this session was opposite in all ways.
there were 20 more campers, everyone got sick, and i left halfway through.
a session where a lot of conversations needed to be had, where campers were tough. but what an opportunity for the gospel! what a time to have refinement && sanctification through camper interaction.
a session where we chased double rainbows && made pies until 11 pm.
where i got to have some super cool conversations and some much needed things were shared. it was a hard week, but it was one where the response was prayer && the reaction was kindness!
in the second half of 1 Peter 2, we are learning about how God's identity for us is servants of God. that this identity for us is laid out in verse 16, that we are servants not celebrities. asking ourselves the question: does my accessibility && interrupt-ability reflect that? that we are called to suffer, and to ask the Lord to give us grace to suffer well. that we have the hope that we will never go through suffering w/o shepherding.
in Colossians 1:24-2:15, we see the contrast between the empty deceit of worldly things, and the whole fullness that is in Christ. that the mystery spoken of here is the gospel!
in Esther, we are reinforcing the knowledge that there shouldn't be insane value placed in physical appearance && vanity, but that the Lord looks at the heart! that the blessing of the Lord in evident, He gives favor!
in Zephaniah, we receive the promise that the Lord hides His righteous, that He is the only safe place! that Zephaniah 2:15 is the fulfillment of James 4:6!!
off-time this weekend was different. i went to be with my family for four days to celebrate a life well-lived. to celebrate the knowledge that my grandpa was met with "well done, good & faithful servant" from our Heavenly Father. a man who served in ministry for 40 years as a minister && many more as the conference historian && rotary club work. a man who wrote an outline for his own memorial, in hopes that the hymns and scripture (Romans 8:31-39) would not be a comfort to us, but would encourage those who heard it to move closer to Christ && spur us on in our walks with Him. a man who left a legacy of service & lifted the gospel with his life. prayers were answered, gospel was spread, && rest was had.
i got to see some of my favorite people in the super short amount of time i was actually in Dallas, && man was it good for my soul. to be able to hug the people that know my heart && get a slight recharge from spending time with them && hugging my dog.
prayers would be for servant hearts to run rampant, energy to be renewed, && lives to be forever changed by the transformative love of Christ!
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