First, I want to start and say that I am sorry I haven't been blogging lately. I got back from my session at Pine Cove a few weeks ago and have been taking some time to reflect and think about everything I have gone through and learned in the last 6 weeks away at camp. Let me tell you it was a whole lot.
Now I could tell you stories all day and write a 20 page blog post of everything God did this Summer, but I pretty much just want to tell you the BIG things. So here we go.
Did you know that our God is fun-loving?
Yeah, He likes to smile.
He likes to laugh.
He likes to dance.
He likes to jump for joy.
And so on.
For all my life, I have always said "God is so powerful and mighty and perfect."
And YES He is, but He is so much more than just that.
Our Heavenly Father is fun and a joy to talk to and hangout with.
I learned this from my new friend and role model, Reagan.
Her favorite thing to do when she is at home is to go to the park and hangout with God on the swing-set and monkey bars.
HOLD UP!
You mean I can go swing with God?
YESSSS!!!
How cool is that?!
Our God wants us to take time and have fun with Him. So, why not go and talk to Him while your swinging or jumping around the Jungle Gym?
I learned that God listens to us, intently.
There were times when I felt I could not walk another step, catch another frisbee, or jump another time, BUT the Lord always listened to my prayers of help. He would take my feet and put His feet in my place. There were times I felt the Lord jumping in club (worship) with me. The Lord cheered me on.
There was this one time at Club where I was just physically exhausted from the week and I prayed that the Lord would send me my Senior Counselor, TomTom, to come and jump with me and my girls and stay energized. I KIDD YOU NOT, 5 seconds later, guess who showed up? TomTom.
The Lord listens to us.
BUT, here's the catch.
The Lord will always listen, but sometimes He might have different plans in mind for you.
Picture this:
It was week four in the middle of the week, and I was thinking about what I was going to get to be next week. I knew in my heart that I wanted to stay at the Ranch instead of base camps, because I feel the Lord has called me to 6th and 7th graders (I know I'm crazy, but I don't care. 6th and 7th graders have my heart).
So, I asked TomTom if it was selfish of me to want to stay at the Ranch another week with a cabin. She replied, "No, it's not selfish at all. God gave this passion for a reason. So go to Him and pray about it deeply."
So I did.
Let me tell you, I prayed passionately all week. over and over and over again.
It got to be time for cabin assignments. My name wasn't called for Clementine. Not for Cheyenne. Not for Work Crew. And then they started reading off Base Camps.
My name was the first girl called.
WHAT?!?
But I prayed passionately!
The Lord said, "LeapFrog, I have bigger things in store for you at Base Camp. You are not needed at the Ranch this week. The Ranch will be fine without you. Now pack your bag and go serve."
So, I packed my bag and headed to Houston.
I found out I had a cabin of 6 sweet 1st grade girls. My Mooloolaba nuggets as I call them. (Mooloolaba is a cabin name btw)
They melted my heart.
One camper, Little Emma, would tug on my shirt almost everyday and say, "LeapFrog! LeapFrog! I have a secret to tell you." She would motion for me to come closer. And she would whisper ever so quietly in my ear, "I love you very very much, Leapfrog!"
MY HEART IMMEDIATELY MELTED.
My little girls were precious, but a handful.
I thought to myself, What can a tiny 1st grader understand?
So, the Lord told me to tell them about His love for each of them.
I went around the circle to each girl telling them that the Lord is CRAZY about them and SINGS and DANCES over them.
The girl's faces lit up. They had no idea that their Father loved them that much.
Such an easy lesson, but rich with truth.
Even a 1st grader can understand a few things.
So, remember the Lord listens intently, but His plan for your life is far greater than you could ever imagine.
Next, I learned what it looks like to have a pure heart.
It says in Matthew 5: 8, "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God."
At first, I was like...what does that mean?
Does it mean to try and be more kind to people?
Does it mean to love people more?
Does it mean to try and be a better person?
NO.
It means to make your life look more like Christ's.
How do I do that?
Prayer. And reading about who Jesus was on Earth.
So, I dove in.
I love reading about who my Father is.
And let me tell you, I learned a lot.
I encourage you to read the Gospels because the Lord is so present and we can learn a whole lot from how He lived His life while on Earth.
He spent time with people, but also alone. He knew He needed time in fellowship, but also just Him and His Father.
Sometimes the least amount of words is the most needed in a situation. The Lord only speaks when necessary. His words are simple sometimes. We do not always have to speak to people so eloquently. He also showed us through His actions how to love deeply. Take a look at how He lived His life because it is worth your time.
So, remember to be praying for a pure heart.
I learned what it means to be a servant.
This is something I did not know I struggled with.
A servant is someone who takes the initiative.
I remember walking to class with another counselor and as we were walking she was picking up trash along the road.
I would have never thought to do this.
It just wasn't my mindset.
BUT it should be.
To serve with a happy heart.
Doing things without being asked to.
Did I put that trash on the ground? NO. BUT should I pick it up anyways? YES, because the Lord calls us to be servants.
I learned that prayer is powerful.
I had a camper who was honestly going through much more than an average 6th grader should be going through at her age or at any age for that matter.
I read her camper profile and started tearing up.
I thought to myself, What words am I going to say to her? Nothing I say can take away the pain and struggle in her life.
So, I went to my good friend, Jackie or Cookie, for some good ol prayer time.
I told her my situation and she said, "Leapfrog, let's go pray together about it."
So, we sat down for a good 20-30 minutes and prayed passionately over my camper.
It was a time I would never forget, just praying over my little camper, her family, and her heart.
The Lord blessed me with time to talk with her, and He allowed her to be transparent with me.
I will never forget this moment I had with her. Sweet time of healing and love.
Lastly, I learned that you need to let the Lord use you and speak through you.
I learned quickly that the words from my mouth were not my own. BUT God's words.
There were times I left Bible study not knowing exactly what I said, because the Lord was just using me as His vessel. Those times were sweet.
It's a cool experience to go through because your Heavenly Father who is crazy powerful and mighty used you, a little sinful person, to shake the kingdom and bring glory to His name.
HOW COOL?!
I hope you have experienced this or will in the near future.
I had a talk with one of my campers Week Four and she was a little a.d.d. So she could never look me in the eye when she talked to me because she got distracted so easily. BUT we were sitting on a picnic table and all of a sudden she looked me right in the eye and said, "Leapfrog, I need to tell you something. Kids at my school make fun of me. They tell me my laugh is funny. They all laugh at me and poke fun." Tears started streaming down her face.
WHAT?!
Now to me someone making fun of my laugh is not a big deal to me. Who cares?! It's a laugh.
BUT to a 6th grader it is a big deal. Image is a big deal.
I looked her right in the eyes and I said, "Did you know that the ONLY reason you laugh is because God laughs. If He didn't laugh, then we wouldn't laugh. right? We are made in His image. In His likeness. So, we smile because He smiles. We sing because He sings. We are joyful because He is joyful. Your laugh is perfect because He created it."
HOLD UP! EXCUSE ME!
But, I had never even thought about that before when I was telling her this.
The Holy Spirit intervened and spoke through me. little me.
How awesome is our God?!
It was exactly what she needed to hear too. A light bulb just turned on in her head.
It was bliss.
So, let the Lord use you for His glory. When you allow this to happen, amazing things will occur.
So, safe to say, GET READY!
Those were a few things that I learned while working at the Pine Cove Ranch.
Now that I'm home it is another ball game.
I don't have 8 girls to keep track or having a day to day schedule or a specific time to get in the word or anything.
It is weird.
BUT something to remember is that the Lord can still use me, even at home or at college. Not just at camp.
One thing I will remember is Mary Floppins told me is to remember the same God at camp is the same God at home. He is always with you. Don't leave Him at camp.
So True.
I am beyond excited to go back to school and tell others what I learned at camp, but also to live my life differently.
Take what I learned and apply it.
And to also....
KEEP LEARNING.
KEEP LEANING INTO THE LORD.
KEEP ASKING THE LORD FOR JOY AND ENERGY.
KEEP PRAYING TO HIM.
KEEP READING HIS WORD.
Our journey doesn't end at camp.
So, I am going to never stop jumping for Jesus!
P.S. I want to thank all of the precious counselors who taught me SO much this summer. God bless you all. OH!Opanga, Labradorable, Pinny, Pia, Chinny, Peaches, TomTom, Apples, Sweet Apple, OmniPrincess, Lucy, Cookie, NopeySopey, Floppins, Meeko, Penguins, Howie, Professor M, BB, and many more! LOVE YOU ALL! The Lord used you in incredible ways. God Bless!
