a week at camp

Last week our students went to Crossroads camp at Gardner Webb University.  We arrived on the scene with a ton of staffers jumping and cheering as we pulled into the parking lot.  They immediately engaged our students with conversation and games.  I have never seen anything like it before!  Most of our students had never been to any type of a camp and for that to be their first experience was simply AWESOME! Throughout the week they played games, engaged in group activities and each morning and night we would have incredible messages and worship and each night would end with our group time.  The beginning of the week was mostly Josh pulling out what they had learned from that day, but by the end of the week I was amazed at what God had done in each of their hearts.  From wanting to go deeper into His word, to understanding that the holy spirit is in them, for them and with them to experiencing life change, to truly embracing that God chose them and loves them with a relentless love.  Each student walked away changed!  In the past I have gone on student trips with the mind set of helping and assisting students as they walk through these changes but this week I walked away with my own life change.  I remember Thursday night standing at my seat after participating in the Lord’s Supper and tears rolled down my face.  I stood before Jesus without shame and guilt. I stood before Jesus without one thought about my body or food addiction.  I stood before Jesus without any expectations of how I should be as a pastor’s wife.  I stood before Jesus without any desire for anything other than to just be in His presence.  Carl Cartee was singing a song about being broken and allowing God to shake our foundations and I whispered those words and I meant it. You see God literally wants our hearts more than anything else because when He has our hearts He has our struggles, desires and obedience.  I have struggled for almost 4 years with my own calling.  I know I am called speak to girls and for the first time since I knew that He was calling me I stood there and I felt completely free.  I heard God speak to my heart and say get ready and I could feel my heart beating out of my chest.  I also watched a ton of students stand to their feet and embrace the cross for the first time in their lives and I also watched Clayton literally stop in the middle of preaching one night and 9 more students stood up to embrace Jesus.  I also watched students stand up and embrace a calling to full time ministry and I was blown away by how real God made Himself known this week.  I have just now started processing all that I learned last week and God continues to show me things and glimpses of my next steps in obedience.   This morning my Rebekah was at the computer on Crossroads website watching Clayton and I just smiled.   I am blown away by this past week and I can’t even imagine what’s going to come out of all the life change that occurred.  Over 8000$ was given in offering THAT IS CRAZY!  As I begin a new week I am positioning my heart and holding on for dear life!!! Thank you Crossroads worldwide for walking in obedience, lives were changed because of it!

Today I am reminded of this verse in Habakuk.  

Habakuk 1:5

⁵ The Lord replied,

“Look around at the nations;
look and be amazed!^[a]
For I am doing something in your own day,
something you wouldn’t believe
even if someone told you about it.

God you amaze me.