Round Two

Wow. How is the first camp over already? It was a busy but good time. I learned many lessons personally. Staff served enthusiastically. Campers made decisions - either for the first time or to recommit their lives to Christ. God is good and He has blessed us! We have seen Him work.

Of course, there were crazy moments as well. For example, the 4:15am phone call I received because a fire alarm was going off at one of the camps. There was no fire, praise the Lord, but it took a little while to figure out how to shut it off. Sprained ankles. Sick campers (and staff!). An abundance of certain foods (better too much than not enough, right?).

The first group of campers left yesterday. There were many tears and hugs and pulling kids apart as they departed by car and train. I felt mean as I said "No, you need to get in my van now or you'll miss your train" more than once. (Tough love, right?)

The first group of staff left today. It's much more exciting to pick them up at the airport, than to drop them off. What started as names on a list had become faces when we picked them up two weeks ago. Now, they are dear precious people with amazing gifts and the desire to serve - people who become precious to both us (the coordination team) and the campers. It seemed too soon for them to leave!

But they had barely left when they were replaced with a fresh group of faces to put with names. That group of (jet-lagged) faces has been warmly welcomed and is hopefully currently sleeping soundly. I am directing one of the camps this session - the Palmgarten camp. Please pray for our camps. Pray for staff unity - for love for each other and the campers. For physical safety, strength, and health. For God to do amazing things in all of our lives, but especially the campers. Pray that campers will decide to follow Jesus and come to know Him better at camp. Cause that's why we do what we do.

For the kids and the gospel and the gospel and the kids...

My rearview mirror

Today the campers for the first session arrived. I made three runs to the train station to do pick-ups. I wish you could have seen what I saw in my rearview mirror. (I would have taken a picture, but that would have been dangerous, considering I was driving at the time,... and also probably highly illegal in Germany!) I saw campers smiling...smiles that got bigger the closer we got to camp. I saw eager expectation. Anxious anticipation. Joyful reunions. I heard evergetic, happy squeals.

Amazing. God is good. To bring us campers safely. Some familiar faces, some new. May He change and encourage hearts this week!

Wanted: Prayers

More and more I learn about the importance and necessity of prayer. I greatly covet your prayers, especially during these next four weeks - the most intense part of my year, the highlight of my year. Here is a prayer calendar to help you pray more specifically:

Prayer Calendar

Many, many thanks!!!

A Time Line...

With the busy-ness of my life recently, as well as the minor computer troubles I've had, I realize I haven't done the best at communicating with you all. So, here's a brief outline of what the next 5 weeks look like for me:

July 13: Staff 1 arrive
July 17 - 26: Camp 1
July 27: Staff 1 depart / Staff 2 arrive
July 31 - Aug. 9: Camp 2
August 11: Staff 2 depart
~ August 13: Kari escapes to a desert island (ok, maybe not:) to praise God for all He has done (and to regain her sanity:)

Your prayers over these next 5 weeks are much appreciated. Pray for safety, smooth travels, health, unity, and good relationships to be built. Most of all, pray that God will be glorified in all that we do, and that everyone involved in camp this summer grows closer to God.

His Wounds

Since my last post, it's been a constant struggle between my anxious/stressed thoughts and the Truth - the truth that it is God who will make these camps happen, not Kari. Him, not me. I need to live in His strength. In His presence. How often I 'forget' that I have Him - His Spirit - with me all the time. I want to continually abide in His presence and rely on His Spirit. Today, tomorrow, the next 6 weeks, every day of my life.

So you know how when God is trying to teach you something - when He is seemingly "beating you over the head" with something, the idea comes up everywhere you turn? That's how my weekend has been. It started yesterday when I was having dinner with my neighbor Mari Ellen. (Aside on how thankful I am for Mari Ellen: I am so thankful that Mari Ellen is my neighbor. For her laugh. For her notes on our door. For her cups of tea. For her open door and hospitality. For her listening ear. I am thankful that at times when I am not listening to the Spirit's presence with me, God uses His Spirit in Mari Ellen to speak Truth to me. I am blessed.) I was telling Mari Ellen that because I know just how unworthy I am of God's love and grace and strength, I continue to try to live life in my own strength. Mari Ellen looked at me and said "But Kari, isn't that the point? None of us are worthy. That's why He died."

At church this morning, we had communion - another reminder of the cross and its redeeming power in my life. We started and ended communion with the song "The Power of the Cross" by Keith Getty and Stuart Townsend. (Side note: If you haven't heard any of Keith and Kristyn Getty's songs, I highly recommend that you check them out. Powerful, truth-speaking lyrics.) One line in particular caught my attention: "Oh to see my name written in the wounds." MY name. Written in HIS wounds. What a word picture! What love!

Oh, to see my name
Written in the wounds,
For through Your suffering I am free.

When I got home, I turned on some music. I just picked up where I left off the last time I listened to music. The first song that played? "By His Wounds" by Mac Powell (on the "Glory Revealed" CD):

By His wounds, we are healed...

Then, I checked my email. One of my friends included the following quote in an email from Max Lucado's book Come Thirsty:

"The big news of the Bible is not that you love God but that God loves you; not
that you can know God but that God knows you!  He tattooed your name on the
palm of his hand.  His thoughts of you outnumber the sand on the shore.  You
never leave his mind, escape his sight, flee his thoughts.  He sees the worst
of you and loves you still.  Your sins of tomorrow and failings of the future
will not surprise him; He sees them now.  Every day and deed of your life has
passed before his eyes and been calculated in his decision.  He knows you
better than you know you and has reached his verdict:  HE LOVES YOU STILL.
No discovery will disillusion him; no rebellion will dissuade Him.  He loves
you with an everlasting love."    

Ok, Lord, I'm listening. You know me and yet You still choose to love me. May I live every moment in light of the cross, in the power of Your love.

This is a marathon, not a sprint.

As my roommate can attest, I have experienced much anxiety recently about English Camp planning. This is my own fault. It is evidence that I am giving in to my perfectionistic tendancies and fear of failure and trying to do things in my own power, rather than depending on God and remembering that these are His camps.

Less than two weeks and our staff will be here. Two weeks from tomorrow the first group of campers arrive. This is what was causing me to feel overwhelmed yesterday. There is still much that needs to be done. That should be done. That could be done.

I needed to make myself stop. Stop and realize everything that is already in place. Stop and praise God for the amazing ways He has already provided. Stop and set realistic expectations for myself. Stop and realize what needs to be done, and what is not necessary. To appropriately prioritize.

I'm learning the hard lesson that God doesn't want me to sacrifice my health and sanity for the ministry. When you are a short-termer, it's easier to treat your ministry like a sprint - to completely pour yourself into everything you do and give 120% constantly. When it is done, you 'recover.' This is what I have been used to doing in summers past - spending 4 weeks of my summer completely pouring myself out for English Camp. Now that I am full-time staff, I can't do that. I need to treat it more like a marathon. I need to pace myself. Yes, I still want to give everything I can to English Camp, but if I don't pace myself, I won't have the endurance I need for the next 2, 6, or 7 weeks. I want to live this summer 'slow and steady,' not as 'a rat race,' so that I can observe the wonderful ways that God works, as well as stay sensitive to His Spirit.

I want this summer to shine with His glory. At the end of the summer, I don't want to look back and say 'I made English Camps happen.' Rather, I want to say 'Look what God did. See the wonderful ways He made English Camps happen and happen well!' To Him be the glory!