One Day Down!

So the campers are here (and hopefully tucked quietly in bed:). They are on the younger side (closer to 14 than 17), but seem like a great group. There are a few familiar faces in the group, which is always exciting to me (and part of the reason I am thankful that I have been able to come back year after year)!

Today was one of our staff member's birthdays, so we were able to sing to her (multiple times:) and have a cake for her.

Now it's time to go to bed so we can tackle the first full day tomorrow! Pray for God to work mightily!

Trusting.....

English Camp is an intense experience, but it is amazing to watch God work! Yesterday I heard of 3 boys who accepted Christ the night before - PTL! We pray that this is only the beginning of how God will work this summer....

Even my own life is a bit of a roller coaster...I'm learning to trust God in new ways, especially in terms of finances. It's definitely stretching me, but I know it's for my best.

Search me, O God, and know my heart;

Try me and know my anxious thoughts;

And see if there be any hurtful way in me,

And lead me in the everlasting way.

Psalm 139:23&24

Sink or Swim?

So you know the analogy of teaching someone to swim by throwing them in the deep end, and they either sink or swim? That's kind of what happened today with me and driving. I have basically no experience driving a stick, and then you have the differences of German roads, signs, km/hr instead of mph, etc. One of the JT guys had given me a driving lesson the other day, but we were on the back back roads and we didn't do any practicing of reverse. SO...today was the big grocery shopping day for the camps, and there weren't enough drivers, so I had to drive. Many Germans probably wondered how I got my driving license, but we got to Marzell and back safely. Reverse and getting into first gear are not any where near smooth, but once I'm moving I'm fine. :) I will learn, I will learn....

It's all about You, Jesus

And all this is for You

For Your glory and your fame

It's not about me

As if You should do things my way

You alone are God

And I surrender to your ways

Jesus, lover of my soul

All consuming fire is in Your gaze

Jesus, I want you to know

I will follow you all my days

For no one else in history is like you

And history itself belongs to you

Alpha and Omega, You have loved me

And I will share eternity with You

We sang this song in church on Sunday, and it was such an encouragement to me. It echoes what I want the cry of my heart to be, and the reason I am here...

...and the reason I have made it through this past year, and this past month. Looking back, I realize how CrAzY this past year was, and that it was only by the grace of God I got through it, and got through it well. And this past month - what a whirlwind! (...sorry - I intended to post more often but it didn't happen...) I finished up at WSU, went home to NY, went to Winnipeg for Orientation, and then safely arrived in Germany (where I will be for the next 15 months:).

I got off the plane last Monday and jumped into English Camp preparations - our first group of staff arrive next Sunday the 8th and the first group of campers arrive the 12th. Today we put together the extra bunk beds that we put in the dorm - it's like putting a giant puzzle together - figuring out which pieces fit together. Those of you who have been here before know that it can be a headache at times, but things went pretty smoothly today - PTL!

I'm going to head home and eat dinner now. Hopefully I'll keep this updated more regularly, as well as post some pics of my new home and this summer's camps!