Summer - Here and Gone

WOW!! This summer has been an amazing/wild ride. It feels as if graduations just happened last week and I was looking towards summer camps and fair time was still months away. Now - its all done and over with and school is starting up. Yup - you read that correctly - school is starting again.
I go back to "WOW - where did the summer go"!

While the summer has been an amazing ride - I have learned many valuable lessons through the summer on 2018. Now that I am on the other side of most of the lessons from the summer - I would not trade them for anything. As painful and uncomfortable as those lessons have been and are I have learned many valuable things. I'll let you in on a few.

Summer Camps. This year I was blessed to be able to attend both High School and Middle School summer camps. Each one brought something different to the table and at the same time both had the same core. Giving students the pause in life to connect with God and with those around them. Not having the distractions of Netflix or social media allowed them and myself to take a break and truly listen to what God was speaking to them. I saw students who were timid and afraid begin to find their voices and find healing in their lives. Students began to get a glimpse of what their future with God would and will look like. Most of all, I saw lives changed. Not just in students but in my own life. I saw for one of the first times or maybe in a new light - the importance of camp.
We all need to be rejuvenated. We all need to stop for 'gas' at some point. We should be doing this daily - filling up our tanks to be able to continue on our journey with those around us and with God our Creator, who longs for a deep, intimate relationship with us. In some ways, summer camp for students is an "oil change". Through life and school, junk of this life attaches to us and our journey with God and others can change and become 'dirty' at times. Summer camp allows us - students and leaders - to be able to change the oil and get rid of the old and start with the brand new again. Students are able to change the filter and to be to start fresh.  (Side note I work with cars.....so these types of analogies come easily)
This is why - if you have a child or know of a student in 7-12 grade that has never had a summer camp experience, I would HIGHLY encourage you send them. God does and will do amazing things at a summer camp and is worth every penny of it. IF you are close to our ministry, I would love to take them! Just comment below and I'll get in touch with you!

 A hard lesson that I am learning and have learned this summer personally: Life isn't always as it seems. Sometimes things come around to help mold you into a better person, friend, daughter, and sister. And sometimes heartbreak is just apart of life. But through all of these times God has shown me that through pain reconciliation happens. Through heartache of when life isn't fair, I found a Friend and Comforter that never leaves me alone even when 11:30pm hits and sleep is far away but tears are knocking at the door.
My God cares for the brokenhearted and will never leave me. My God allows me to give him all my burdens not matter how small or how big they are. My God loves me with an unconditional love. My God cares for ME! (Hebrews 13:5; 1 Peter 5:7; Psalm 34:18; Philippians 4:6-7)
Although I have always known these truths - this summer these truths have become more real to me. They have been what I have had to lean on when life doesn't make sense.

Joy truly is a choice no matter the situation and/or circumstance. Hard work does/will pay off and don't allow failure keep you down. Prayer circles make a difference and God is still moving and changing lives today.  These are just a few lessons that I have learned from the summer of 2018.

Life isn't always as it seems and that is okay. This is where some of my most memorable adventures have come from. The unexpected moments - the moments of allowing God to guide me through the twists and turns of life. Start looking at every high and low moment in life and find - no search out the lesson that God is teaching you. Allow God to open your eyes to His story, to His purpose and plan. Allow Him to mold you into who you were truly created to be. Allow God to work through your highs and lows in life.

Most importantly - hang on tight to Jesus - the ride through life will be amazing and so much more than you could ever imagine and dream of.

MOMO

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