ZENITH 2008
Ok, so of course as normal things have gotten away from me and we have now been home from camp for a little over a week and I have yet to post. My apologies to those of you who have been waiting. I have really been trying to decide what to share and what to leave out because there is so much I would love to share!!!!
This was my rookie year at this camp. :) Kelly, Sarah and I went and they had been several summers before. However, I was determined not to be left out this summer!!!! There was NO WAY they were leaving me behind!! So, most, if not all, of you know that this was the first time for me to leave Braeden for any real length of time. I dropped him off and cried all the way back to Kelly's house. Got thru the first night and we left early the next morning...just me and Kel because Sarah was in Chicago at a leadership conference and was later flying into OK to meet us. I think I did pretty good on the way to OK. I am not even sure if I cried or not. It was a LONG LONG LONG roadtrip, but was lots of fun!!! I will spare you those details! lol!!! Lets just say at one point in time Kelly almost choked to death on her water because we were laughing so hard and all I could do was laugh...and in between the laughing ask her if she was ok!!!
We got to camp and the whole way I was hoping to be in the same room as Sarah. Being the first time away from Braeden and the first time at this camp, I figured I needed the support...God figured otherwise. lol. So, Kelly and I went to check in and let them know we were there and I get our room assignments. Poor Niki was like I have some bad news....you aren't with Sarah. I think I handled it quite well....until I got to the room and I LOST IT! I really was just very overwhelmed and everything just hit at that moment. I think I cried for over an hour and really was torn between wanting to go home and not wanting to miss anything! I was physically exhausted from the trip and emotionally exhausted on top of that. I mean, we did have to pick Sarah up from the airport...I COULD just get on a plane and go home. lol. That night after picking Sarah up and coming back to campus (Oklahoma Christian University--where camp was held) Sarah and I ended up staying in Kelly's room. The next morning I slept until like 11....DO YOU KNOW WHEN THE LAST TIME THAT HAPPENED WAS?!?!? lol. I really needed it! My emotions had somewhat calmed down by this point as well. I had started to relax some and really was trying to trust that God wanted me there for a reason. I FINALLY moved my stuff into my room and found that Sarah and I weren't really all that far apart room-wise. Also we were on the same lunch schedule. I realized we would be able to see each other some and I wasn't going to have to just figure everything out all by myself.
At some point we got our co-counselor assignments and I had a guy named Sam...who had been there before. PRAISE GOD!!! Someone who knew what was going on. God has a sense of humor though because as soon as I got comfortable with that...it all changed. My new co-counselor was Jeremy. Guess what?!?! It was his first year too!!! I did ok with that though, lol, and decided we would work through it all together! :)
The week was absolutely AWESOME!!!!! God is SO GOOD! You have to realize that I grew up going to camps that did not have air conditioning....and we were even lucky to have electricity AT ALL in our cabins! lol. This was not so bad after all!! LOL! God really moved through the camp and through the kids and staff's lives! It was awesome to be able to be a part of that. All week long (running on about 4-5 hours of sleep a night) I was working on my testimony because I really had felt God laying it on my heart to share. I argued with God a little on that one because I was like...."are you sure God?!??! These are teenage girls, and I don't know that that is really a good idea to share some of this stuff!!!" He was sure and I pressed on in typing my testimony up for them and planned to give it to them on the last night with some other resources they could take home. Well, God had another plan up his sleeve and I am not even sure why. As soon as I got agreeable to give my testimony to the girls, God said he wanted to boys to have a copy too!!! I was really like NO WAY for that one!!!! But decided He knew what he was doing (even when I don't) and gave a copy with the resources to the boys and the girls and my co-counselor in my group. It was well received I believe and I pray that it keeps some kids from going through anything similar to what I put myself through!!!!
The last night was awesome!!! I felt led to really share, with much encouraging from my fabulous friends, some information about witnessing and examining one's self to see where you are at with God. It was very well received from the kids. Not only this, but without even talking to him, my co-counselor had the same thing on his heart!!! It was really cool for me to watch how things just work for the glory of His plans!!! I am so thankful I was obedient to this!!!!! I am SO SO SO thankful I went and STAYED at camp. I met some awesome friends, that I spent a week at camp with, and will spend the rest of time on this Earth with as friends...then just as an added bonus....will get to spend eternity with in Heaven!!! :) :) :)
Thanks Niki for your compassion and understanding in how I was feeling with leaving Braeden. Thanks Benny for your silliness and all the laughs and fun! And thanks John for all the fun conversations!!!! :)
This was my rookie year at this camp. :) Kelly, Sarah and I went and they had been several summers before. However, I was determined not to be left out this summer!!!! There was NO WAY they were leaving me behind!! So, most, if not all, of you know that this was the first time for me to leave Braeden for any real length of time. I dropped him off and cried all the way back to Kelly's house. Got thru the first night and we left early the next morning...just me and Kel because Sarah was in Chicago at a leadership conference and was later flying into OK to meet us. I think I did pretty good on the way to OK. I am not even sure if I cried or not. It was a LONG LONG LONG roadtrip, but was lots of fun!!! I will spare you those details! lol!!! Lets just say at one point in time Kelly almost choked to death on her water because we were laughing so hard and all I could do was laugh...and in between the laughing ask her if she was ok!!!
We got to camp and the whole way I was hoping to be in the same room as Sarah. Being the first time away from Braeden and the first time at this camp, I figured I needed the support...God figured otherwise. lol. So, Kelly and I went to check in and let them know we were there and I get our room assignments. Poor Niki was like I have some bad news....you aren't with Sarah. I think I handled it quite well....until I got to the room and I LOST IT! I really was just very overwhelmed and everything just hit at that moment. I think I cried for over an hour and really was torn between wanting to go home and not wanting to miss anything! I was physically exhausted from the trip and emotionally exhausted on top of that. I mean, we did have to pick Sarah up from the airport...I COULD just get on a plane and go home. lol. That night after picking Sarah up and coming back to campus (Oklahoma Christian University--where camp was held) Sarah and I ended up staying in Kelly's room. The next morning I slept until like 11....DO YOU KNOW WHEN THE LAST TIME THAT HAPPENED WAS?!?!? lol. I really needed it! My emotions had somewhat calmed down by this point as well. I had started to relax some and really was trying to trust that God wanted me there for a reason. I FINALLY moved my stuff into my room and found that Sarah and I weren't really all that far apart room-wise. Also we were on the same lunch schedule. I realized we would be able to see each other some and I wasn't going to have to just figure everything out all by myself.
At some point we got our co-counselor assignments and I had a guy named Sam...who had been there before. PRAISE GOD!!! Someone who knew what was going on. God has a sense of humor though because as soon as I got comfortable with that...it all changed. My new co-counselor was Jeremy. Guess what?!?! It was his first year too!!! I did ok with that though, lol, and decided we would work through it all together! :)
The week was absolutely AWESOME!!!!! God is SO GOOD! You have to realize that I grew up going to camps that did not have air conditioning....and we were even lucky to have electricity AT ALL in our cabins! lol. This was not so bad after all!! LOL! God really moved through the camp and through the kids and staff's lives! It was awesome to be able to be a part of that. All week long (running on about 4-5 hours of sleep a night) I was working on my testimony because I really had felt God laying it on my heart to share. I argued with God a little on that one because I was like...."are you sure God?!??! These are teenage girls, and I don't know that that is really a good idea to share some of this stuff!!!" He was sure and I pressed on in typing my testimony up for them and planned to give it to them on the last night with some other resources they could take home. Well, God had another plan up his sleeve and I am not even sure why. As soon as I got agreeable to give my testimony to the girls, God said he wanted to boys to have a copy too!!! I was really like NO WAY for that one!!!! But decided He knew what he was doing (even when I don't) and gave a copy with the resources to the boys and the girls and my co-counselor in my group. It was well received I believe and I pray that it keeps some kids from going through anything similar to what I put myself through!!!!
The last night was awesome!!! I felt led to really share, with much encouraging from my fabulous friends, some information about witnessing and examining one's self to see where you are at with God. It was very well received from the kids. Not only this, but without even talking to him, my co-counselor had the same thing on his heart!!! It was really cool for me to watch how things just work for the glory of His plans!!! I am so thankful I was obedient to this!!!!! I am SO SO SO thankful I went and STAYED at camp. I met some awesome friends, that I spent a week at camp with, and will spend the rest of time on this Earth with as friends...then just as an added bonus....will get to spend eternity with in Heaven!!! :) :) :)
Thanks Niki for your compassion and understanding in how I was feeling with leaving Braeden. Thanks Benny for your silliness and all the laughs and fun! And thanks John for all the fun conversations!!!! :)
Me and Kel (the way there)
Unbound
Zach and Frazier
Me and Jeremy
Our Group (on their best behavior)
Our Group (Reality-lol)
Mary, Molly, Tristan
Bethany
Rhett
Natalie, Kelly, Sarah, me, and Niki
Max and Benny
There are some other pictures that I would love to share of the way home....but I think my life might be in danger if I did share them...... LOL!
2 comments:
Friend, I AM SO GLAD YOU GOT TO COME!!! It was such a blessing to have you there, and it was awesome to watch God move in YOUR life as well that week, beckoning you to trust Him. So grateful to be a partner in the Gospel with you sister! Love ya!
I was thrilled to have you at camp and you did an AWESOME job! I knew you would. ;) I'm so glad you are coming to love this camp as much as I do and I hope you keep coming back!
Hey! Why didn't I get a copy of your testimony too??? Can you email it to me? Let's chat soon. I'd love to hear more about your week since we didn't get much of a chance to visit.
About Braeden, sometimes it does both mother and child good to be apart for a few days. It makes us appreciate what we have, don't you think? It also allows for a little breathing room and a reminder that we are not the only ones on the planet capable of taking care of our children. Sobering, but true. An adventure away from us now and then is a healthy thing. It makes them appreciate us more too. :)
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