Shadrach 2007

Wow, where to begin... God really answered my prayers for Shadrach this year. I had been praying for about 9 or 10 months that God would help the youth that are in Shadrach to keep the victory and we were given the tools to do that this past week. Praise the Lord for that! We started out with an extra day, which was very nice. The schedule was not structured in the way that it had been in past years, so there was more free time and talk time. We had very good services. The ones that helped me the most right now were from Pastor Robert. He spoke about the authority of the believer, spirits, and keeping the victory. I really needed to hear these messages, and am ready to hear them again. He shared how we don't have to pray about things that God has already spoken about, but that we just need to believe God.

God helped the leaders to know what to do. For instance, one day, we spent about the whole day on an excursion, which might not seem very "spiritual," however, God was working through that time together to help us to be united in Christ without barriers between anyone. We went in two groups- guys in one, and the girls in another. The girls went on about a 15-20 minute hike, I think, to this little creek that we were hoping to swim in. When we got there, the water level was not very high, so we weren't really able to swim the way some of us had thought. So we ate lunch there, and then started exploring a bit. God helped some of the girls to overcome fears that they had. I went with Karin and someone else to go see this little waterfall that everyone else had already seen. When we got there, I decided to go stick my head under the waterfall. As I was trying to get down without falling, I slid down and had a great ride! I went down 2 more times, and then went to get everyone else.... needless to say we went down the waterfall for about an hour.... it was fabulous!!!

God also really helped in the evenings when the girls had dorm devotions. We sang and then sometimes we had discussions about things, or reviewed about what had helped us that day. There were 15 or 16 girls there. Thursday night, we got back to the dorm late, so we weren't sure if we were going to have dorm devotions, but while we were waiting for the verdict, one of the girls came up and said that God had helped her to forsake all. That brought with it praise, but also burdens. We ended all ended up in my dorm room, and prayed together for different ones that wanted prayer to be able to break through. It was warfare. Different people, including myself, felt tied back in some ways, from getting the joy of the Lord, or from having complete victory, or some other request along those lines. I believe God really helped us to pray that night, and I am believing God to answer those prayers for each person. I want to be thankful that I can be a part of a group where God's will is sought, and where I don't have to be afraid to obey God. God is still helping me and I am thankful.

Another thing we did was a witnessing trip. This year instead of going as a huge group, door-to-door or to shops, we went in small groups and had a Prayer Station at Walmart. I went on the last day, with 8 other people. We went up to people and asked them if there was anything that we could pray with them about. It was really easy and most people responded positively. Our group, because it was so big, split up into two, and one group stayed at Walmart and the other group walked around the other shops and the parking lot, praying prayers of blessings on people. It was great.

Praise the Lord for the victories that He gave me and for a renewed vision in walking with God, without the haze of the world, and other "good" things in the way. I'm looking forward to what God is going to do this year!

"Jesus is on the Throne!"

Sliding Down a Waterfall!!!

Here's just a little foretaste of a future report about my week at Shadrach Youth Discipleship Ministry.... One day the girls went on an excursion down to a stream... It was beautiful!! I felt like I was in the jungle in some faroff country. There were flowers and little ferns and one person on the trail (age 9 or 10) said "This must be Paradise!" It was really nice. Anyways, I was with Karin, the administrator/one of my greatest spiritual mentors, and we were going to go see this little waterfall that everyone else had already seen. So we went around this little bend in the stream and there was the waterfall.... it was beside this little cave like thing- a huge rock that you could walk under. Anyways, it was a bit warm and the water in the stream wasn't very deep, so I decided that I wanted to go stick my head under the waterfall. So I climbed up this black rock, that was kinda slippery because of the water that was coming down, but I got up and stuck my head under.... boy, did it feel good! As I tried to ease my way back down the slippery slope I lost control and went sliding down.... it was great!!!! I looked at Karin and was laughing, so she said I could go back up and do it again.... I did it a third time, and then went running back around the bend to go get everyone else to come slide down the waterfall. We went down for about an hour!!! Because the stream was so low, I had been kind of disappointed about not being able to swim, but God knew and had me, of all people, slide down a waterfall, which brought a lot of other girls enjoyment too. I ended up going down feet first, head first, backwards, and double. It was a blast. I went away with a huge black bruise on the back of my leg, from a pointy rock, or something, but it was well worth it. I hope I can go back again someday!

Psalm 42

As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God? My tears have been my food day and night, while men say to me all day long, "Where is your God?" These things I remember as I pour out my soul: how I used to go with the multitude, leading the procession to the house of God, with shouts of joy and thanksgiving among the festive throng. Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God. My soul is downcast within me; therefore I will remember you from the land of Jordan, the heights of Hermon- from Mount Mizar. Deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfalls; all your waves and breakers have swept over me. By day the Lord directs his love, at night his song is with me- a prayer to the God of my life. I say to God my Rock, "Why have you forgotten me? Why must I go about mourning, oppressed by the enemy?" My bones suffer mortal agony as my foes taunt me, saying to me all day long, "Where is your God?" Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.

A Busy Summer...

This summer I am working with Child Evangelism Fellowship teaching 5-Day Clubs and working one week at Camp Good News. I am planning on working 6 or 7 weeks. This week I have 3 clubs and am working with Tida Ihms. It's gone pretty good so far, but the kids have been really quiet, which is good, except when you want them to answer a question, or sing, or say a verse with you or something. At these 5-Day Clubs we teach a Bible lesson, a missionary story, a memory verse, songs, and a review game. I am looking forward to being a cabin counselor at Camp Good News. Morgan and Mikah Litchfield are also going to be counselors which is exciting. Hopefully it will go as well as it went last year. It will be different though, because the main activities director got married, so I'm guessing she won't be there. Please pray for me this summer as you think of me, teaching children the gospel and reaching out to them in different ways. Thank you and may you all have a great summer!!!!

The True Source of Peace is in the Surrender of the Will

Live in continued peace. But understand that peace does not depend upon the fervor of your devotion. The only thing you need to be concerned about is the direction of your will. Give that up to God without reservation. The important question is not how religious you are, or how devoted, but rather is your will in harmony with God's? Humbly confess your faults. Learn to be detached from the world and completely abandoned to God. Love him more than yourself and His glory more than your life. The least you can do is to desire and ask for such a love. God will then pour out upon you that special love which only His children know and He will give you His peace.

from "Let Go" by Fenelon