Camp has been awesome this week. I've enjoyed my time being able to hop around and spend time with all of the departments. Family group leaders meeting every morning, production after that, recreation or missions and maybe a little office time, then dinner with the staff, the production again. I love the flexibility aspect of my job. It has enabled me to get an insight to what everyone else is going through on a daily basis.

However, frustration has risen once again. If everyone doesn't know, which you should, I get frustrated easily. With others, with things, and with myself. It's frustrating that I get so easily frustrated. It's like if i miss something even by a little bit, I beat myself up for it. Or if someone doesn't quite get a concept that seems so simple to me, I bite my tongue in frustration and just let them figure it out without making a comment. Or if someone is just rubbing me the wrong way I get agitated and brush it off. But I know there are times when I have to step up and say something without it being harsh but yet making a statement. Idk, it just happens. And I really need to work on having patience. Just simply, patience.

On another note, I've once again been reminded of something this week. I really need to give people the benefit of the doubt. I make assumptions and jump to conclusions when regarding people. It's not even like a judgmental thing, really. It's more of like...I just assume because I either know someone who looks, dresses, acts, talks like the person I'm assuming things about. And the person I'm comparing them to may have some kind of bad rep. I don't think I'm explaining this well. But either way, I just need to learn to give people the benefit of the doubt.

I'm pretty stoked about going back to LA Tech. I don't know why either. Maybe it's because it's the only place that will seem familiar to me this summer. But, it will be a weird week too because after next week, we are halfway done with our summer. Uhhhh where has it gone? Oh well, I need sleep.

The Time Has Come

Alright, so I haven't posted in quite awhile. Why? SL has been pretty busy I would say.

But the time has finally come when everyone is beginning to be exhausted, drained, tired, sick, vulnerable, on edge, and plenty more adjectives can fill in here _____. It's unfortunate, but I think it was bound to happen. The traveling for days at a time, nonstop load-ins and load-outs, and late nights of work really wear on you. And for myself, yes I'm exhausted. But I wouldn't change it for a second. Amidst the feeling of exhaustion, I know that God is working in the staff's lives as well as the students for sure. And I think it's nice to see His work and see where it is going.

Last week we had Todd Agnew and Matt Carter in the beautiful Estes Park, Colorado. They are 2 extremely open, vulnerable, and down to earth guys. They definitely brought it home in Estes Park. Estes Park has to be my favorite week so far (I know it's only the third week). But last week was fun. I got to move around to shadow lighting and at the same time see what was going on in the lives of students during services, work backstage, go out to rec, spend time with production, and plenty more. I loved it.

This week at Wake Forest University in my beautiful home state of North Carolina has just begun. So far its gone well, but there have been issues here and there, such as load in. Load in seemed chaotic since it was raining and we hit every problem possible. But, we pulled it together and got out at some time around 1am. Hopefully load out will go better?

One thing I learned just from today is that if someone scratches your back, you scratch theirs, if they bend over backwards for you, you should break your back for them. And, I'll admit, I haven't been doing that necessarily. But I will surely attempt it.

I know this update may seem pretty all-over-the-place...but it's an update. Peace be the journey.

Traveling America

Oh man, it's been an insane 3 days. Friday we left from Ruston, Lousiana at somewhere around 1 and drove all the way to Perry, Oklahoma to stay the night. Then the next morning we got up and drove from there to Limon, Colorado all day. And then today we drove from Limon, Colorado to the beautiful Estes Park, Colorado.

Although it's been kind of obnoxious driving for extended periods of time, I really enjoyed it. When you spend somewhere around 8 hours in a vehicle with the same 7 people, you really have some good conversations and get to know each other pretty well. It's going to be crazy driving from Colorado to North Carolina at the end of this week. I'm having a blast so far. And it's late, im tired...I'll update later.

Man, I love all of OT10

Compassion International

So, I finally sent my paper work in! I'm officially sponsoring this kid through Compassion International, a program that helps kids in poverty receive plenty of food, schooling, and hygiene education.

This little guy on the left is Marko Mataba Mabula. He is a 9 year old from the plains of Magu Town in Tanzania. He lives with his parents and 2 siblings! He carries water, runs errands, and helps in the kitchen for his family. He goes to church activities, reads his Bible, and his favorite activities are singing, art, and reading.

I'm pretty stoked about sponsoring him and writing letters back and forth, and maybe even getting to meet him one day. That would be awesome. If anyone wants to know, I can tell you the story of how little Marko got placed in my life, if you ask me. But, I think all of you should check out Compassion International and maybe even sponsor a child yourself!

Oh, Man

This week as been tough but amazing all at the same time. It's kind of weird being on the other side of camp, as in, working for the camp rather than attending the camp. I love it though.

S0, since the last update, I've changed states. The Orange Team is now at LA Tech University. It's extremely different than High Point in good ways and bad ways. All I know about this place is....it's extremely humid here. But our load-in and set up took about a day and a half, and in between celebration and worship we tweak things. It's a lot of hard work and long hours to put this stuff together, but extremely rewarding to see the students open up and worship God.

Today was the first full day of camp. I woke up at 6:45 and had breakfast and went to morning devotional. Then we went to the worship center and had Celebration for the students to help them get woken up and ready for the day. There was some cool student interaction with the AT2AP drama team, some fun videos, awesome worship with David Walker, and a relatable message from Ed Newton. Then I went to a family group leadership meeting for youth ministers and then the the students had recreation time. The Production team worked on some stuff then I work on some cool things in the office. THEN! Get this...as much as I don't like ultimate frisbee, that was the free time option I had to lead today. And, it was a blessing. I enjoyed running around with the kids just playing ultimate and getting to know them. It was great. Then I had dinner and now I am currently backstage waiting for worship to begin.

So far I'm stoked to see what God is going to do in the lives of campers, student staffers, staff, and youth ministers/leaders. It's going to be thrilling. But this song has been resonating inside of me all day and I can't get enough of it even though I've known it for awhile:

And we are His portion and He is our prize,
Drawn to redemption by the grace in His eyes,
If His grace is an ocean, we’re all sinking.
And heaven meets earth like an unforeseen kiss,
And my heart turns violently inside of my chest,
I don’t have time to maintain these regrets,
When I think about, the way…

That He loves us,
Oh how He loves us,
Oh how He loves us,

Oh how He loves.