My God is Mighty to Save!

Wow...we serve an awesome God! I just got back from one amazing week at Last Blast! Going into the week I was a little nervous, because our kids were all comparing it to last years camp, when God REALLY moved! Not that I didn't think God would move, I just didn't know if it would be that mountain top experience all over again! God proved himself over and over again.

Monday night, the very first full day, God was already breaking down walls. We had each of them write something, that was pulling them down and pulling them away from God, on a rock. Then we had that chuck, not just toss, but chuck that rock far into Lake Erire. (It was an amazing sunset as we sat that and did this!) My girls and I had a great conversation about the things they wrote down and we came up with some ways that can help each other continue to give them to God. I walked away that night going, okay God, I know you are here and you are moving like never before, I am sorry I doubted!

Tuesday we spent the day at Ceader Point which don't get me wrong was alot of fun, but I really want to get back to the way that God moved, so maybe some Ceader Point stories another day!

Wednesday everyone was pretty tired, a few people were starting to get sick...the devil was trying to work, but God overcame! Pete (our guest speaker) did this really cool maze where he blindfolded all the students, put one hand on a rope (that zig-zaged, but never had an end) and told them they had 3 rules...they had to keep their blindfold on, they had to keep one hand on the rope and if they had any questions they could raise their hand and we would answer it if we could. The whole point was...they had to ask for HELP..so often in our walks with God we forget that we are not on this path alone and that our brothers and sisters in Christ are there to help us. We had an open mic time where students could publicly ask for help, it was really cool to see our students rally together! During worship a few of our students mended some broken relationships and healed some hurts in their lives, it was so cool to see God move in that tent! I asked them to help remind me that God is in control of my finances and if He wants me to go to YWAM then He will provide. Later that evening John gave me a "Send Emily to Texas Jar" that the students could all put change and money in through out the week. It was hard for me to accept that...but I knew it was part of me asking for help and that I need to learn to do that more!

(wow...God had already done so much and we still had one full day of camp left!)

Thursday we had a really powerful time of worship and people were falling on their face before Jesus! John and Pete walked around the tent and anointed people. It was really cool just to watch God move in amazing ways. My small group girls all joined hands and walked out of the tent together and so much of me wanted to jump and go with them and pray with them and be there for them, but God said no Emily, your time is done, you have to let them do it on their own, you have completed your job their...let me handle it now and as hard as that was, I knew it was God preparing me to leave them in a month and a half! There were lots of tears and lots of brokenness this week, and God gets all the glory, He brought our youth group together and we truly are UNITED in Him!

As if that week wasn't enough, and God had pulled our group closer together. One of our student's fathers died last night, very unexpectedly and what did our youth do? Without any help from the leaders they planned a pray meeting today at church and afterwards they are going to Target to buy Trevor stuff to help him get through this hard time. I have never been so proud of my students and the way they are coming together to support a brother in need! God gets all the glory! He did amazing things in our students this week and I pray that it doesn't stop there!

Growing up.....not sure I'm ready yet.....

Okay...here's for you Melissa! LOL!

It has been a long week!!! I spent the week out at Camp Ray Bird with my youth group. At first the plan was for me not to have a cabin, but to just oversea our youth, well they were short handed so I ended up helping with the oldest girls cabin. It was girls from 13 to 15 and they were great!! Can't complain too much, there was a little drama on the last full day, but overall it was a good week and God really provided for me in ways that I never imagined. He gave me strength when I had none and wisdom when they asked questions. I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to work with an amazing head counselor and have a great group of girls. All of the youth group kids did amazing too and it was a blast to watch them all as they were serving the Lord!

Yesterday was the first of 2 showers for Sarah Saint, it went really well and was a blast to just hang out with good friends and her family. After that we came back here for a birthday party for Kayleigh, can you believe she is 5 already?! Then to top the night off we went to the Cove for a baseball game and to watch fireworks. Oh the memories it brought back. Something tells me this next month is going to fly by and before I know it one best friend will be married and the other moving to Germany for 2 years!!! YIKES! Scary...I am not sure I am ready to let go!

But it won't be long after that that I will be packing my bags and heading for Texas!!! YAY! So, ready for the amazing things God is going to do with my life! YWAM is going to be amazing, and I know that somehow God will provide the $$ for me to go! He is in total control!

I'm not sure when we all grew up and life flew by so quickly, it seems like just yesterday we were going on quiz trips and having Jr. High crushes. Now we are getting married, moving away and following God with our whole hearts!! I'm so thankful for the amazing friends God has given me and I hope that distance does not change that!!!


(I would have pictures in here, but my camera is not working..BOO! I am hoping that by some miracle I saved the receipt last December and that the warranty will cover it! I might be able to steal some of my Mom's pictures to add in here...we will see!)