On to bigger... and then bigger things...

 
I feel I have committed an egregious error by not updating everyone on our housing situation after the first introduction to "Old Blister".  The reason this is even an issue is because this is a way that God has provided in some big and bigger ways and I want to tell you the story...because it is AMAZING! As you may remember, this dear 1960's camper is where we began our summer.  All of our stuff was put into storage and we moved into this little crackerbox where Adam...as you can see is not even able to stand up straight.  But we weren't paying rent for it...so we were grateful.

Towards the second part of the summer, Karisa's parents, Gary and Gloria Stahl approched us and said that they were planning on buying a new camper and wondered if we would want theirs.  Now incase this is not clear, they offered to GIVE us their camper.  Needless to say, after we recovered from our shock we gratefully accepted...and upgraded to this beautiful air conditioned monster...

We absolutely loved it!  And then it starts to get pretty chilly outside.  Winter is coming after all.  So we asked around to see if anyone knew of a place we could rent for the winter.  A wonderful lady that has been involved with the camp for a few years had some friends that were purchasing a house to rent just about the time we were looking to move.  Long story short, we met them and they are letting us rent their sweet little three bedroom house for much less then the market value because they are very kind and generous...but also because THAT is how good our God is. 

If there is anything that I have learned in the last three months, it is that God WILL provide...I do not need to be afraid.

How Can You Not Love It?

Hopefully no one noticed that I have yet to include the last two weeks of camp in my summer review...but now that I have revealed my secret, I will wrap up the summer...especially since it is October.  Wow.
As I look back on the last two weeks of camp this last summer, many things come to mind.  The first is how much I love and respect my husband and his leadership.  I know that sounds sappy, but Adam is a great leader and it is so rewarding for me to be able to work as his other half as we did at camp this summer! I was just telling a friend yesterday what a sweet thing it is to be able to work well and happily as a married couple toward one goal...and when that goal is seeing kids come to know Jesus and grow in Him... I don't think I have ever experienced anything so rewarding!
Every week of camp we have a new program director, and the second to last week we directed together.  It was a crazy week because some of our staff had to go home due to illness leaving us a bit short staffed, but God worked in it, and our staff pulled together in some really awesome ways!  Then on Monday our well broke so we had absolutely no water for over 100 people out in the middle of nowhere.  Thankfully Zach and Karisa made sure we had water for what we needed, and the Lord brought someone to fix the well on Tuesday so we were able to continue camp.  Despite the crazy that could have brought us down, God used it and worked in ways that were very visible, not only to the staff, but also to the campers!  It is so exciting to be praying for something so tangible with our little campers and to see God provide in an undeniable way.
The last week was a great way to finish the season with some new and excited staff and a great group of 4th-6th graders!  We were able to see more little ones come to Christ and make decisions of re-commitment which just solidified in our minds why it is we do this ministry in the first place.  
This summer God worked through and in spite of us sometimes to accomplish His plan in the lives of many youngin's.  It is hard to see it sometimes when you are in the trenches and things aren't going how you think they should, but after I have been able to take a restful step back I am amazed at God and how He uses so many things to work together for His purpose and glory.  Praise the Lord for the gift of being a part of such a ministry...  

Oh that's a nice thought...

You know...it is one thing to "trust".  But we have been learning a whole new version of trust recently. It seems to me to be less of a "oh thats a nice thought" sort of trust, and more of a "this has to be true" sort of trust.  I know that God will take care of us.  I know that He has unlimited resources to provide anything we need.  Even just this summer He saw fit to give us a camper to call our own, significantly reduce the amount of expenses we were supposed to have this summer, provide generous donations to His work through His people, and the list goes on and on.  But will He provide how I expect Him to?  Many times not.  I am learning that faith and trust do not equal believing that God will take care of us the way that I plan He will.  Instead, I need to trust that God will take care of us...period.  I know He loves His Adam and I more than I will ever be able to understand, so everything He has planned for our lives is for the best.  Can I trust God this big?  Will my faith stretch this far?  By His grace we will walk forward in a faith that continues to grow every day. He is so incredibly good to us.

On the Road Again...and Again...and Again

The next three weeks of camp consisted of a day camp in Casper where we did camp for kids from kindergarten to second grade, a trip to Table in the Wilderness in Laramie where we did our highschool camp, and then heading to Denver, CO where we worked with the Denver Rescue Mission and also with Volunteers of America.

All three weeks we had some really exciting times and fun memories with the campers we got to interact with and also discovered that traveling in an old 15 passenger van with iffy air conditioning and no extra seats would try the patience of Job.  Needless to say that after being in such tight quarters for three weeks, we were glad to have some space upon our return to Rim Rock.  Although traveling was snug, we also had a bunch of fun with the campers and saw God working in some pretty powerful ways!

Here are some fun stories from each week:

At primary camp each day was loaded with different activities and one of the days we did a short hike up to a water fall on Casper Mountain.  Since all the of the kiddos were young some of them tired quite easily.  One such little girl had begged a ride from Adam, so he put her on his shoulders and continued to walk up the hill.  We stopped for a short rest, and Adam grabbed a water bottle and tilted it back for a drink.  Above his head, in this tiny girl voice he heard..."gulp, gulp, gulp!"  It was all he could do not to spew out the water from laughing!

At Highschool camp, there was a gal that came who was really not interested in getting to know anyone and wasn't super exicted to be there in the first place.  She stated that her therapist told her that it would be good for her to come.  Although she really didn't bond with other campers, she soon got very close to her counselor for the week and the very first night prayed to receive Christ!

In Denver we ran a VBS for kids the same age as our primary campers in Casper. It was one of my favorite parts of the summer, seeing them get engaged in the Bible stories we would tell and the verses we would learn.  By far, the best part for me was sitting next to a couple little ones and teaching them some simple rythums on a hand drum.  Being able to share something I loved and watching them pick it up and want to play over and over was so incredibly rewarding!

As a team we learned alot in those three weeks, working together, learning to deal with differences, and trusting God to work in our weaknesses.  It was an experience I would never trade for anything!

Week One and Two: Junior Camp

     The first two weeks started out with a lot of excited campers and staff.   This was the first year where we had a half week of training with the staff before the beginning of camp and we were pleasantly surprised how much our team was able to bond and get geared up before camp in those short few days.  God put together the exact team we needed this summer to grow and work to the best of our abilities and that is such an incredible thing to see! 

     The both weeks we had around sixty 3rd-6th graders. It is so exciting to me how many different kids we have the opportunity of reaching with the gospel every week! It is also obvious that Satan does not want us to reach these children.  Despite everything from running out of propane right before breakfast to a fight between a couple campers and the constant threat of wildfires in the area we know that the message of Jesus was continually proclaimed and received.  Both weeks we had at least one or two children receive Christ for the first time and many more made commitments to love their families more, treat others with respect, or read their Bible's and pray more.  Now, I remember going to camp when I was younger and making commitments like these.  I know I wasn't always able to follow them exactly or sometimes I would even forget them all together. At the same time I look back on those many camp experiences and see God's hands at work in my life shaping and molding me into the woman I am today.  It is a beautiful thing to witness the Lord's work in these young lives.  That is why we are here...and to actually see lives change is incredible!

-Jenni

p.s. I have come to realize this is a lot of what we are responsible to do at camp...plant those seeds.  Sometimes we get to water them...and even see the plants come up.  But even if we never see the fruition of our work, we still are responsible to keep planting the seeds...  

Be encouraged!  God asks us to plant the seeds!  He alone is the one that will draw people to Himself.

What...over already?

For the rest of you, I understand that you have had a summer...

For myself, it feels like yesterday I woke up and was ready to go for the start of camp, and this morning I woke up and it was over...but what an incredible summer it was!  

Because I went through some sort of time warp...;)...I was not great about letting everyone know what was going on this summer.  This is about to be rectified.  In the next few days I will be posting about each week of camp, and the incredible things we saw God do week to week.  We saw Him provide food, we saw him bring water, we saw children saved and lives changed...not to mention a LOT of fun in between.  

I can't wait to tell you all about it, but for now I will just say, thank you to all who shot up a prayer or two on our behalf this summer, and also to all of you who so graciously served with or for the camp this summer...we couldn't have done it without you!

Ready or not...

 It feels like yesterday that I was posting about the camper we are living in this summer and all of the things we were leaving behind to follow the Lord into camping ministry with Adventures in Christian Camper (ACK for short).

Well....here is is!

This is our home...named "Old Blister" for the lack of any sort of air conditioning.  Although that may sound horrible, it has actually been very pleasant as it cools off during the evenings quite well.  

And what a view!!

We are almost through our staff training this week, getting ready for the campers that will begin to arrive on this coming Monday.  I am still just blown away by how time flies.  Just to give you a quick idea of what Adam and I will be doing, along with our duties in assisting the staff and offering administrative support, Adam will be teaching the kids how to throw Tomahawks, and I will be leading a drum circle, as well as helping in the kitchen and cleaning bathrooms.  

God is already working in and on our staff and us as directors.  He has allowed us to grow together  and has given us excitement and a love for the campers that we can't wait to be able to share!  Also, he has proven himself faithful in very visible ways.  We needed lunch for the campers and drivers that are coming from Omaha tomorrow.  A wonderful couple from Hope Evangelical Free church graciously agreed to purchase and supply a meal for these hungry kiddos.  Praise the Lord for his willingness to provide in even the small things!

If you are reading this, please take just a moment to pray for hearts of campers that are open to the words of Christ and strength and wisdom for the staff who will be working and loving hard these coming weeks.  

God bless you all :)

Why?

Why would someone leave a steady paycheck, many beautiful friends, and a roomy apartment for a life in a camper in the middle of no where Wyoming and a salary that isn't even there yet?  It doesn't make sense.  It doesn't seem practical.  So why?  


All for the love a child.  Or many children for that matter...and a ministry that is undeniable.  Adam and I have the most incredible opportunity to be the hands and feet of Christ to hundreds of lost and hurting children from all over the Midwest.  These kids come from orphanages and reservations...happy homes and broken ones.  Some of them go to church every Sunday, and some of them have never been.  We have taken the first step in following where the Lord is leading us. After Adam graduates from Denver Seminary in May, (PRAISE THE LORD!!) we have agreed to become full time staff of Adventures in Christian Kamping, an organization that began by faith in the 80's in Casper, Wyoming.  From a small one week kids camp, it has grown into an 8 week span of camps that serve kids from the ages of 1st and 2nd grade, all the way up through high school.  


It is difficult to put into words what an amazing/totally scary feeling it is to step out in faith, knowing that this is where the Lord is calling you, but not knowing exactly how it will all come together.  


So why would you leave a steady paycheck, friends, and a great living situation?  Because He says so.  How can you argue with that?