Excellence is our Standard!
"The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands." Psalm 19:1
Yes, another amazing summer at Kids Across America II tha Duece! So, where do I begin? How do I begin to put into words all the the Lord Jesus Christ did in my life this summer at KAA-U-KNOW!
I left home mid May excited about what the summer held for me. Little did I know that God was going to completely break my heart and mold it more into who He has for me to be and test me in ways i've NEVER been tested before. So clinics start and I begin to think "Man, I've got two more months of this, I'm not gonna make it" I mean, why would somone choose to go to the middle of no where in Missouri to live for the summer without Air Conditioning, without tv, facebook, internet, cellphones, carpet, chairs with backs...why? Well, I'm going to tell you. Because the Gospel of Jesus Christ that we carry is worth it. To share the love of Christ with Urban teenagers who have it much harder than I do. As Staff Training week went on the Lord began to work...and I knew it was going to be an amazing summer. I remeber listening to Rita Springers song "Worth It All" A part of that song says "Though I don't understand your ways. But I'm gonna give Him all my praise...Around every corner and up every mountain I will say it's gonna be worth it, It's gonna be worth it ALL. Our Director gave us the vision for the summer was- Excellence...Excellence is our Standard. And talked about how "Teamwork makes the Dream Work" Both statements so true, and I realize it now. We raked leaves, cleaned, sat in meetings, raked some more, study the Word, and raked some more. Well, thats work week. The kids are coming. We spent two weeks preparing for the Kids to come. Asking the Lord to prepare our hearts for what He was going to do.
CAN'T BE SLOW, CAN'T BE SLUMMIN, WHY NOT, WHY NOT 'CAUSE THE KIDS BE COMMIN.
June 1st- The first set of Kampers at KAA2 arrive. And I am stoked. Ready to get started with what the Lord has for me and my Co Rachael. I'll say this...first session of kids was an adventure. I mean, they gave me the name Abigail...which stuck and every kamper knew me as Abigail...But all I can say is, they were a great group to have our first session of kids. Well, they left and then the next group comes in...from tree tops, to challenge course, pool, archery, tubing, canoes, paddle boats, you name it...we did it. I hate it but I missed alot of their morning activities due to being a boat driver. WHICH I LOVED!
Second session of kampers come...one of the hardest weeks I had all summer. Playing basketball one day during Competition I got pushed from the back and fell and BROKE my elbow...actually my Radial Head. So I got put in a wonderful cast for four weeks, but I didn't wear all that much. IT WAS HOT! Thanks to these girls they didn't make pictures seem too awkard on 2-4's! So, at this point of the summer I began to get frustrated and my spirits began to go down. I was frustrated at the Lord. Wondering why He would let me get injured to where I couldn't use my right arm for ANYTHING. Meaning, I had to ask for help with pulling my hair up, getting food, cleaning, making my bed etc...But He taught my alot thru it, that TEAMWORK DOES MAKE THE DREAM WORK. Without the faithful family of KAA2 I would not have made it. Praise the Lord He gave me a family that is willing to sacrifice and help me. Truly saw what it means when I was weak He was strong. He used the precious around me to encourge and build me up. Third sessions of Kampers come, and what a week. We had to deal a lot with cliques and how our words tear down the body of Christ. With a fight breaking out in our cabin that week one night. The Lord used My Co's strengths and mine to stop the fight and to speak truth into these girls lives. Who didn't care about anything really. All they cared about was boys, boys, and did I mention boys? After after running that night until they were exhausted, one girl wouldn't run...so we missed two meals the next day. But the Lord is faithful and He began to show her how she was acting was wrong and not pleasing to God. He drew her unto Himself. Nothing that we did, only God. She got saved that week at Crosstalk. As well as many others in our locker. The rest of the week was great. Thats what the Lord does, He takes us as wretched as we are and changes us. We got to see Him do that! So, first term was over. The Lord taught me about working with someone despite our differences, because we both had hearts for the kampers and the Lord. He used my weaknesses and my Co's strengths. I love my Co from first term for her patience and unconditional love for me, when I was at my worst!
Second term comes around...that means new Co's and new staff some of my favorites left, I was ready to leave too...
But I am so glad that the Lord knows what He is doing. He put me with two of my closest friends at kamp this summer as my Co's. Yes, Chantelle and Heidi (Strong Tower)!!! As excited as we could be about the term, we had no idea what was coming for our first group of kampers for second term...actually our fourth group of the summer. By far the hardest group of kids we had all summer. The first night you guess it...a fight broke out. And ended up taking two girls outside to try and settle this arguement. Well, two hours later it was over. Speaking the truth in love to these kids using the scripture, John 15:12-" I have commanded you to love each other in the same way that I love you." One girl prayed "Lord, I pray you help me love in the same way that you love me." They went back inside and I was at a loss for words. That a fourteen year old girl listened to what the Lord was saying thru me and Chantelle. The rest of the week was hard, and satan was attacking. I was at the end of my ropes. But the Lord knows what He's doing. When I was tired and didn't think I could go anymore, Heidi could (Strong Tower is like the energizer bunny!) and He used the three of us to work for His glory in the best way we knew how. I truly feel He was glorified and exalted in our Cabin each week of Second Term. Hard times, Easy Times, Good times, Bad times our prayer is that He was exalted. One day the Lord led me to this scripture. Job 38:35 "Can you send out the Lightning bolts and they report back "here I am". Thats a glimpse of the Power of God that I asked Him to show me. And each week He did. His power was shown in so many ways, and I would begin to tell you but as this blog is really long already, I'm going to hold back.
Anyway, the Lord broke my heart and changed my heart. I have a LOVE for urban youth. Praise the Lord for Kids Across America. For what He does there. He works, breaks down barriers, saves, calls, equippes, builds, I could go on and on. But I can stop and say the I have never seen the Lord work in ways like He does at Kids Across America. We use sports to present the gospel to kids. I'm sitting writing this with tears running down my face thinking all that the Lord did. He broke my heart for the lost in ways I didn't think it could. My heart is forever changed and forever grateful at what the Lord did this summer. I can truly look back and say that my summer in 2007 at KAA2 was a milestone in my walk with Christ.
To Him who is worthy to receive all the Glory, Honor, and Praise. May He be exalted in my life, actions. Wether by death or life may He be glorified. I am broken.
broken before the Lord.
I left home mid May excited about what the summer held for me. Little did I know that God was going to completely break my heart and mold it more into who He has for me to be and test me in ways i've NEVER been tested before. So clinics start and I begin to think "Man, I've got two more months of this, I'm not gonna make it" I mean, why would somone choose to go to the middle of no where in Missouri to live for the summer without Air Conditioning, without tv, facebook, internet, cellphones, carpet, chairs with backs...why? Well, I'm going to tell you. Because the Gospel of Jesus Christ that we carry is worth it. To share the love of Christ with Urban teenagers who have it much harder than I do. As Staff Training week went on the Lord began to work...and I knew it was going to be an amazing summer. I remeber listening to Rita Springers song "Worth It All" A part of that song says "Though I don't understand your ways. But I'm gonna give Him all my praise...Around every corner and up every mountain I will say it's gonna be worth it, It's gonna be worth it ALL. Our Director gave us the vision for the summer was- Excellence...Excellence is our Standard. And talked about how "Teamwork makes the Dream Work" Both statements so true, and I realize it now. We raked leaves, cleaned, sat in meetings, raked some more, study the Word, and raked some more. Well, thats work week. The kids are coming. We spent two weeks preparing for the Kids to come. Asking the Lord to prepare our hearts for what He was going to do.
CAN'T BE SLOW, CAN'T BE SLUMMIN, WHY NOT, WHY NOT 'CAUSE THE KIDS BE COMMIN.
June 1st- The first set of Kampers at KAA2 arrive. And I am stoked. Ready to get started with what the Lord has for me and my Co Rachael. I'll say this...first session of kids was an adventure. I mean, they gave me the name Abigail...which stuck and every kamper knew me as Abigail...But all I can say is, they were a great group to have our first session of kids. Well, they left and then the next group comes in...from tree tops, to challenge course, pool, archery, tubing, canoes, paddle boats, you name it...we did it. I hate it but I missed alot of their morning activities due to being a boat driver. WHICH I LOVED!
Second session of kampers come...one of the hardest weeks I had all summer. Playing basketball one day during Competition I got pushed from the back and fell and BROKE my elbow...actually my Radial Head. So I got put in a wonderful cast for four weeks, but I didn't wear all that much. IT WAS HOT! Thanks to these girls they didn't make pictures seem too awkard on 2-4's! So, at this point of the summer I began to get frustrated and my spirits began to go down. I was frustrated at the Lord. Wondering why He would let me get injured to where I couldn't use my right arm for ANYTHING. Meaning, I had to ask for help with pulling my hair up, getting food, cleaning, making my bed etc...But He taught my alot thru it, that TEAMWORK DOES MAKE THE DREAM WORK. Without the faithful family of KAA2 I would not have made it. Praise the Lord He gave me a family that is willing to sacrifice and help me. Truly saw what it means when I was weak He was strong. He used the precious around me to encourge and build me up. Third sessions of Kampers come, and what a week. We had to deal a lot with cliques and how our words tear down the body of Christ. With a fight breaking out in our cabin that week one night. The Lord used My Co's strengths and mine to stop the fight and to speak truth into these girls lives. Who didn't care about anything really. All they cared about was boys, boys, and did I mention boys? After after running that night until they were exhausted, one girl wouldn't run...so we missed two meals the next day. But the Lord is faithful and He began to show her how she was acting was wrong and not pleasing to God. He drew her unto Himself. Nothing that we did, only God. She got saved that week at Crosstalk. As well as many others in our locker. The rest of the week was great. Thats what the Lord does, He takes us as wretched as we are and changes us. We got to see Him do that! So, first term was over. The Lord taught me about working with someone despite our differences, because we both had hearts for the kampers and the Lord. He used my weaknesses and my Co's strengths. I love my Co from first term for her patience and unconditional love for me, when I was at my worst!Second term comes around...that means new Co's and new staff some of my favorites left, I was ready to leave too...
But I am so glad that the Lord knows what He is doing. He put me with two of my closest friends at kamp this summer as my Co's. Yes, Chantelle and Heidi (Strong Tower)!!! As excited as we could be about the term, we had no idea what was coming for our first group of kampers for second term...actually our fourth group of the summer. By far the hardest group of kids we had all summer. The first night you guess it...a fight broke out. And ended up taking two girls outside to try and settle this arguement. Well, two hours later it was over. Speaking the truth in love to these kids using the scripture, John 15:12-" I have commanded you to love each other in the same way that I love you." One girl prayed "Lord, I pray you help me love in the same way that you love me." They went back inside and I was at a loss for words. That a fourteen year old girl listened to what the Lord was saying thru me and Chantelle. The rest of the week was hard, and satan was attacking. I was at the end of my ropes. But the Lord knows what He's doing. When I was tired and didn't think I could go anymore, Heidi could (Strong Tower is like the energizer bunny!) and He used the three of us to work for His glory in the best way we knew how. I truly feel He was glorified and exalted in our Cabin each week of Second Term. Hard times, Easy Times, Good times, Bad times our prayer is that He was exalted. One day the Lord led me to this scripture. Job 38:35 "Can you send out the Lightning bolts and they report back "here I am". Thats a glimpse of the Power of God that I asked Him to show me. And each week He did. His power was shown in so many ways, and I would begin to tell you but as this blog is really long already, I'm going to hold back.Anyway, the Lord broke my heart and changed my heart. I have a LOVE for urban youth. Praise the Lord for Kids Across America. For what He does there. He works, breaks down barriers, saves, calls, equippes, builds, I could go on and on. But I can stop and say the I have never seen the Lord work in ways like He does at Kids Across America. We use sports to present the gospel to kids. I'm sitting writing this with tears running down my face thinking all that the Lord did. He broke my heart for the lost in ways I didn't think it could. My heart is forever changed and forever grateful at what the Lord did this summer. I can truly look back and say that my summer in 2007 at KAA2 was a milestone in my walk with Christ.
To Him who is worthy to receive all the Glory, Honor, and Praise. May He be exalted in my life, actions. Wether by death or life may He be glorified. I am broken.
broken before the Lord.
posted by alfoshee at 8:13 AM
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