On a mission from God

           When I read the Wednesday section of this final week’s devotion, I immediately thought of Romans 3:3-4, which I don’t believe coincidentally was the focus of my daily devotion today.

            Romans 3:3-4 says, “Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.” Jesus is testing me to the good big time right now by giving me the opportunity to serve this summer up at the lake. By giving up control of my life and what I think it should look like or what I think I should be doing, I’m putting my full faith and trust in God’s will and plan for me. So far, walking “God’s road” for my life has been absolutely blessed! There have been ups and downs, with many more to come no doubt, but remembering these simple verse has really helped me to understand that God takes everything and uses it for my good, to mold me into the man He intended me to be.

            I truly believe with everything in me that God has called me up to Sonshine this summer. That belief, along with the word of God, has and will continue to encourage me through any trial that presents itself this summer and beyond. We all have a huge opportunity to see God work not only in us, but also through us, to touch countless lives. I’m expecting blood, sweat and tears, but also laughter, joy and communion with each other and God as well. God has put us all in this position for a reason, let’s make the most of it!

-JDK

Out of Body

Week 8:

            The two that really stuck out to me were the Tuesday section on Communion and the Friday section on being simultaneously in and out of your story.

            In thinking about what the union of community looks, sounds and feels like on houseboats this summer, I couldn’t help but be excited. All of us staff who will be up there this summer are at different points on our respective walks with Christ, and we have an awesome opportunity to come alongside each other in times of struggle, to really act as a support system for one another.

            I also really dug the being in the now idea. “In the now, you are simultaneously in your story and yet simultaneously outside of your story observing your own story.” Crazy! This helps me to remember that I’m saved, that I have my place in eternity after I die already for me. In a sense then, because we already know where we’ll end up, we can step outside our present lives and watch them unfold because we are saved. I think worship experiences are especially good at getting us to feel that out-of-body-ness, especially awesome experiences like this past weekend!

-JDK

The AAA Code for Living Like Christ

This past weekend was extremely eye-opening to me. I have been at an impasse with God for the past year (since I was a Barney actually) and I couldn't figure out what was creating this growing gap.  It wasn't until I began to identify myself with Paul did I realize what was wrong.

I realized that I was like Saul, I persecuted those who I viewed to be wrong regardless of their reasons.  Like Saul I avoided God's truth and held tight to my version of His law.  And like Saul I observed Godly people but ignored their nobility all because of my stubbornness of wanting to be right. I manipulated God's will to become my own only with Gods title plastered on it.  Granted I haven't been like this completely since I gave my life to Christ 5 years ago, but I have still struggled with my stubbornness sense then.

Now I am like Paul (with remnants of Saul of course,) I am redeemed, saved, and valued.  I turned from my laws to minister with my language.  My standard rules grew to accompany my new found faith.  Even if my personality is hard to understand I use my words to describe me as best as I can. Like Paul I over explain my statements, and gratefulness in order to not create misunderstandings. I also tend to only believe in things I see and not in just words alone.  Like Paul I've done a 180 and constantly fall into pitfalls. (Like Paul describes in Romans.) Regardless of my shortcomings as Saul/Paul, I am SAVED. 

This identification that I discovered led me to understand my 3 A's.
Admit = Admit to God your sins and understand (mostly) why they were wrong.
Allow = Allow God to break you of your sins, and begin to change you.  If you don't He will never try to change you.
Admire = Admire God for His grace and rejoice in Him.

I was stuck in the Allow part, my issue of stubbornness got in the way of allowing God to change my stubbornness.  I have come to realize that I must constantly drop my stubbornness and pride in order to grow and let God refine me into gold.

I AM SAVED! :)

The Blood that washes!

As Troy Lee and Nate guided us through that powerful time of worship Sunday night, I was reminded of the words we shouted to our King at the top of our lungs.  "What can wash away my sins?... NOTHING BUT THE BLOOD OF JESUS!"  The Sacrificial Lamb's Blood spilled all over those boats as He is preparing them to do a mighty work this summer, So does That Blood wash over us daily! Thanks All for joining in that moment! One I won't soon forget! Campers are coming!!!!!

Stay Shiny Sonshine

At the supermarket. The grocery clerk was scanning the items. As were chatting, he chimed in cheerfully - "I just got back from Tennessee.  I went to church out there and they had a forecast written on their sign. "God reigns and Sonshine." I wear my blue Sonshine shirt 20 to 25 days out of the month usually.  I completely forgot that people actually read the shirt and sometimes think about what it says.  Really caught me off guard in a good way.  I'm excited to see all of you on the water again soon. Keep Shining!

Live in the now man/Lowering Ourselves

Hey guys!
My last two blog entries will be combined. Week 8 was very cool. Reading Fridays entry when it had a CS Lewis thought saying," in the now you can observe from outside your body that your in your body." Reading that after singing on top of the houseboats really stood out because I feel like I could see all of us singing outside of us singing (if that makes sense). I could picture God listening to this amplified worship, and looking down so pleased to hear his name. Such a great experience!

Week 9: I really liked the sentence, "Amazing! He who made the angels and the stars, is now lower than the angels and the stars!" This helps me prepared my heart this summer as we lower ourselves further and further too become his servants, because God did it, He created everything yet he lowers himself to everything that is his. Powerful Stuff!

Wow!

The selfless service, inspiring words, and encouraging conversations this weekend got me so pumped up for the summer.  Thank you for sharing your hearts and answering the Lord's call for this summer. This is an incredible team that God has called out to serve Him and I simply cannot wait to watch the ways in which He is going to work through all of you for the Glory of His Kingdom this summer.  Let's continue to go above and beyond with our sharing and fundraising to send kids to encounter the beauty of the Lord!!!  Thanks for an amazing weekend!  See you soon!!!!

Stronger Man

I know this is late but I am trying to get caught up on my blogging =]
"Chain's be broken, lives be healed"

These past few weeks I have felt chained and imprisoned. I know that might sound weird but seriously. I have this picture of me sitting in this dirty prison cell with shackles around my wrists, my wrists completely raw from the chains. This place is familiar because I find myself here so often. I continually come back to this prison even after Jesus has set me free.  I come back to this place where I can do everything on my own and at first it feels like I can and then I end up back in the prison. I don't know if this analogy fully works but the point is Jesus sets me free again and again! I just think of one of Jesus amazing miracles in the gospel when he heals a blind man. He first touches the mans eyes and asks him if he can see anything. The man replies with "yes I think I see people but they look like walking trees." Then Jesus touches his eyes again and the man's eyes are fully open. I feel like this can be us sometimes. Jesus has to touch us again, and again in order for us to truly see. He is so loving that he will always break my chains or touch my eyes again just so that I can see his face and feel his love.

Jesus defeated death. he defeated the one thing that satan could for sure hold over us. He defeated it for all of us, knowing that we needed to be set free? He is the stronger man. As a human, being humiliated and beat down usually means some sort of bitterness or retaliation and Jesus did neither of these. He simply did what he needed to do. He did it so you and I could be let go from prison. So then why the heck do I keep going back there?
I don't think I really have an answer except for that I am a very prideful person. However, I always get pushed back down to my knees in front of his cross and let me tell you I am learning how to "boast in my weakness" and it is so hard. Jesus is the stronger man and I am so glad I do not have to be strong. I am so glad that I don't have to handle this life on my own.
Now, in order to gain strength from God I have to spend time with him, yet I rarely make him a priority except for my 10-15 min "quiet time" where I am usually thinking about all of the other things I need to do or complaining to God about how stressed I am. Now the maker of the universe, the man that doesn't retaliate is not my priority?! I am sorry I am just astounded at my own humaness and overwhelmed with a sense of love. God loves me enough to be the stronger man and continually break my chains, because he loves me. I am going through the book of Mark in my Bible study and Jesus' compassion for people is crazy! He loves everyone he comes into contact with and wants them to know the Father's love. He doesn't call us to be perfect people he calls us to be faithful. So I hope I can remember this, this summer. Jesus is the stronger man and I so desperately need him. I need his strength because I am weak and sinful. But He loves me and I will never fully understand that. And that my friends is the coolest thing in the entire world. Our Father loves us.

Bridge Builder

I really liked the part about how priest/pontifex means bridge builder, and how Jesus is the ultimate priest. In order to build a bridge, an engineer must know both sides of where the bridge will be placed. In regards to the bridge between us and God, all humans know plenty about humans, but we all fail to know enough about God to build our own bridge to him. But, Jesus knows both sides completely. He knows human nature, because he was human, and he knows God because he is fully God. He is the only one who can bridge the gap between us and our Father. We cannot do it ourselves, we need Jesus each and every day, to build the bridge and help us across.

See you all in 2 days!
Amanda

the Great Bridge Builder

Hebrews 2:18 says "For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted."

Jesus has fought every battle we will ever fight. And he was victorious! Jesus is completely God and completely human and because of this he can perfectly relate to us and to God. I think of Jesus like the ultimate interpreter, speaking to us through the Holy Spirit. He is The Great Bridge Builder who constructed the perfect connection between humanity and God. Sometimes I get scared of the bridge..I don't think it will be reliable enough or I'm afraid to put my entire trust there. I think that there is another way or a better way.
In church last Sunday we talked about Jesus being the way to God. My pastor said Jesus isn't the best way, because if we say he is the best way, then we are accepting that there are other ways. Jesus is the only way. There is only ONE bridge to God and that is Jesus! He is the perfect mediator, the great bridge builder, and the ultimate overcomer. Praise Jesus!!

Bridges...

Q: Is there a bridge that Jesus has established in you heart that you'd like to abandon or not walk down?  A: My Pontifex is currently showing me how to still be a Christian in extremely secular settings.  For example I have a friend in my growth (who stopped attending some months ago,) who came out on Facebook as being a lesbian.  Another example is at work, I've realized just how difficult it is not to cuss when everyone around does, and it's also difficult for me to be humble and respectful to my coworkers/managers when no one else is.  I'm slowly understanding how difficult it is for Jesus to see his people act so un-God like on a daily basis, and although I'm grasping this concept of being a Christian in the world I'm still hesitant to completely cross that bridge for part of me still wants to hide in my shell and not even acknowledge those around me.

I Want You To Stay

Q: What Is so special about Jesus?  A: To me His healing power is the most important aspect of Jesus.
Q: How is He miraculously pouring out His spirit on you?  A: Reminding me that I'm not in control, to worry less, and to constantly lean on Him.
Q: What does the fiery light of Christ in you look like, feel like, smell like at work? at home? at school? on floating tabernacles?  A: It looks patient, kind, direct, capable, loving, wise, and humble.  (Granted I do not embody these characteristics perfectly.)
Q: Can you think of a time where you anticipated the immediate presence of Christ? Where are you feeling an emptiness right now that longs for the light, life, & presence of Jesus?  A: I have, usually when I'm in a dark place and wish to escape my reality. I'm currently longing to feel Jesus in order to be comforted in my life when it comes to my future, and currently the problems I'm having financially in regards to my car. 
Q: How Does it feel to be so passionately loved by the creator?  A: At times it feels miraculous, and at others it makes me feel inadequate like I need to over compensate for His love.

Speaking of how I handle His love the song Stay by Rihanna comes to mind. The lyrics go like this...

All along it was a fever
A cold sweat hot-headed believer
I threw my hands in the air I said show me something
He said, if you dare come a little closer

Round and around and around and around we go
Ohhh now tell me now tell me now tell me now you know

(Chorus) Not really sure how to feel about it
Something in the way you move
Makes me feel like I can't live without you
It takes me all the way
I want you to stay

It's not much of a life you're living
It's not just something you take, it's given
Round and around and around and around we go
Ohhh now tell me now tell me now tell me now you know

(Chorus)

Ohhh the reason I hold on
Ohhh cause I need this hole gone
Funny you're the broken one but i'm the only one who needed saving
Cause when you never see the lights it's hard to know which one of us is caving

(Chorus)
I want you to stay, ohhh

When I first heard this song, I hated it... It just irked me that someone could find so much comfort in a human when in reality we aren't perfect at all. It wasn't until a few days ago I had the line "Funny you're the broken one but I'm the only one who needed saving," stuck in my head did I realize just how true this line is in regards to my relationship with God.  I always regard God as broken because of the fact that He simply loves me, but in the end I'm the only one who needs to be saved.  So I now love this song and constantly think to Jesus, "I want you to stay." :)

Broken Hearted

Dear Friends,
I have been having a rough last few months from starting a new job that is the most challenging yet rewarding job I have ever had and also burning out at the same time. Ever since I started this new job in March, God has been molding and shaping me in the fiery furnace of His workshop. However, the story I want to share happened this past Friday and was, as they say, the straw that broke the camels back. I have been having many amazing conversations with my non-Christ following co-workers, and many have left me broken hearted. This last Friday, I was working and my co-worker told me his boyfriend is another co-worker and he showed me a picture of them. He knows I am a follower of Christ, and he said that I am the only person that knows out of all of his friends and everyone at work and for me not to tell anyone. So it is interesting that he chose to tell me..he must be attracted to something (aka JESUS). He had the biggest smile on his face when he was talking about how much they love each other and how they treat each other. He said he is the happiest he's ever been. He asked me if I was okay that he told me, and I said of course, and told him that I was happy that he has found something that makes him happy.. And he told me that I am the first "religious" person he has ever met that is loving and that isn't going to judge him for his choices in life. We can share with each other our personal beliefs or non-beliefs, and respect each other which is very unique and I treasure this mutual respect.. However, on the inside, my heart was breaking.. my heart breaks for this love that he and my other co-worker have found in each other because it is a cheap version of love..this love is twisted and disguised by the evil one as true and lovely. My heart breaks for them because I desire them to know the perfect, full,and complete love of Jesus. I talked to my pastor yesterday about it and he told me to look at John 4: the woman at the well. Jesus talks in this passage about the water that will come back empty and always quench our thirst and then Him as the living water which will quench our thirst for eternity.
My prayer for Josh is that every avenue he tries to find love and fulfillment in will come back to him empty, quenching his thirst for more. I pray that he would realize the only water that quenches his thirst is Jesus.

Also, this quote makes me think of this cheap love and how it blinds us from knowing any greater love that is the love of Jesus:

"If we consider the unblushing promises of reward … promised in the Gospels, it would seem that our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at sea. We are far too easily pleased."- C.S. Lewis  

Also, this quote:
"Sex, of course, is not the only drug that intoxicates and numbs the mind to spiritual reality; the same can be true of money and career and power and romance novels and soap operas and TV advertisements and fishing and coin collecting and computers and rehabbing and gardening. The point is: know what numbs your mind to God and avoid it. Stay sober for the sake of full and passionate hope in God’s grace." -John Piper  

EVERYTHING ELSE BESIDES JESUS WILL LEAVE US THIRSTY. As we are a team this summer, I just wanted to share this struggle with you all and to pray for me to perservere in the love of Christ with my friendship with Josh. I want to not approve and people please with people that have different beliefs, but show them the love of Jesus through being a friend and respecting them. Jesus has placed me in such a beautiful and unique place in my relationships with my co-workers and even though it is a hard road, I am thankful because every day I am getting the privilege to show Jesus to them.

The Stronger Man: Being Vulnerable

When Jesus showed His true strength through humility by DYING, He shows me every day that I need to die to myself for Him to step in and do His work. The devil has so many schemes and strategies that keep Jesus at a distance from entering into my brokeness and weakness.. The devil tells us we should have much pride in ourselves and put up walls so no one will think we have anything wrong with us. And from those walls, he tells us not to share our struggles and not to be vulnerable because that is embarrassing and humiliating...this binds us in chains and makes us live in those hurts, alone, away from Jesus, in slavery.. So to prevent this vicious cycle from happening, WE NEED TO BE VULNERABLE WITH EACH OTHER. We need to let down our prideful walls to let Jesus be the stronger man and put the devil's schemes TO DEATH!  Be aware of areas in your life where the devil could be trying to root selfishness and pride. Instead of trying to be funny, witty, and the "cool" staff, let us show our weakness and struggles. I'm not at all saying that being funny and witty are inherently bad things, they are so good, but they are not the end goal..I am saying that we just need to be aware and open to the Holy Spirit moving on your heart to share or open up to another staff, youth leader, or camper..It also doesn't mean we need to be a constant open wound sharing our struggles with every person we see..again, the Holy Spirit is our guide and counselor, He will lead us. We need to be aware of His voice and obey and follow through when He speaks.

Wandering God

(This is the Week 7 entry that I missed.)

The Tuesday portion of this devotional was the one that really resonated with me, especially when talking about how God is not confined, but restless. I relate to that because I’ve always found it easiest to feel close to God when I’m out camping, hiking or something outdoors away from the distractions of “normal” life. I find it easiest to commune with God when I am not around all of the comforts of home life and have to rely on finding peace through Him. Amazing things happen at camp for a reason; God definitely loves and blesses those experiences because He’s a huge fan!

-JDK

Today

I like how Friday talked focused on today, what is God doing in me today? Sometimes I tend to look at my life in the future and think of all the things that I feel like God is calling me towards then, like serving this summer, and forget that I'm still called to do things today. I'm called to serve those around me today. God wants to work through me today in whatever I may partake in, not just on special occasions like serving on houseboats. I work at a preschool during the weeks and I've really been hit with this idea that although they are really young and often difficult to handle, God wants me to each day show them love and patience. Instead of always thinking ahead, I need to look at what he's placed right in front of me. What I do today, God can use to prepare me for what's to come, I just need to focus on remaining in the present.

Like Father Like Son

I had a rather interesting week filled with the good the bad and the down right strange. I found my self being temped, pulled, stretched, torn in so many directions I was starting to loose my way. So me in my brokenness looked the for the first thing to blame. Of course i went through the normal check list of things, but I kept feeling worse and worse until I talked with a friend of mine who brought up some very interesting things. He told me about Jesus being tempted by the devil to do evil, but all so Jesus tempting, or Honing his followers to believe in him and do there Fathers will. So I realized that in my brokenness and hurt and sinful nature God was honing me to do his will, but as I am getting closer and closer to this summer and the task that he has presented me my life has become a battle field. God not only wanted to hone me but also to prune and trim me to fit the ideals he has for me. I have never felt so excited and free in my life.

CommUnion

Re-reading through this week's devo's, Tuesday's honestly stuck out the most to me. Union + Community = Communion. It's in Communion that I feel most myself. When I am happiest, most at peace, most vulnerable, most broken, most challenged, and most blessed, I am in the presence of my community who are all united by God. I think that as quiet time with Jesus and a personal relationship with him is of the utmost importance, having a community to support and encourage you to grow is incredibly important as well. Drifting away from my union of community these past few weeks has blinded me to the glory of God. I've been feeling alone, discouraged, stressed out, and most of all inadequate to drive this summer- I feel that I haven't prepared myself enough which in turn makes me scared. But I refuse to be bound by these chains Satan has wound around me, and instead rejoice in how much my weaknesses can be my strengths. Rejoice that in Jesus, I can celebrate communion.

Whether you're on Shasta or on Delta, I like to imagine that your union of community, your communion, will be each other. Your fellow Drivers, Trainees, and Barneys. We will become vulnerable with each other, as well as challenge each other, encourage each other, and push each other toward Christ each and every day. Now that, for me, is heaven here on Earth.

Julia

Walking by faith and not by sight.

Friday's lesson really reminded me of how incapable I am of comprehending God fully. This is a wonderful thought when I think of the times I have felt so known and feel that I know God so well. There is so much more beauty, grace, peace, joy, and love that I don't see in those moments! This is also a wonderful thought when I feel desperately far from God. As himans, we are so driven by what we see, feel, touch, taste, and hear. The Holy Spirit is constanty at work in us and among us, loving us in ways we dont understand. God's thoughts towards us number more than the grains of sand, and they never change. He is eternally in us, in relationship with us, calling us to Him. When Jesus died, he was completing what was set in motion for all of eternity. His works will last forever. I love that when were on houseboats, drained and empty, we can remember that eternity has been set in our hearts, and in that moment being transformed by Christ begotten in us. In those moments God calls us to trust that He is forming us, preparing us for loving Him forever.
Even if we can't see it!

Jesus the author of our story

FRIDAY

I love how we can be both IN our story, and also OUTside of it, aware of the story unfolding. I think Jesus gave us this ability to recognize where were at on our personal journeys and how they're unfolding. Without this perspective, we would be lost, just going through the motions, unaware of His labor in us, and how He is writing our story...

Im so grateful that God has made me aware of my story, no matter how broken it may be. He's making me aware of how He's transforming it, and constantly revealing himself to me and in me.