Hey everybody! It's me....remember me? Alicia....the dorky piano geek/dark chocolate addict/swimming fanatic from Wisconsin...I know I haven't updated in many moons, but I thought since I'm just chillin' right now, I'd let you know what's been going on as of late.
Well I think most of you know I'm working at Northland Camp this summer as a lifeguard; I love it! We have 2 other girl guards & 3 guys. We have all become pretty tight, & our supervisor, Josh has been a huge encouragement. He travels with the Will Galkin evangelistic team & he has definitely taken the time to invest into our lives. Our lifeguard group gets together every weekend for chips & dip (or campfires) & games. It has been a blast! We also meet every Wednesday morning at 7 for coffee & a study of Galatians 5 & walking in the Spirit. It has really been growing my understanding of what it means to be filled with the Spirit & walk in the love of Christ.
Our theme this year of camp is The Legend of Jack's Gold. It has been so much fun to be involved in all of the crazy, intricate games & see the campers having fun. The best part though is seeing all of the spiritual fruit. Our passage of focus this summer is James 3:13-4:10; wisdom from above, worldliness, & desires of the heart. During staff training we had 3-5 sessions daily on this passage from Brother Will Galkin & Brother Steve Pettit. It has been a huge rebuke & a challenge to be reminded of the massive amounts of envy & worldliness in my own heart....at times I felt defeated, like there is no way I can successfully live the Christian life---and I was right. There is no way I can do it. But it all comes back to Galatians 5 & walking in the Spirit. James talks about God's jealousy for our affections & how He yearns after a relationship with us; Galatians warns us about the war that take place between our flesh & the Holy Spirit. Our own natural desire is to do whatever "feels" good at that moment, but the Holy Spirit is jealous over us & compels us to use wisdom & make the right choice. And as James reminds us (to paraphrase it) Wisdom is not some mystical, elusive thing that comes once we're old & gray. Wisdom is getting to know God---His laws, His Love, His Character---through His word, & then based on that knowledge, make the right choice right now! These principles had a huge impact in my heart & the hearts of the 150 other staff members, & it has also had a huge impact on the thousands of campers that have already listened to the very same preaching of God's word. This past week we had over 450 teen & junior campers. There were over 30 salvation decisions & numerous other decisions to follow Christ & get to know God in a deeper way. It has been amazing to witness & have a small part in such an obvious work of God!
In other news, I am starting to prepare for this upcoming semester. I feel like God placed me just where I needed to be this summer to be stretched & grown in ways I couldn't have been at home. It looks like everything is starting to come together to study abroad in the fall, even though I still don't feel like I'm actually going back to Peru!!! (finally =) Some of the planning has been on hold as we tried to work it out so I could see my brother when he returns from Afghanistan, but now that we have figured out the dates (I think!) I believe that the rest of the plans are going to start coming together. Please pray that God will continue to work in my heart & prepare me to somehow be a blessing this upcoming fall. Also please be in prayer for the Earnhart family; they have graciously agreed to let me invade their home from September-December even as they are just getting re-settled themselves! Pray that God will bless them in their next phase of ministry & that He will provide everything they need to accomplish His will.
Well, thanks for dropping by y'all! If you could be praying for this next week of camp, that would be much appreciated =) We have around 475 campers coming, including my home youth group!!!! YAY! I can't wait to see them. Anywho, enjoy your weekend!
Peace out, yo =)
