New Mexico

Well, my friends, it's that time of year again. The sun is hot, the sky is a beautiful smog-filled blue, and the mountains are a deep mahogany brown. That means it's summer and summer means one thing--high school summer camp! We leave on Sunday night for a 20-hour bus ride to Glorieta, New Mexico. I can't wait because camp is always such a wonderful time to spend with some of my girls and to get to know them better. I'd appreciate if you could pray for me while I'm away for the week. Here are some specifics you can pray for:

1. Safety- We are going far away which increases the chance of accidents on the road.

2. Health- It's easy to get sick because of the lack of sleep with the amount of physical energy we exert. It's no fun to be sick at camp.

3. Me and my girls- Pray for the Lord to give me wisdom as I lead small groups with my girls. Pray that I will have the right words to say and that the girls would grow in their walks with the Lord as a result.

4. Growth- Rick Holland is our camp speaker and he is one of my favorite pastors, so I know this will be a good time for me to reflect on my own walk and to grow in my own love for the Lord. Pray that the Lord would reveal my sin to me and that I would be teachable and repent.

Here are a couple of pictures from our last camp in January, winter camp:

A Great and Inestimable Mercy (Letters of J.C. Philpot)

It is great and inestimable mercy when our various trials and troubles are made a means of driving us to the Lord, as our only hope and help.

Those circumstances, outward or inward, temporal or spiritual, which…stir up an earnest spirit of prayer, make us cease from the creature, beat us out of all false refuges, wean us from the world, show us the vileness and deceitfulness of our hearts, lead us up to Jesus, and make Him near, dear, and precious--must be considered blessings.

It is true, troubles rarely come to us as such, or at the time appear as such--no, they usually appear as if they would utterly swallow us up! But we must judge of them by their fruits and effects.

Job could not see the hand of God in his troubles and afflictions. But it was made plain after he was brought to abhor himself and repent in dust and ashes.

I am very sure, if we are in the right way, we shall find it a rough way, and have many trials and troubles.

“God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in His holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.” Hebrews 12:10-11.

Times Are A Changin'

I remember when I could exercise as much as I wanted, and not get sore.

I remember when I could go to the bank without being called ma'am.

I remember when summer was actually summer.

I remember when I could eat anything without feeling guilty.

I remember when 25 seemed old.

I remember when driving was fun.

Time goes by so fast, it's almost unbelievable. Years vanish like a shadow in the dark right before my eyes and I look back and have no idea where those years went. Now I understand why Scripture commands us to redeem the time. Now I know why God tells us to enjoy our youth. Every day that passes is a day that I can never get back. So, I want to use the time the Lord has given me for His glory. I want to be as useful as I can for the short time that I am here on this earth. I want to be useful and purposeful with every moment so that when my deeds are tested through fire, when I stand before the Lord, what comes out is gold and silver and precious stones...not wood hay and stubble.

It's Hard Being a Girl

I realize the whole concept of submission in marriage doesn't start with marriage. It's a quality I need to cultivate now. But it's not as easy as it sounds. God has given me certain character qualities and I would never use them to excuse my sin, but it does make it a little more difficult. I am opinionated, stubborn, loud, out-spoken, bold--none of those qualities lend themselves to submission. It just means I have to work harder than some other girls. But in the end, God is humbling me and teaching me what it means to prefer others and what it will someday mean for me to willingly put myself under the authority of a husband who will lead as I follow. There is no greater act of trust than for a woman to say--I will choose to submit to you and the decisions you make.

Love and Marriage

My "cousin," Rachel Ham is now Rachel Talbott. She married Byron a week and a half ago. It's surreal. I remember holding her when she was a baby! And now I am throwing her bridal showers and standing up for her in her wedding. Time goes by so fast, and God's plan for every person is so different. I never would have imagined that my 20-year-old neighbor, friend, and "cousin" would get married so soon. She looked beautiful. The wedding was quick and to the point, and everyone had a great time at the reception. It looked like a wedding out of a magazine, honest. The photographer, and my friend, Lukas posted a few of his favorite pictures on his blog.

http://lukasvandyke.blogspot.com/2007/06/byron-and-rachel.html

Check it out!