I got a new Bible yesterday. There's nothing like those crisp, clean pages waiting to be read and discovered. In some ways, I feel like I'm cheating on my NIV, but hey... it's God's word, so I'm not. :)

Last night we saw Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2. Man, what a good chic flick. It made my heart all warm and fuzzy.

Madi, me, and Anna

My Teepee home

Ask me

Man oh man. Camp is over and my heart is heavy. I think I left a piece of my heart in Indiana.

This week was a great way to end the summer. Willow Creek Church from Chicago took over the camp for the week with 250 junior high students. I was a little nervous about working with older kids, but the presence and security of the Lord was there all week. I was able to bond with these girls. Oh baby, hot gravy. They were amazing!

One girl named Paige really opened up to me and my co-counselor, Cat. She was one of those girls that seemed to have everything together in her life-spiritually and emotionally. She was awesome. On Wednesday, she came to me and Cat with a heavy heart, anxious to talk to us. I sat there in the amphitheatre as she talked about issues with her body image and her family problems. All I could tell her is that she was a beautiful creation of the Lord, meant for greatness and wonder. I was surprised at how she could recognize her need for change. We prayed with her. She was probably the hardest to say goodbye to, simply because of the bond we had created.

After the kids left and numerous hours of work projects, we gathered in the dining hall for dinner. We had worship and then we circled up in the dining hall for our typical goodbye song. A song that we had sung so many times brought tears to my eyes.

My friends may you grow in grace
And in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior
My friends may you grow in grace
And in the knowledge of Jesus Christ

To God be the Glory
Now and Forever
Now and Forever, Amen
To god be the Glory
Now and Forever
Now and Forever, Amen.

It's so hard to leave, but I know I'll be back. This is something I'm certain of.

But now it's time to get to work. I want to share. I want to be bold. I want to proclaim his name from the rooftops for all to hear. I want to tell you how God has changed me this summer before I tell about those kids-say-the-darndest-things moments.

I want you to know how God provided.
I want you to know how God strenghtened and empowered.
I want you to know how God changed.

Ask me.

Need an update?

Let me start out by saying that camp is amazing. I love it. God has blessed me so much through this experience and I feel so close to him. He is good. All the time. He has been teaching me a lot about selflessness, a lot about loving others because really who am I to deny them love? When it gets hard, it's Christ's love that I have to let show through me. I am also learning a lot about patience and a lot about my capabilities. I have answered questions this summer that I have never thought about or would never have known the answer. Amazingly, but not surprisingly, God provides that answer. He gives me the words to say when I am simply speechless. Oh man my God is amazing. Let me tell you what.

I've been home from camp for a week. Things have been different. My parents always said that when you leave and come back things are different. They were right. Hate to say so, but they are. So I've been reveling in this new change, feeling somewhat out of place. Life at home has moved on and I guess I have moved on too. Maybe changed is the better word. I've changed too. Who wouldn't? Although a month doesn't seem that long, it is. Life continues.

I was feeling out of place and nostalgic, but tonight was a good end to the week. It brought me back home, to comfortable, to normal. Everything that I hate about our group is everything that is normal and comfortable to me. It's everything that I really love. We loiter very badly. We are very indecisive. This is true. But this is what I needed. Being with my friends in that moment of indecision and craziness is what I needed. Oh man, it was good. I miss them.

Tomorrow I go back to camp. Back to my teepee in the woods with no air conditioning and a port-o-potty to boot. Believe it or not, I'm ready to go back and finish these last 4-ish weeks. God has much in store and I'm ready.

Until next time.
Lindsey

Adios and that sort.

Here goes nothing.

Ready or not, here I come.

Camp. :)

Woo. I am so tired. We played ethnic dominoes last night. Who knew that dominoes could be so fun? I sure didn't. Betsy and Jessica made me cupcakes for my last Wednesday night. They were good.

Sarah spent the night, which resulted in staying up way too late to wake up way too early. We talked a whole lot and laughed a whole lot too.

So Betsy and Jessica also bought me one of my favorite snacks that everyone else thinks is disgusting, circus peanuts. Oh man. I was thrilled. I put them near my bag during ethnic dominoes time. Then I left later. At home Sarah and I were nearing the end of our conversation when I realized that I had no circus peanuts. They were gone. I literally got up out of bed, checked my bag, and called Justin because he hid them. Needless to say, it was funny.

I leave tomorrow. What the frick? Camp has always been so far in the future, now it's here. Woa man. It's crazy.

I don't know what it is, but lately I have been so very emotional. This morning I was watching the 90's movie The Little Giants and I got all teary eyed.

Saying goodbye to people at work broke my heart.

This week I'll say goodbye to family and friends for 2 and a half months. Not forever, but goodbyes in any form still suck. What the mug? I hate them.

The nerves are starting to hit me. As my days at home dwindle, I begin to doubt everything.

Do I really want to be away from home that long?
Do I have what it takes to teach these kids about Jesus?
Will people like me?

The list goes on and on.

But as I worry and doubt myself, I realize that God has a plan. Really, it's not about me. It's not about words I can say or things I can do to reach these kids. It's what he gives me that will do it. It's the message and actions that he leads me through. It's him, not me. Thank you Jesus for that. Oh man. If I had to lead kids to follow Jesus by just being frickin' awesome, it wouldn't happen.

This summer will be trying. I will grow. Hopefully I will come back a little different, a little tanner(yea right) and still frickin' awesome. Don't you worry. I will come back with great stories and wonderful memories. I will want to tell you all about them. All the kids. All the fun activities. The trips. Everything.

I have two more weeks left. As I sit here, I can tell you what each day holds, trying to fit every bit of time with family, friends, and home in before I leave. It's weird. But as nervous as I am, I'm ready. It'll be an adventure. And I know I won't be alone. That's for sure.