Ending the School Year and Beginning an Amazing Summer 2014

I know it has been a while since I've posted, but finishing up with school and preparing for nine weeks in New Mexico have kept me quite busy!

We finished out the school year strong and I'm so blessed to have had these students in my class. One of my students said they got saved at the end of the year, which was incredible news! 

We took an end of the year trip to Holiday World- No students left behind, only one freakout on a roller coaster, lots of water rides, I got my screams in while everyone laughed, we left with tired smiling faces. The trip they talked about all year.... complete. 

My grandmother passed away the week before Beth and I left, so we missed the funeral (celebration of her life) which was difficult for both of us finding closure. My grandma fell asleep here on earth and woke in the presence of her Savior. She was such a faithful servant and a wonderful example of one who displayed God's love and forgiveness to all around her. I rejoice that she is now eternally in the presence of her Heavenly Father and the certainty one day I will see her again.

In seeking God about my purpose for this summer He revealed to me that He wants to show me a new perspective of who He is (in a deeper, more real way) and what He wants to do in and through me as I allow Him. He's in this process of healing and opening my heart past the pain of hurt and change. In turn I want my campers to fall more in love with this amazing God and to experience Him in a personal way. My prayer is for every person who comes to Broken Arrow to encounter God in such a way that they cannot leave the same. I'm going with great expectation knowing my God can do BIG things!

 I am blessed to work with this great group of people the next 8 weeks.

Each one has touched my life in some way this first week. We had a wonderful time camping in Colorado. The weather was beautiful. The drive (minus the scary drop-offs) was amazing.Staff orientation week ended with an amazing campfire. My prayer is that we each remember the moment God spoke so clearly to us. My summer theme is "Let It Go". I am experiencing a new freedom in letting things go and completely trusting God. It is a daily dying to myself. As a wise someone said, "It isn't easy but it's worth it."


Camp week one... check. Some things I learned this week: UNO was motivating for my campers and I could play even while sleep deprived. Never say no to a camper that asks you to play basketball and you may find you actually enjoy it. Laughter is a good stress reliever. Be honest- we are all in the same boat. Last, my wranglers were amazing! Each one blessed me so much this week.

Camp week two... What a challenging and blessed week this has been! I see why the warfare was great as last night one of my campers that I'd been praying for got up and shared at campfire she accepted Christ last night and there were questions about salvation from another camper too. There is a battle for these campers souls! I'm humbled that Beth came alongside me to encourage me to press on when things were really tough. God is doing amazing things in her! We are all exhausted and ask God each day for his grace to continue strong. Highlights of this week include playing soccer with my campers with staff vs campers (we won 5-4 but it was close), hearing one of my girls say camp is important to her because she learns so much about God, dance sessions during dodgeball, the sliming of Josh Hillis when the campers said their verses and books of the Bible (even though it ended with me covered in slime too), and the list goes on...

My heart is breaking today. We lost a member of our family way too soon. I didn't get to say goodbye and going home knowing she won't run and greet me at the door with her chipper self is hard to comprehend. But God reminded me through the tears..... The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away. Blessed be the name of the Lord. 

Last Christmas together

A rare moment of stillness for our energetic Patches

This updates most of the highlights of the last month. I am looking forward with excitement as I see all that God is teaching me through the easy and hard times. Teen camp is next week and I can't wait to see "my girls" from the previous summers. I am finding God's grace is sufficient for me each day. My next post will be all the things I am learning....

Running the Race

nervous smile before the race

she's ready to go

Recently I had the opportunity to participate for the first time in a 5k at Champaign, IL, as part of the WBGL Team Abolition International with my sister, Hannah. I hadn't done much training aside from my regular walking and workouts each week, but I knew I could easily walk it. My nerves started to kick in as we got our shirts and bib numbers. Before the race, we gathered with the WBGL staff to pray and get a team picture. This is when I realized, this is really happening!

WBGL Abolition International team picture

before the crowds converged

Hannah and I waiting to line up

After we took the picture, Hannah and I walked to the starting line where we had to wait for over an hour for the race to start. This was the hardest part for me- standing, waiting, and the questions that flooded my mind about what was ahead in the next 3 miles. In the beginning there weren't too many people, but by the time we lined up there were close to 7,000 people. We were arranged according to our estimated finishing times, so Hannah and I were in the last two corrals. They sent each group off separately, so things wouldn't be too crowded. As the sun was setting the time had finally arrived. We sang the National Anthem, got the all clear from the police, counted down, and group A (the fastest runners) was off and running. After a minute or two they counted down again and group B started and so on until they got to my group (group E). 

 
The anticipation continued building as we walked up to the starting line and the final seconds counted down before we were told we were a go. Once we cleared the starting line the chips in our bibs started clocking our time. The first thing I noticed was that the roads were lined with people cheering for the runners. Everyone started off running, but many dropped back to walk as we got closer to the one mile mark.

seconds before my group was given the go ahead to start

I kept at a steady pace and told myself not to push it. I found it helped to have such a large group to run with. I enjoyed seeing the parents run with their children. I passed the one mile mark and still felt pretty good, so I decided to keep running. There was a water stop between one and two miles, which re-energized me a bit. Once I passed mile two I was determined to not stop running. I focused on those around me, the people cheering on the sidelines, and quoted Bible verses about not giving up and enduring to the end. I don't have many chances to push myself to the limit, but this was one chance I had. As I ran I thought about why I was doing this, why I had chosen to be a part of WBGL's Team Abolition International. There are so many people caught in human trafficking. It is a much bigger problem than I had ever imagined, even in our state! I was running to represent those who can't run, who aren't free. The back of my shirt said "Jesus came to set the captives free". Our team had spent several months raising money to build a home for those that are rescued. Thinking on this gave me the strength to keep running. The last 1/2 mile was the hardest for me. Even though the sun had set I was quite hot and it took a lot of determination to keep running. Once the stadium was in sight I got a last wind for the last 50 yards and finished the race in 38 minutes. The stadium was full of people that had already finished or people waiting to welcome their friends and family. I had made it, but now it was time to cheer my sister though. She ran the last 50 yards and I missed her crossing the finish. I was really proud of her for making it under an hour!

I am really thankful that even though we didn't complete the race together we still were able to share the experience of doing our first 5k. We met up with some other friends that had also run for some last minute pictures before heading home. I am very thankful that God kept us safe in running (no muscle cramping), gave us the strength and endurance we didn't think we had, and allowed us the opportunity to serve others through this event.

Sarah, Tasha, and Alyssa

There are several things I realized while running the 5k that are similar to the Christian life. Hebrews 12:1-2 says "Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.…" I had to have endurance. Even though I didn't necessarily train for this race, I had done many things that built up my endurance. It also says to throw off all that hinders or entangles you. I wouldn't have run well if I had decided to take everything I thought about carrying that I might need. I had to lay it all aside. I fixed my eyes on the goal, the finish line. I didn't keep looking behind me to see who was there, because that would have slowed me down and possibly caused me to stumble. I couldn't let myself get easily distracted by those ahead of me or the crowds on the sidelines. I had to stay focused. In life it is easy to get distracted and lose focus of what is important- our relationship with God first and living Christ so others see Him through us. Like it says in 2Timothy 4:7 I want to say " I have fought a good fight, I have finished [my] course, I have kept the faith". Is it easy? No. At times I wanted to stop, but the reward is worth it. 

So, I have conquered a 5k. I think it's time to train to do a 10k. After that? Who knows.

When One Door Closes, Another Opens

Four months ago I started an application process for a teaching position in the Dominican republic. I felt God calling me to go. He opened every door along the way and I was following His lead. There was complete peace with every step I took. But in the last few weeks my heart started saying stay here. God is blessing things I'm involved with- at school and church. There are so many things I do not want to leave. I love serving with our church. I want our school to stay open and grow. I am connecting with the students in our youth group more each week (especially my 6th grade girls in small group). I had the opportunity to go with the junior high students to the Believe Conference in Peoria. So, I started questioning if He was done with me here. However I did not want to make my decision based on emotions. So I waited on God to open or close the door- which felt like forever. Recently I found out they went with the other candidate based on their 2nd language skills, as much as they were impressed with me. I feel so much peace knowing God has closed one door but He's NOT done with me here! I get to return to New Mexico this summer and reconnect with campers/staff, continue working with awesome youth groups, teach where I love another year, and expand my volunteering in the community. There are endless opportunities. In His time He'll direct me if He chooses to send me somewhere else. Looking back I realized that God taught me so many lessons through this journey (that never really ends). He showed me what it truly means to rest in Him- to have such a close, dependent relationship with Him that I find peace that passes human understanding no matter where I am or what my circumstances are. He brought me through times of waiting and helped me not jump ahead of His timeline. God has confirmed His will for me to remain here multiple times through my conversations with family, my excited students, coworkers, youth group sponsors, etc. It is comforting to know I'm right where God wants me at this time in my life.