot even tell you the things they shared... it was almost too deep too intimate and the holy spirit moved. Nights like these are so special to me they remind me of why I moved to Chesapeake Virginia for girls for lost broken hearted hopeless girls who want to know Christ whether they may know it or not.
I think the most amazing thing was that the Lord fed me in it too, I told my friend Marissa that I had been praying that the Lord would provide me with some sort of affirmation because I haven't been feeling any for a long time and I needed it from Him. I started asking the girls why their friends don't necessarily want to come to club and they said they felt like it was "religious" which of course frustrated me and them, so we talked about it more... they said it was hard when they first came they felt awkward they didn't feel cared for or loved... and I just wanted to cry that is the LAST thing I want for club to feel like for them. Then this happened, Kendall a girl who literally has captured my heart she is so special, turned to me and said Katie you were what made me want to come back, you were different you loved us like no one ever has. I nearly died... literally I nearly died reliving that moment I know it WAS NOT me loving them but Christ through me and that is why I am here... that moment... that is it... girls want to be loved deeply and desperately its in their being... God put it there for them and thats what He is asking me to do... thank you.
Your prayers moved mountains these girls needed love and truth tonight and it happened, so thank you!
Thursday, January 27, 2011
New Staff Training
JANUARY 21, 2011
New Staff Training
Phew!
The past two weeks have been a whirlwind, as soon as I came home from Christmas break I had constant stream of house guests which I absolutely LOVE! I thrive with people in my home, I just love having guests and spending time with people so my new year was spent surround with people and love… just the way I like it.
January 6th I flew out to Denver Colorado for Young Life’s New Staff Training at a Young Life camp in Fraser CO called Crooked Creek Ranch, it was beautiful to say the least. During my two weeks there I took 2 of my first seminary classes which completely rocked my world. I love learning how to love high school students well for our savior but learning theology and learning scripture in such a deep way was what I needed. Above anything else I loved feeling the way in which the Lord altered me and my life… I came back changed completely changed and completely different. I came back knowing I was an intimately loved daughter of God, something I needed to hearand to believe.
So thank you for letting me experience a time like this… I wish I could share every second with you and tell you every story… but sadly there are far too many!
Merry Christmas from Chesapeake!
DECEMBER 19, 2010
Merry Christmas From Chesapeake!
Warning: this post may be a bit confusing but its where I am right now.
Ok… I love Christmas more than ANYTHING! Seriously… I go out of my way, down streets i don’t need to be on just because they have more Christmas lights. I love everything about the season, from the trees to the cooking, EVERYTHING. It has been so sweet being here in Chesapeake during this season, I am just so thankful to be here it truly has been a long time since I have lived in a place that I don’t want to leave, because I love it so much. The Lord is changing me here… he reveals newness in me everyday… don’t worry I still experience struggle upon struggle but the Lord has just shown me His mercy and that He is my father. It has been hard with girls though…
Its hard when I get a phone call from a girl telling me that her friends all hate her and she can’t do it anymore, or a call when a girl just can’t be in her home anymore. These times are the hardest for me, I realized that tonight as a girl called me telling me that she packed her bags and was leaving her home… she has no where else to go. At times like that I see my compassion override my judgement. I can’t take a girl into my home as much as I may want to I know that won’t solve her problems, that won’t solve the hurt but sometimes I just want it to… I want life to be easy for these girls but I know it won’t/ can’t be… if it were I wouldn’t have a job because they wouldn’t need a savior, they wouldn’t need Christ. The Lord has shown me so much compassion and yet I think my compassion will be more than HIs for these girls because sometimes I am just so scared to tell them that He will be their everything… and I’m not quite sure why… He is revealing so much! Pray for Rachel and Rebecca if you think of it… as well as Kendall these girls have been ever on my heart the past few weeks!
Have such Merry Christmas!
Katie
32 hrs, 5 hrs of sleep= the best weekend of my life
32 hrs, 5 hrs of sleep= the best weekend of my life.
Fall weekend was absolutely amazing, I just cannot express how your prayers were felt. Every minute I was there I could not avoid the presence of God, I could not even deny the Holy Spirit entering me. I want to share with you every moment from the weekend but that would literally take up the rest of my blog but instead I want to share with you 3 girls.
On weekends I am not going to lie I am usually skeptical about how cabin time will really go, that friday night Nov 19 at 2:30 in the morning (yes thats when we started cabin time…) I left 17 girls with the question of “who do you see God as?” I had 17 girls wrestle with this, through tears but through genuine answers! I shared my testimony with these girls at the beginning of our time together to show them that I wasn’t always a Christian. I wanted to share that there was time I didn’t want anything to do with God and for them that broke down walls. They did not give me bible study answers they didn’t tell me what I wanted to hear but were truly genuine… it was absolutely beautiful.
Kelli, who has come to every club for the past year, is beautiful like I am talking she could be a model, she is so sweet and she did not believe in God whatsoever. Kelli, that first night said she didn’t know what she believed she didn’t think she had any vision of God, I was thankful. Kendall, who once again is absolutely gorgeous, as sweet as can be and truly so funny said she wanted this relationship with God ON THE FIRST NIGHT!!!! WHAT THE HECK????? It was great! Then Stephanie, who looks like an exotic princess (don’t worry I’ve told her that in real life) who was raised Catholic, has moved 6 times in 15 years, drives a diesel truck and is as shy as can be, she didn’t know what a relationship with the Almighty God was at all. She had always been taught that it was more of a hierarchy than a relationship. I love all 17 of these girls but these 3 just stole my heart this weekend I knew God had changed planned for them.
On Saturday I sadly I had to go to the hospital for 6 hours with one of my girls (she is ok don’t worry) so I missed most of the afternoon and club which truly broke my heart I was so excited to be with these girls but God had other plans. I got back right before they were sent out for the 20 minutes. As I watched my girls go out and struggle with this idea of a relationship with God I prayed, I cried, and I struggled with them. Its so funny how the Lord can just put your heart in such a place that there is nothing you wouldn’t do for someone else, I wanted desperately for these girls to know freedom… and that they did! That night these three girls decided to make a commitment to Christ.
I met with them yesterday, it was great! I have led YL for 5 years and I have never had girls who had NEVER read the Bible before, it was GREAT I got to teach them the basics of everything which was so great for me to remember and walk through with them. We are going through John together, I am so excited to see these girls change to see what the Lord will do with them! I am so excited to see their lives change!!!
This weekend I am taking 7 girls on a Work Crew weekend at Rockbridge! Pray for them, I pray it rocks their worlds that serving in such a way would be difficult but so good!
HAPPY DECEMBER!
Katie
Savanna & Fall Weekend at Rockbridge
NOVEMBER 17, 2010
Savanna & Fall weekend at Rockbridge
This morning I met with Savanna and Katie Brewer. Savanna is this amazingly sweet girl and is a senior at Great Bridge high school and Katie is her leader and just one of my favorite people in the world. Great Bridge has about 46 girls going on fall weekend this weekend which is so so amazing and so the Lord since there are only 2 girl leaders at GB!
Savanna has such a beautiful relationship with Christ, I’m seriously not just saying that she is sweet and considerate and is in love with God. Since there are so many girl leaders going Savanna is going to lead a cabin of 12 GB girls this weekend, I am so excited for those girls but I am even more excited for Savanna. We met with her this morning to love, care for and encourage her as she is feeling so nervous about leading a cabin, but I know she is going to do an amazing job and I wish she could see how beautiful her love is for the Lord and how exhilarating that will be for all those girls she gets to share Christ with. Dang it we forgot to pray together…. I just remembered that! Please pray for Savanna as she is going to be leading this cabin by herself and she is scared, as all the leaders probably are right now. Pray that she would have intimate time with the Lord this week and that she would feel so encouraged by Him because she will do amazing!
Hickory is taking about 16 girls!!!!! I am PUMPED! We have about 10 guys signed up right now too and I just cannot believe how the Lord is moving! We will hopefully get a few more guys signed up and a couple more girls I pray!
If I could, I would like to ask for your prayers for our leaders and kids for this weekend, pray that God would wreck lives and that kids would see and experience freedom, I want them so desperately to know freedom. Pray for 33 more kids to sign up so we can pay for a 3rd bus.
Here are numbers and leaders names to lift up!
Great Bridge: 77 kids total
Leaders @ Great Bridge:
Katie Brewer
Jen Felan
Eric Messmore
JT Tworek
Jim Pulizzi
Hickory High School: 23 kids total
Leaders @ Hickory:
Jacob Heatherington
Josh Henderson
Katie Hackett
Grassfield HS/ Deep Creek HS: 44 kids total
Leaders @ Grassfield:
Justin Ryder
Matt Benson
Thomas Davis
Ally Hill
Thank you so much!
His,
Katie
Savanna & Fall weekend at Rockbridge
This morning I met with Savanna and Katie Brewer. Savanna is this amazingly sweet girl and is a senior at Great Bridge high school and Katie is her leader and just one of my favorite people in the world. Great Bridge has about 46 girls going on fall weekend this weekend which is so so amazing and so the Lord since there are only 2 girl leaders at GB!
Savanna has such a beautiful relationship with Christ, I’m seriously not just saying that she is sweet and considerate and is in love with God. Since there are so many girl leaders going Savanna is going to lead a cabin of 12 GB girls this weekend, I am so excited for those girls but I am even more excited for Savanna. We met with her this morning to love, care for and encourage her as she is feeling so nervous about leading a cabin, but I know she is going to do an amazing job and I wish she could see how beautiful her love is for the Lord and how exhilarating that will be for all those girls she gets to share Christ with. Dang it we forgot to pray together…. I just remembered that! Please pray for Savanna as she is going to be leading this cabin by herself and she is scared, as all the leaders probably are right now. Pray that she would have intimate time with the Lord this week and that she would feel so encouraged by Him because she will do amazing!
Hickory is taking about 16 girls!!!!! I am PUMPED! We have about 10 guys signed up right now too and I just cannot believe how the Lord is moving! We will hopefully get a few more guys signed up and a couple more girls I pray!
If I could, I would like to ask for your prayers for our leaders and kids for this weekend, pray that God would wreck lives and that kids would see and experience freedom, I want them so desperately to know freedom. Pray for 33 more kids to sign up so we can pay for a 3rd bus.
Here are numbers and leaders names to lift up!
Great Bridge: 77 kids total
Leaders @ Great Bridge:
Katie Brewer
Jen Felan
Eric Messmore
JT Tworek
Jim Pulizzi
Hickory High School: 23 kids total
Leaders @ Hickory:
Jacob Heatherington
Josh Henderson
Katie Hackett
Grassfield HS/ Deep Creek HS: 44 kids total
Leaders @ Grassfield:
Justin Ryder
Matt Benson
Thomas Davis
Ally Hill
Thank you so much!
His,
Katie
Rockbridge Staff Day.
NOVEMBER 15, 2010
Rockbridge Staff Day.
I am so sorry, it has been FAR too long since I have updated my blog! PS. This may be a long post!
This week was a little off, Tuesday I woke up at 4AM (typical of a tidewater staff person) to drive to Rockbridge for the commonwealth’s staff day. This pretty much is when every person on staff in the commonwealth region of Virginia (about 50 of us) get together and talk about ministry.
I’m not going to lie I HATE leaving Chesapeake, its weird I know because I’m not from here but I realized when I was sitting at Rockbridge which is like my second home I just longed to be going up to the high school. I longed to be with girls, this sounds like something that is so cliche or something that I am “supposed” to say being on staff and let me tell you there are days when I DO NOT want to go to the high school but for the most part I long to go there. I long to be walking the lonely sidwalk against the grain of juniors and seniors literally running to their cars to beat the traffic out of school, it is where I long to be. So as I sat amongst staff people from all over Virginia who are beyond wise, and beyond faithful, I was dreaming of Chesapeake, dreaming of lost kids, wanting to be with them.
Rockbridge was such a sweet time for me, even though I wanted to be elsewhere Christ pulled me to Himself. The staff associates (formerly called interns) got to spend the night and have an extended training time together which was absolutely all I needed. Except for the fact that we shot guns for a little while… I HATED that! I have never shot a gun before and I cried and was shaking after my practice round and told them I could not do it again… I have a bruise about the size of a grapefruit on my arm as we speak it was miserable but the guys loved it and thats what matters they got to have their “guy time” showing off to one another. After our shooting sesh we had dinner together, we sat for 4 hours sharing challenges… being vulnerable… sobbing… feeling Christ…feeling real life when we live in a world were “real” is very much non-existant.
That time at Rockbridge was so much sweeter than I could ever tell you and I don’t want to forget a second of it but as I fall back into routine here in Chesapeake I find myself losing sight of sweet time spent around a table in the dining hall where day after day lost high schoolers have sat questioning where they belong. We even talked about how our kids probably think we have it “all together” and yet we sat around that table a mess, a mess that is delighted in by our savior… how sweet… how sweet my job is, thank you for letting me do it.
*pray for club tonight (Monday) if you could, pray for 5 more girls to sign up for camp to make 20 girls from Hickory High School the most they have ever taken!
Rockbridge Staff Day.
I am so sorry, it has been FAR too long since I have updated my blog! PS. This may be a long post!
This week was a little off, Tuesday I woke up at 4AM (typical of a tidewater staff person) to drive to Rockbridge for the commonwealth’s staff day. This pretty much is when every person on staff in the commonwealth region of Virginia (about 50 of us) get together and talk about ministry.
I’m not going to lie I HATE leaving Chesapeake, its weird I know because I’m not from here but I realized when I was sitting at Rockbridge which is like my second home I just longed to be going up to the high school. I longed to be with girls, this sounds like something that is so cliche or something that I am “supposed” to say being on staff and let me tell you there are days when I DO NOT want to go to the high school but for the most part I long to go there. I long to be walking the lonely sidwalk against the grain of juniors and seniors literally running to their cars to beat the traffic out of school, it is where I long to be. So as I sat amongst staff people from all over Virginia who are beyond wise, and beyond faithful, I was dreaming of Chesapeake, dreaming of lost kids, wanting to be with them.
Rockbridge was such a sweet time for me, even though I wanted to be elsewhere Christ pulled me to Himself. The staff associates (formerly called interns) got to spend the night and have an extended training time together which was absolutely all I needed. Except for the fact that we shot guns for a little while… I HATED that! I have never shot a gun before and I cried and was shaking after my practice round and told them I could not do it again… I have a bruise about the size of a grapefruit on my arm as we speak it was miserable but the guys loved it and thats what matters they got to have their “guy time” showing off to one another. After our shooting sesh we had dinner together, we sat for 4 hours sharing challenges… being vulnerable… sobbing… feeling Christ…feeling real life when we live in a world were “real” is very much non-existant.
That time at Rockbridge was so much sweeter than I could ever tell you and I don’t want to forget a second of it but as I fall back into routine here in Chesapeake I find myself losing sight of sweet time spent around a table in the dining hall where day after day lost high schoolers have sat questioning where they belong. We even talked about how our kids probably think we have it “all together” and yet we sat around that table a mess, a mess that is delighted in by our savior… how sweet… how sweet my job is, thank you for letting me do it.
*pray for club tonight (Monday) if you could, pray for 5 more girls to sign up for camp to make 20 girls from Hickory High School the most they have ever taken!
New Home, Fall, Homecoming and Kathryn
OCTOBER 21, 2010
New Home, Fall, Homecoming and Kathryn
When I first came on Young Life staff everyone around me told me I wouldn’t be busy for a few weeks and that I should bask in it because the busyness would come and it would come hard. Ok, I thought I believed them but apparently I didn’t because the past two weeks have been unreal when it comes to being busy. I love it, but I can already see how I am giving hickory girls, leaders, and the young life area part of myself not all of myself, that isn’t healthy. I just moved into a new home and it is beautiful don’t worry you are welcome ANYTIME! But for now I want to share with you why I thinking the Fall is such a beautiful time for ministry.
Last Friday was Hickory’s homecoming football game, football games is where my office is in a weird way. At this football game some of our club guys were caught streaking and I saw girls that I took to camp enveloped in guys arms, lost and looking for love in ALL the wrong places. I met girls that were high and dating boys that were older than me but I above anything else I saw Christ, I saw Him sweetly whispering to all these lost kids in all of these situations.
Here is a picture of some girls that are so dear to my heart. I love these girls, they are broken but amongst their brokenness is my friend and key campaigner girl Kathryn.
This girl is unreal, she is beautiful and she is running HARD after Christ she longs for Him thirsts for Him and here she is loving her friends and trying to share Christ with them. This girl is absolutely wonderful and I am so thankful for her.
This week was our Young Life Banquet, we had about 400 guests who already support young life or have no idea what young life is about. Our committee had been working day and night for weeks trying to make this night so incredibly special to introduce this beautiful ministry. Kathryn and I were able to do something extremely special during this time. If you have ever been to young life camp you have seen something called “real life.” During camp they will pick staff people to share thoughts about their life before Christ. Kathryn got to do this, and what was even cooler was that my thoughts were also displayed. We got to stand on that stage together and share her story, the story Christ wrote for her. When I met Kathryn I knew her heart was in pleasing everyone around her, was lost in being liked and after a week at Lake Champion Christ grabbed her and shook her, and completely altered her. Gosh I cannot say enough about this girl, she is a rockstar and she is going to change her high school!
(She is the one in the middle)
Duz Jsus Lng 4 Me?
SEPTEMBER 26, 2010
There is a lot I love about leading Young Life but something I really love is how high school girls LOVE texting, they LOVE boys, and they LOVE drama. It never changes, seriously, no matter what high school you go to or what high schooler you meet they love all or one of those things. You might find it odd how I love that about high school girls but the reason I do is because it makes it so much more real how lost they are, how they are clinging to things that help them to feel wanted or cared about or seen. I think every person longs to be seen (as I shared in my last post) but I know that high schoolers yearn for it and do WHATEVER they can to be seen.
Time and time again I come back to this painting that was talked about in a sermon I went to back in Lynchburg. The pastor talked about how Jesus softly, sweetly knocks on the door to our hearts. In the painting the pastor showed was Jesus, He was carrying a lantern softly knocking on a door without a handle. Apparently many art scholars have commented on how this painting is incorrect because of the lack of door handle, but the painter’s intention was to show how WE are the ones who let Jesus in, WE invite Him in. Jesus sees us, He longs for us and He acknowledges us but WE are the ones who make the plunge to follow Him.
All this came from a Mexican dinner last night with 5 Hickory High School girls, I want them so desperately to open that door. More than anything I want that for them. So I pray that one day I see a text like the title of this post from one of them on my phone. Our God is so unbelievably good that I know I will see it I know He has plans for them, bigger plans than I could ever imagine. For now pray for them and pray for our first club tomorrow night! Pray for tons of new kids, kids that want NOTHING to do with this
Its a Little Hard Right Now
SEPTEMBER 24, 2010
One thing I really strive to be is genuine. I feel like you see people who are genuine and you just long to know them and be like them, its encouraging to see someone who is going to tell you when they are excited but also that they will tell you when they are sad too, or having a hard time. Well here is a genuine moment for me.
Its hard right now.
I love my job, I absolutely love it. It pushes me and it is shaping my walk with the Lord but it at times can be all I do. Its not a job that is from 9-5 every day but its 24/7. I realized this last night.
Chris ‘Kess’ Kessick has been in town this week with his family to love and care for Justin and Libby as they are facing so much with Libby’s cancer. He was the area director here and was the one who trained Ryder. I was invited to a dinner the committee was having to be with him and to see his family. Ryder invited me with the intentions of good time of “non-work” and for him and I to get to know each other better. It was encouraging to see how truly loved Kess is and was. I sat in the room talking to people and learning more about people but I still felt so lonely. Is that normal? To be in a room full of people and to still feel lonely? The Kessick’s and the Ryders are SO loved, obviously they have been here a long time have been trying to desperately love this community for Christ but still I just long to be loved here, I long for friends.
The leaders are great and welcoming but I just don’t know how to get to know them since they are so guy heavy. I talked with my best friend Julie two nights ago after a less than perfect campaigners led by me, and just shared my struggles and heart with her I realized how much I long for someone to long to know me.
THATS IT… literally as I wrote that sentence I heard the voice of our God whisper to me “I do.” I need to rest in that in Him ITS JUST FREAKING HARD! RIght now I am sitting at Barnes & Noble and all I want is to run into someone I know. Literally the Lord is trying to run into me, get me to notice Him acknowledge his presence here and I’m ignoring it. Pray that as I am getting used to this life here that I can rest my longing for relationships in Him. It will just take time and maybe a few tears.
One thing I really strive to be is genuine. I feel like you see people who are genuine and you just long to know them and be like them, its encouraging to see someone who is going to tell you when they are excited but also that they will tell you when they are sad too, or having a hard time. Well here is a genuine moment for me.
Its hard right now.
I love my job, I absolutely love it. It pushes me and it is shaping my walk with the Lord but it at times can be all I do. Its not a job that is from 9-5 every day but its 24/7. I realized this last night.
Chris ‘Kess’ Kessick has been in town this week with his family to love and care for Justin and Libby as they are facing so much with Libby’s cancer. He was the area director here and was the one who trained Ryder. I was invited to a dinner the committee was having to be with him and to see his family. Ryder invited me with the intentions of good time of “non-work” and for him and I to get to know each other better. It was encouraging to see how truly loved Kess is and was. I sat in the room talking to people and learning more about people but I still felt so lonely. Is that normal? To be in a room full of people and to still feel lonely? The Kessick’s and the Ryders are SO loved, obviously they have been here a long time have been trying to desperately love this community for Christ but still I just long to be loved here, I long for friends.
The leaders are great and welcoming but I just don’t know how to get to know them since they are so guy heavy. I talked with my best friend Julie two nights ago after a less than perfect campaigners led by me, and just shared my struggles and heart with her I realized how much I long for someone to long to know me.
THATS IT… literally as I wrote that sentence I heard the voice of our God whisper to me “I do.” I need to rest in that in Him ITS JUST FREAKING HARD! RIght now I am sitting at Barnes & Noble and all I want is to run into someone I know. Literally the Lord is trying to run into me, get me to notice Him acknowledge his presence here and I’m ignoring it. Pray that as I am getting used to this life here that I can rest my longing for relationships in Him. It will just take time and maybe a few tears.
Is this Really My Job?
September 13, 2010
This past weekend we had a leader weekend on the Eastern Shore. We went to this YMCA camp called Camp Silver Beach. I was incredibly nervous, this was the first time I would be with these leaders and get to know them more intimately and share my heart with them! Let me just set the scene for you there were 18 guy leaders and Chesapeake guys are funny, they ALL wear vans literally not one was wearing regular shoes. They all have inside jokes about videos they have seen on youtube or dumb things someone has said but something so special about them is that they are always laughing and enjoying one another. Now there are a few less girls, there are 5 girl leaders including myself, these girls are beautiful and wonderful and completely sold out for Christ and for this ministry and are so loving of each other and affirming. BUT SERIOUSLY 18 GUYS??? LORD WHAT THE HECK??? So as a girly girl you can see how intimidating Chesapeake can be at times.
Jesus said in the book of John to His 12 discples: “A new command I give you: Love on another. As I have loved you, so you MUST love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples if you love one another.” This is a verse shared often among those who are sharing the truth of Christ with others and I feel as though I have seen it act out a fair amount but nothing like I had seen among these leaders. The way they love each other, gosh it is beautiful and the way they seek to be with another is truly enamoring. It could be so easy for those guy leaders to just be together and forget about the girls, but they seek out their sisters and want to know us and be with us and walk alongside us and of course laugh with us. I am so thankful for this group of volunteers they truly have taught me so much about what it looks like to love one another and to truly act out the word of God.
Chesapeake is a special place and I cannot believe that the Lord would put me here.
I was telling my Young Life Leader and best friend Carrie this a little while ago, I literally wake up every morning thinking about my day’s events and say out loud “is this really my job? Do I really get to go to the high school today and meet kids? Do I really get to meet with leaders and potential leaders? Do I really get to do this?” I knew what my job would entail (for the most part) but I don’t think I realized how much this was all I have wanted to do with my life, introduce the Gospel and expand the kingdom. I just feel so incredibly lucky that I love going to work everyday. Thank you all for allowing me to do this!
Love always,
Katie
From Lynchburg to Chesapeake
September 4, 2010
From Lynchburg to Chesapeake
Finally a breath… I feel as though breathing has been limited over the past few days, I promise I am not being dramatic!
Tuesday morning, I woke up packed up my beetle and had a silent drive to Charlottesville where I made a quick pit stop to see my good friend Holly. Holly is one of those people you WANT to be with when you are moving to a new place, she is encouraging and loving and so bold. I appreciate Holly so much because she allows me to be a more bold person. After goodbyes were said I drive the 2 hours to Chesapeake only to the warmest welcome imagineable. I met leaders and committee who all just seemed so excited to see me and made me feel so cared for, what a comfort. They have no idea the fear I had felt all day and how their loving welcome eased so much.
After my 4 hours in Chesapeake I drove to Fredericksburg arrived at 12 midnight, spent the night and drive the 6 hours for literally 24 hours of training at Lake Champion, I was dreading it but it was exactly what I needed.
I am here. Thats all I keep saying to myself. I have been waiting almost 5 months to be here and now I am here. I am scared out of my mind but as I was sitting with God this morning this is what I read “You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance.” Psalm 32:7. I will never be alone here!
From Lynchburg to Chesapeake
Finally a breath… I feel as though breathing has been limited over the past few days, I promise I am not being dramatic!
Tuesday morning, I woke up packed up my beetle and had a silent drive to Charlottesville where I made a quick pit stop to see my good friend Holly. Holly is one of those people you WANT to be with when you are moving to a new place, she is encouraging and loving and so bold. I appreciate Holly so much because she allows me to be a more bold person. After goodbyes were said I drive the 2 hours to Chesapeake only to the warmest welcome imagineable. I met leaders and committee who all just seemed so excited to see me and made me feel so cared for, what a comfort. They have no idea the fear I had felt all day and how their loving welcome eased so much.
After my 4 hours in Chesapeake I drove to Fredericksburg arrived at 12 midnight, spent the night and drive the 6 hours for literally 24 hours of training at Lake Champion, I was dreading it but it was exactly what I needed.
I am here. Thats all I keep saying to myself. I have been waiting almost 5 months to be here and now I am here. I am scared out of my mind but as I was sitting with God this morning this is what I read “You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance.” Psalm 32:7. I will never be alone here!
Switches
I created a blog when I first moved to Chesapeake on something called tumblr, I then found out from my lovely high school friends that that is what "cool kids" have... then I switched to blogger, haha. Here are my posts from the past 6 months of my living in a new town, with a new job, new friends and a Lord who is ever present and ever a provider...
AUGUST 26, 2010
From Goshen to Delaware
OK,
So for the past 4 months I have been baking my heart out in Goshen Virginia at a Young Life camp called Rockbridge. I served alongside 13 other interns whose jobs included: waterfront, rec tech, EMT, AM cook, PM cook, snack bar, ropes, bikes, video, office, sound, landscape, and guest services (don’t worry I don’t fully understand what that job is either.) We served as a team alongside the property there to allow God to use us and work to give thousands of high school and middle school students the best weeks of their lives. This summer truly was life changing and I am just so thankful that the Lord would grant me with such an experience that would push me and grow me so drastically in my faith.
I left Rockbridge Sunday to catch a train from Lynchburg back home to Delaware to rest and hopefully finish fundraising for about 5 days. After sucessfully leaving my cell phone in VIrginia I was welcomed home with good food, family and friends. After shedding countless tears over my sudden standstill in fundraising and feeling completely helpless I was able to seek the Lord harder than ever in this process of going on Young Life staff. I truly have no idea what He is doing and although I feel as though His hand is so far from my own I am slowly seeing He will provide in His time and not my own.
SO tomorrow I leave to go back to Virginia and commence the process of fundraising all over again. Pray for me as I become extremely vulnerable with friends and family as I ask them to be a part of my team in Chesapeake. Hey, anyone feeling the need to write a check for 10K? Hey, it was worth a try…
John 16:33
AUGUST 26, 2010
From Goshen to Delaware
OK,
So for the past 4 months I have been baking my heart out in Goshen Virginia at a Young Life camp called Rockbridge. I served alongside 13 other interns whose jobs included: waterfront, rec tech, EMT, AM cook, PM cook, snack bar, ropes, bikes, video, office, sound, landscape, and guest services (don’t worry I don’t fully understand what that job is either.) We served as a team alongside the property there to allow God to use us and work to give thousands of high school and middle school students the best weeks of their lives. This summer truly was life changing and I am just so thankful that the Lord would grant me with such an experience that would push me and grow me so drastically in my faith.
I left Rockbridge Sunday to catch a train from Lynchburg back home to Delaware to rest and hopefully finish fundraising for about 5 days. After sucessfully leaving my cell phone in VIrginia I was welcomed home with good food, family and friends. After shedding countless tears over my sudden standstill in fundraising and feeling completely helpless I was able to seek the Lord harder than ever in this process of going on Young Life staff. I truly have no idea what He is doing and although I feel as though His hand is so far from my own I am slowly seeing He will provide in His time and not my own.
SO tomorrow I leave to go back to Virginia and commence the process of fundraising all over again. Pray for me as I become extremely vulnerable with friends and family as I ask them to be a part of my team in Chesapeake. Hey, anyone feeling the need to write a check for 10K? Hey, it was worth a try…
John 16:33
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