I guess I should talk about the camp and stuff, but my emotions just went on a roller coaster because of NCIS.
I'm done. Or as Candance would say: "This is nucking futs." (I apologize in advance, jkay, these are literally my exact emotions #sorryimnotsorry)
Anyway, to go towards the happier tones (sorry---still dead), let me try to list all the things I learned this week/my woes/my life/Jesus.
When we arrived at the camp with the kids, I thought to myself, "Yes, use me! Let me hang out with these children! I want to be their best friend. But more importantly, I want them to know they are loved by someone who could love them more than I ever could!"
And then reality hit: there was human miscommunication and we technically did not have any purpose being at camp. However, like the resourceful people we are, we separated and found our own zones.
This gave me a chance to have some deep conversations and some just good conversations. They went from "What do you do if you like two girls and they like you back?" to "They don't believe me when I say I aborted two babies, but apparently [she] has a kid waiting for her at her grandma's...that's a lie."
Yeah, quite a jump, right?
But I think what really stuck to me was that we were as much a blessing to the kids, just by being there and trying to love them as much as possible, as we were to the counselors. I mean these people have done this for THREE weeks already, and I was bum tired from ONE week...and I didn't even have that many kids.
I mean God was like, "Dudes, one of the buses will go down so it is good that you only have 86 kids. Also, some of the staff will hate being surrounded by children right now because they went through hell and back from the incidents of last week and so forth...so...I got this!"
And so it was. I talked to a girl who was the main specialist for archery, and she had a tough time with the teen girls the week before/a few days into our week. So, just being there to listen and help her process was something I think I did well...or at least to the best of my ability.
Which brings me to her life verse: Philippians 4:13.
I can do all this through him who gives me strength.
Although this is certainly a wonderful verse and I love it, what hit me this week--- through my own struggles as well---was verse 14.
Yet it was good of you to share in my troubles.
So many times we go through life with struggles and problems, bottle them up, or even think our troubles are only for praying to God. But God works through His people, through our brothers & sisters in Christ. I mean, Paul wrote most of his letters in response to their trials, struggles, and requests. We base a lot of our theology and our verses of strength and encouragement in these words!
Likewise, as I tell you of my struggles with trying to fit in a place where it seemed there was no real place or trying to cope with kids who acted a certain way only to see their environments and parents as the reason, it is your job as my fellow brothers and sisters to "do good" in that sense.
We all struggle, but Jesus never did it alone. He had His disciples, sure they would not know what walking in the shoes of the Son of God would exactly be like or even to literally carry the world, but He was always surrounded by people. He was a talker, a listener, a person who genuinely wanted to know what you needed. He provided, so likewise we shall provide for each other.
So this is fair warning, I am here for each and every one of you. Whether it through comment, message, email, or those good old face to face talks--- I will share with you as you will with me...because only together can we reflect God. Only together can we be the full body of Christ clothed in glory and covered in armor.
Goodnight:)
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