June 22, 2011

June 22, 2011 (posted late also!)

Well this has definitely been another great week at AO!  We’ve kept pretty busy as this week was the first week we’ve had campers.  Last week, all of our counselors went over to main camp to counsel for Step Up, our Jr. High camp.  There were about 100 campers total.  As a program team, we had some final preparations to do here at AO, as well as an all day canoe trip to the Flambeau River, a day at Black River Harbor, and a day of heading up an awesome afternoon at main camp, full of games, competitions, and the annual mud run!  The week was a blast and it was absolutely great to spend more intentional time with the people I’ll be working along side all summer.  It was fun to see how everyone works together, as well as everyone’s strengths, weaknesses, personalities, and quirks come out.  I was really encouraged and felt much more prepared for the summer after that.  After Step Up ends, campers have the option of staying a second week for Plus Week.  Plus week is a much smaller group of about 35 campers and it’s held here at AO.  It’s been so great to have kids around!  The Lord definitely has been working in many of their lives. 

There have been lots of challenges and lots of blessings as well.  Some of the cabins have had a tough week.  Although they’ve had many victories within their cabins and lots of growth, there are still struggles and challenges that the Lord is working through.  Prayer for all of the counselors is very needed!  All of the counselors have been counseling for two week straight, and some will have another week next week.  It’s been draining and tiring for them in many areas.  Prayer that they would have strength and refreshment is needed.  Many of the campers and staff have also been sick this week.  It hasn’t been anything horrible, but many have had at least a few days of having a fever and such, but lots of rest has been very helpful.  We’ve also had rainy days every day this week.  It has been cool to see all the kids connect so well and build relationships with each other when they have to be in an enclosed space, but the Pavilion is definitely getting a bit old.  We’d rather be playing games and doing activities outside!  Normally, our sessions, worship times, activities, and large group games are all outside.  However, we’ve had to spend most of our time in our main building because of all the rain.  We’re praying for sunnier days next week, that’s for sure!  Thanks everyone for all of your prayers and support!  Feel free to write a letter, too!  I’ll write you back, I promise! = )  Take care and let me know what is going on with your summers as well!  I’d love to hear!!

June 11, 2011

June 11, 2011 (posted late!)

Wow! It’s been another great week up here at Fort Wilderness!  This past week was once again packed full of training and preparation for both the staff and the camp itself.  The rest of the staff got here this past weekend so we officially have all of our staffers here!  There’s about twenty five people working this summer, and it’s been really fun to get to know each one of them!  It’s fun to see all of the connections that Fort has built over the years, and how each one is significant for each person.  It’s awesome to see the community that comes in through our Lord! 

This past Tuesday, we had an afternoon of silence and quiet to spend time with God, whether that meant napping, reading, praying, or just sitting.  I had really been struggling while being up here with some things spiritually.  I know that this summer will be pushing me out of my comfort zone in literally every area of me at some point…many points already!  It’s been great to have the challenge, but I could see that I was trying to do it all myself.  I knew that I needed to give everything to the Lord and find my strength in Him, but for some reason, I just didn’t understand how.  Many times, I felt overwhelmed and like I was about to break…not because it was more than I could take, it was just more than I could do on my own.  I was really seeing just how much I will be relying on the Lord to get me through this summer.  I felt like I was very inadequate and was afraid I’d mess everything up.  Tuesday afternoon, I read out of a book called Life Issues.  This book has a reputation of kicking my butt every time I open it!  The Lord really convicts me and teaches me quite a lot through the wise words.  The next chapter in the book was on perfectionism.  I didn’t go through it at the very beginning of the summer because I didn’t think I struggled with it.  However, the Lord showed me how much I still struggle with having a performance-based perspective.  It went very thoroughly into many roots of perfectionism, many of which hit home for me.  It then went into roots of contentment.  I really realized that I was not trusting the Lord to be sovereign in my life.  I was reminded that the Lord is the Lord of me (imperfect me) and my life (my imperfect life).  My failures do not effect the completion of the Lord’s purpose.  He’s much bigger than that!  I also was reminded to fully rely on the Lord.  I need to be relying on Him everyday for the strength to get through every skill I learn or every sinereo I face.  I don’t have to worry about messing up or being inadequate—not only are the people around me very gracious and forgiving, but the Lord will give me the skills and strength it takes when those obstacles come around.  I need not worry about anything else!

It also challenged me to trust God with something specific right away.  I chose to really trust Him with the lifeguard training that I had the next three days.  I felt like my swimming was something that I was fairly confident in and yet I was challenged from the get go.  I didn’t think I could do it and was anxious about all the responsibility that comes with it.  The Lord challenged me with being dependant on Him, both for the skills and strength.  It was a very intense and exhausting three days, but when I passed and finished everything, I was so joyful and thankful!!  The Lord definitely got me through it and proved to me that when I rely on Him and take things one step at a time, He won’t let me down.  Praise God!

First Post!

Ah how exciting!  My first post from Rhinelander!  We just finished up orientation earlier today and we are now in town doing laundry for the camp.  Our weekend was fantastic!  It was really great to meet all of the volunteers and staff that will be working with the Fort over the summer.  It's awesome to see how the Lord brings so many people together and to see all the hands that go into making things happen.  There are many people investing in this place this summer and I'm excited to see how the Lord uses it!

I've gotten to connect with the people I'll be working along side really well!  I love diving in with all the different staff, whether they'll be at AO, LAB, or Main Camp.  It's so interesting to hear where they're all from, what brought them here, and just to see all the different talents and personalities.  Fort has really had an incredible impact on many lives and it's a privilege to be able to also be a part of that!

The Lord's really been challenging me already in coming up here!  The day before I left, I completely lost my voice!  As you all know...this is a HUGE challenge for me!!! =)  It was good to sit down and see how the Lord was challenging me in the ways I use communication and pushing me out of my comfort zone.  Usually, I jump right in to chatting away and am able to feel connected with people right away through that.  It was very different to be in a place where communication was tough for me.  Not only was it physically annoying to talk, but it was a challenge when I just didn't feel like myself.  The Lord showed me ways I need to step out of my comfort zone and use my communication in different ways which has been good.

He's also continuing to work on my heart on many characteristics and truths in me.  He has continued to chisel out lies I believe or struggles that have been a barrier for me.  He has been very faithful to intentionally yet gently point out things in me that are not of Him and give me healing and truth where I needed it.  It's been great so far!  Please be praying for us as we continue in training and preparing the camp.  We'll be working more with only the AO staff now which is exciting!  Thanks for all of your prayers and support for the Fort staff and campers! =)

Live Here.

So the theme here at Adventure Outpost (AO) this year is “Live Here.”  Ephesians 2:7 and the surrounding context is the main Scripture being used.  I’m really excited about this!  Our heart is to challenge the campers to think deeper…life isn’t just about going through the motions, day to day.  It’s about living an abundant life in the Lord, every day living expectantly to experience God in His love, forgiveness, power, grace, and sovereignty.  We live in a fallen, lost world…but that doesn’t define the extent of our lives!  The Lord desires for us to know who He is and who we are in Him.  The Truth we carry is the key to being able to live, and not just live a meaningless life, but to live fully…to live here!