Updates :)

Hey all!

Well, the time is fast approaching to my departure to Hawaii. I just bought a round trip plane ticket from Springfield for about $900 including some changes and fees, but it is awesome to be able to fly from Springfield and not leave at 6am! (most of you know that I HATE early morning!) That was a definitely leap of faith, especially since finances are not here at the moment. I do know that God will provide, but it makes me nervous at how down to the wire He sometimes has me wait to make sure that I am actually still trusting in Him.

Enough money talk! This summer there were three camps that I had planned to staff. The first one was in Chicago working to teach inner city kids how to hip hop. (yeah, yeah, laugh it all out....I know right...a white little city girl teaching inner city kids how to dance) Mostly I was just an extra hand, and although I am not a fantastic dancer I was able to learn some new moves and help the kids along :) Not only did I get to learn some new steps, but God showed up in a way I have never seen Him work in a five day camp. It was amazing to see how open these kids were to who God is and what He had to say to them. We worked with five to eighteen year olds and had them split into groups. I danced with the older crew and had a younger small group....but what was so awesome was that one of my small group girls had a vision of one of the older girls in her room. I had her draw the vision that God gave her and then showed it to the older girl and it was the older girls room to perfect detail! How cool is God that He would use a nine year old to show a fifteen year old that He is thinking of them! There was another girl who learned about comparrison and how when she compared herself and found herself not as good as some of the other people, that she was telling God He had made her not enough. It was awesome to see her confidence grow in just that week as she stopped caring what she couldn't do and started doing what God asked to the best of her ability!

Camp number two was Harvest Assembly youth camp (that is my church here in Bolivar). I am sad to say that our youth is really struggling and Satan is using that to tear the youth apart. Despite that frustration and the drama that tends to bring.....we had one youth rededicate his life to the Lord (which was a huge blessing to me because I have been praying for him for a long time). God also showed up every night starting the first night when the illustration was everyone nailing their sins to the cross and allowing God to break the chains so that we can arise and shine to the world around us. Here is the link to the camp video (which my brother Matthew is one of the main stars)

Camp number three Kids Camp. I had one evening to recover from youth camp before we left on the bus to go to kids camp. I happened to pick up some disease from youth camp and was sick for most of the week, but I am so glad God works despite. It was a challenge especially when we found out that we were getting another seventeen girls from another church and we were solely responsible, however, God does not give us anything we cannot handle and we were blessed with some amazing nine through thirteen year olds. Also....just from our group, there were four salvations/rededications and one little girl who spoke in tongues for the first time.

This summer has been a busy one and next week I leave to go on vacation to California with one of the families from my church. They have asked me to go a driver/nanny and are paying for all of my food and lodging in exchange. I am so excited!!!!!!!!

Oh....and one very important thing.....my niece has arrived! Miley Michelle came into the world July 3rd 2009 at 12:53pm weighing 7lbs even and 20in long. She is already much bigger, but she is beautiful!

I will have an update soon as the time draws closer for my plane to take off, but until then.....if I could get everyone praying for the following:

Our youth group to overcome circumstances and stick together through the storms
Finances to pay for Hawaii
An easy transition from home to a new place
Safe travels
God would continue to shake and change me and that I would allow Him to do that.

Thanks everyone. I love you all. Blessings!