Thursday, June 4, 2009

Ministry

greetings earthlings!!
So, Kamp is totally awesome. God is rocking my world. He is so so good and I am so blessed to learn and grow deeper in my faith in Him. It literally breaks my heart when I know of people who are not experiencing the grace and freedom found in Jesus alone. I wish I could be in control of salvation sometimes, but I am reminded by the Holy Spirit that He is sovereign and just. Anyways, off that soap box... I am living with the office girls at Kamp right now because I am a volunteer. Really the only difference in me and the counselors is they are getting paid and living with campers and I'm not. I look at it as a free opportunity for room and board, play in the sun with kiddos, and grow in my walk with Jesus= no paid needed. I am constantly on the go because everyone needs extra help. I have been driving kids on tubing trips, sending kids down ziplines, swim lessons, skits, you name it-I'm doing it. I love love love it. My favorite thing about this atmosphere is this: when people are actively pursuing Jesus as Lord, there's this incredible bond that is supernatural and is the Holy Spirit working. It's like you meet someone here at Kamp knowing they love the Lord and their passion is to make Him known and it's an automatic connection. My friends at Kamp know me so well and have known me like 3 weeks. Here, we have to be real-open-vulnerable. It's like we see each other for who we are and depend on one another as a community to spread Jesus into these kids hearts. It's insane how close you get to people when you are forced by isolation from the real world. Which possesses a new question: Or is this the REAL world? It's a strange thought. When Jesus is the Lord of your life, it's an instant friendship because He is love. I believe without Him, true love doesn't exist. Therefore, in Him, love grows deep for one another and it's amazing to see that happen. I am being transformed constantly by His love for me and for this group of lives around me. I love pouring into these kids. I have so many stories and am learning so much that I wish I could stay in this REALITY forever. However, I do miss my family and friends. I just want to brag on a few for a second. I have a sister in Africa. I have a best friend roommate in Bali. I have friends packing up for Hong Kong. I have another friend in Asia. The Lord is planting the same fire in my heart that is in all of these. When Jesus is LORD of your life, He is above all things. His priorities are first. His words are crucial. Everything I do, I do because He is driving me to it. I don't work at Kamp for free because I am doing good in these kids lives or because I have some passion to save the world or make it a better place. I do it because Jesus tells me to. It's verbal, it's real, and it's truth. I am honored to pursue His call on my life and strive to be more like Him in all I do. My favorite thing so far at Kamp was teaching a bible study to 7 year old girls. The way they understand Romans 6:23 "For the wages of sin is death but the free gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord," is astonishing. I know plenty of people who A. can't accept this as truth for "their" life or B. make it more complex than needed. Seeing 7 year old grasp the truth, the relationship, the One who was changed my life forever, is beautiful, amazing, and glorifying to my Father in Heaven who I love. I am here because He has me here. Not from my desire, but by His mercy. I feel a burning in my heart to stress more and more who Jesus is because it is overwhelming how REAL and POWERFUL He is in my life and I want everyone to know He is open and ready to live in their hearts. God gave Jesus as a free gift to us. Here's my bible study that I did with the girls...

CLIFF ONE
-man
-sin (only capable of wrong)

CLIFF TWO
-God
-Holy (only capable of doing right)

PIT
-in between us there's a pit of fire and rocks separating us from Him

PROBLEM-
God wants us to know Him and live with Him in His holiness but we are separated by sin. Therefore He gives us a FREE gift:

BRIDGE for the CLIFFS-
Jesus is the bridge. God gave us Jesus as a FREE gift that bridges the cliffs together and gives us the opportunity to do right and know God. When our lives are over, we will cross the bridge completely and enter eternal life with God.

A Gift- If I give you a marker, I am holding it out for you to take but it isn't actually yours until you take it from my hand. Jesus is there, out there waiting. All you have to do is receive Him as Lord of your life. It's beautiful. It's worth it. It's a 7 year old possibility and an eternal truth.