Summer. School. & Summer School.

I'm sitting here, 48 hours before my last class EVER, as if I have nothing to do...This past week/weekend has seemed like a blur & I think I'm in denial of everything I need to get done. Mercy Street is winding down. Tomorrow is our last event & we're going out with a bang! We're hosting our Jr. Intern banquet & then taking everyone to Pine Cove! I'm super pumped about all these festivities, but I'm overwhelmed with how FAST this summer has gone! Last time I checked, I was still living on campus as an RA. Where does the time go? In two weeks I'll be moving to another city, and STUDENT-TEACHING! The more I think about it, the more I realize how unprepared & ready I am for the real world. BUT I am pretty excited to be in the classroom with 23 little kindergarten monsters. I think it will be just what I need to follow my amazing summer!

Just as a friendly reminder & encouragement, Colossians 3:12-17
"12 Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, 13 bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. 14 And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. 15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him."

My prayer is that the peace of Christ would rule in my heart as this huge transition takes place, that I will always trust and depend on HIM.

delaine

Last day of camp

Today was the last full day of ATX Younglife Capernaum camp! But before I start on the festivities of today, I must include the amazing cabin time last night with my girls! After our club talk, which was based upon the truth of God wanting to be in a relationship with us, so he gave Jesus to be our mediator & perfect sacrifice, we headed back to our rooms & I tried to pry some good conversations with my buddies. At first they were not having it. They wanted to turn on Seaame Street & go to bed, but I looked at them & told them I really wanted to leave the weekend knowing more about them. Since we were friends, I told them I wanted to hang out & talk like friends. To my surprise, they were both willing & wanting to talk & get to know me! 

Laura started jumping up & down (typical of LB to do when she gets really excited) and asked questions about me & I asked questions about her & Julie. I asked them what makes them special & why Jesus would want to get to know them! We talked about how I wanted to get to know them, & how even more Jesus wants to get to know them! As we continued to talk, Laura & Julie walked me through the Gospel & explained who Jesus was, why He did what He did, and what our life should look like if we believed Him. Simply put, they get it. They understand & know that they were made with a purpose & that is to love God, love people, & tell others about His love. It was such a sweet night talking with my buddies & seeing their hearts. It goes to show that everyone, including those who seem incapable of understanding something like Jesus, can absolutely understand & believe Jesus came to save even them! THAT is what Younglife exists for, to build relationships & trust with students, love them while pointing them to Christ, & ultimately to see their passion for Jesus grow! 

After cabbin time, it was as if crazy dust was sprinkled in the air unit & inhaled into the girls lungs, because they went NUTS! Maybe it was just a mix of reassurance/energy of knowing that Jesus is who He says He is & the 3rd night of camp, but the girls were attacked by the giggles!! They were so silly & were making me laugh SO hard!! Julie thought this water bottle was so funny & giggled about it until she fell asleep & LB sang & watched Sesame Street until she could no more (or more accurately when the melatonin kicked in). 

Today before we headed back to Dallas, we took our friends to Main Event! We played games, ate pizza, bowled, played lazer tag & put-put golf! Fun was had by all, & pretty much everyone was pooped & ready to be back home! 

This may be my absolute favorite picture of all weekend. Scott seriously LOVES Andrew so much & gets so excited every time he sees him! He was just so excited, he basically tackled Andrew in his chair....so great. 

& of course Andrew took it like a pro & laughed it off. 

On our way home I sat with Harish, our newest friend. He is the sweetest & happiest kid I've ever met. His family is Indian & pretty positive Hindu, which is why I think it's so incredible that his family allows him to come with us to camps & all our club meetings! I feel like this is a HUGE open door God is using to lead Harish & his entire family to Him. Younglife not only affects the students, but their families too. What a GREAT opportunity we have to share Gods love with Harish AND his family! I'm convinced that this is why Harish ever started coming to our club meetings! God is so loving & wants to be in a relationship with  ALL His people! 

Harish is so full of life, quirkiness & love! He made quite the entertaining bus buddy! 

This weekend was absolutely incredible. Although I didn't get any sleep & it was a lot of work, being able to hang out with my friends was all worth it! ATX Capernaum Camp 2013 was a great success! 

Sat/Sunday Funday

Saturday was a fun day in ATX for our Capernaum friends! We went to the Austin Kids Museum & had tacos for dinner at Wahoo's Tacos!  Here's a great photo of my buddy, Julie! Fish faces by the fish tank! 

Onto Sunday! Today was a BLAST! I'm so shocked at how so smooth this weekend has gone! All the leaders were just talking about how great it's been & how awesome our friends have been! Not many accidents, and great attitudes for the most part! This morning I walked downstairs to find these two goobers catching up on the Sunday Morning News! Billy (left) Herish (right) seriously are the funniest!! 

Today we went to church at Christ Church In ATX. The entire congregation was so welcoming & friendly to our friends! Here's my favorite photo from church. Scott (left) has an emence amount of physical touch, & his leader Andrew (right) loves him so patiently! This is why I love Younglife Capernaum so much, all our friends are so quick to love, help & so easily change any mood! 

After church we had lunch (thank you Jason's Deli) & then headed to a fun little water park off Travis Lake! After what seemed like hours of sunblocking all our friends, we had a BLAST at the water park! There were slides, pools, & water volleyball! Needless to say, our friends had so much fun! 

One of my personal (selfish) favorites is the babies of the director & other leaders! I can easily say that they are the stinkin cutest babies ever, I could just squish them! Meet Lucy (left) & Coco (right), sweet precious babes! 

JUST LOOK AT HER!! 

Today was such a blast! Tomorrow wraps up our ATX camp that I've been long looking forward to! This weekend was definitely a highlight to my summer, I can't wait for the school semester to start up just so I get to see all these awesome friends every Sunday!! 

(I couldn't help but post this photo..there was a ride at the water park that literally drops you off a cliff...here is a PHENOMENAL photo of Trystin & Courtney tackling the ride, one silent scream at a time!! *zoom in on those faces, priceless.) 

Made in His image

Today's club talk is about being made in the image of God. He cares about us, an awful lot. If God cares about us that much, what does that mean for us to be walking around bearing his image? We would treat every person & every relationship differently. I would think it would be filled with love, joy, peace, patience, faithfulness, kindness, gentleness, & self control. The way He cares about us should revolutionize the way we view & treat others. 

Herish, a new friend of mine. He is so sweet, kind & made in the image of God!

Goodnight, Mr. Bear

This is one of the many reasons I love YoungLife Capernaum. LB is getting ready for bed & Mr. Bear is all tuckered out. Love these kids. They're so sweet & so eager to help.

Wheels on the bus...

We're all loaded up & on our way to ATX! I'm so excited to hang out with my friends, get to know them more & learn from them how to love with no reservation! 

My buddies this weekend are Laura Biel & Julie! I can't wait to experience the energy, the enthusiasm & joy LB has & the sweet spirit Julie has!! This weekend is going to be the best weekend EVER!

More to come from these sweet faces!!

ATX YoungLife Capernaum Camp

I don't think I can appropriately explain how excited I am about this weekend! I get to spend 4 days with some of my favorite friends! Although I've had an INCREDIBLE summer, I've really missed my YoungLife community! They bring such joy & life into my life! I can't wait for school to start so I can see them on a regular basis!

Here are some of my favorites:

My sweet friend, Buddy.

This one, Daniel, is a HOOT!

Oh Dave, what a gem.

Summer 2013; a challenge

This summer I have had the wonderful opportunity to serve at Mercy Street, a nonprofit in West Dallas. (mercystreetdallas.org) Mercy Street exists to bring glory to God, and make disciples in West Dallas-to change West Dallas, and raise Christ-fearing leaders. This summer I've been interning with their Leadership Institute. I've been able to "walk life" with 19 high schoolers from West Dallas: get to know them, learn about their neighborhoods, serve in their community, learn more about other organizations & universities, and walk through the Bible each day with them.

This summer has not only blessed me through the relationships I've gained, but it has replenished my desire to serve the Lord in ALL that I do. Not just in church, with christian organizations, or christian camps, but in the way I live my life. Because of the gospel, because of the truth of Christ humbling himself to save me because He loves me so much, should change the way I live and view life...and lives. Christ came to live, serve, love and "become all things to all people so that some may be saved". (1 Cor 9:19-23) THIS truth should REVOLUTIONIZE the way I live. I should view all people the way Jesus views us-He loved us so much that He came as a ransom & willingly died in our place. He took our sin, a perfect savior, paid the penalty for sin for us. But that's not all He did. He not only took our shame and died our death, but He conquered that shame and death. He rose to life on the third day. (Matthew 27: 24-28:20) He is the only reason we have hope & confidence in a future with God, the loving maker of this world.

This truth should steer my thoughts, my speech, my actions, and my motives to serve others. Whenever I am doubting, scared, unmotivated, I should remember the truth Jesus left the disciples before he ascended, "I will be with you always, even until the end of the age." (Matthew 28:20) Yeah, that's right. Jesus dwells within me & is my guide. Gosh, this is great news that I so often take so lightly. NO, the King of Heaven is on MY side & He wants what is best for me. Who am I to have such love & provision. I always loose sight of this, that is, until something tragic happens. Why does it take horrible things for me to understand that the Lord is on my side. Even way back when Jesus was on this earth, people doubted. (Read Matthew 8, so many accounts where the disciples are asking for signs that He's who He says He is: miracles, feeding 5000, calming the storm ect.)

So I leave this post with a challenge. The simple truth of the gospel, although is difficult to completely grasp, persuade me to serve, love, live in a way like Jesus, to become all things to all people so that some may be saved.

Delaine