Hey Y'all!
So, how 'bout this weather in California? CRAZY, no? It can't make up its mind! Its cloudy, rainy, then thunder and lightning-y, then the hail comes outta nowhere and all the sudden, its sunny again. I like it, though. But NOT when it makes me leave winter camp a day early.
This past weekend, I was at winter camp down in southern California and let me tell you, it was AMAZING! It took 9 hours there and back by means of bus, which was a crazy experience in itself, and we all grew closer because of it.
When we arrived, we went to our cabins to unpack then headed over to the dining hall for dinner. (GREAT camp food :]) Getting a seat or a table in the dining hall is just about as crazy as trying to find seats in the Super dome during the Superbowl. Meaning? Your chances are slim.
But that's not even what winter camp was about. Death to Life. That was the theme. Yes, kind of a basic message but who doesn't need one of those every once in awhile? (Especially those who aren't yet Christians) I know I needed it because I'll admit, I was struggling. Not with anything bad, but with being Luke-warm. While I wanted to praise God and obey, be a light to the others around me, I didn't. I mean, I desired it in my head, but not so much in my heart. I wanted to want to act in love, I wanted to want to praise God with my heart, but I really didn't want to. Make sense?
Since we moved from Yokosuka, Japan to Monterey, California; things have been very different. I was not the same person when I moved. I became very closed out and reserved to those around me. (You guys back at One-Way wouldn't believe it, haha) The worst part was, I made it look like that was just who I was, and I came to realize this at camp.
Camp gave me a time to think, to re-evaluate what was going on. For a few weeks, I had been praying that God would light the fire in me again. The one that gave me a passion for pursuing him and for showing others his love. He answered my prayer during the middle of camp. There was a lot of junk going on in our youth group for a couple of hours (to put it basically) and I had a chance to pray with a friend of mine about it. I hadn't prayed aloud with someone in the longest time! It just opened my eyes, and my tears. When I was finished praying with my friend, I went back to our cabin only to release more tears. I tried to toughen up and be a big girl, but the more I tried, the more the tears kept flowing. I went out to the rec room, but I couldn't look at anyone because I would just start crying again! Let me tell you, I was a MESS!
I was only crying so hard because, now that God has lit the fire again, here in Monterey, how much longer can I let my love for the people in this place get stronger? I just opened my heart again... only to let it break? And I couldn't look at any of my friends because I know I will soon be leaving them and I felt like I couldn't talk to anyone because they wouldn't understand. A Youth leader later came and made me talk to her, :) Which I'm glad she did, because I needed to silence the tears once and for all. In basic terms, she told me they would all miss us (my sister and I) but I should not be worried about leaving because God's not going to give me anything I can't handle.
The next day, I told this same story to my youth group when we had a sharing time. And I keep getting positive feedback :) shortly after that, we had to take the bus home because the camp was anticipating one of the worst snow storms in California in 20 years (or something like that). It was hard to feel like we hadn't been gypped, but God blessed the ride home indescribably. We finished our sharing time on the bus, and we had praise and worship, after that everybody was just talking to eachother and praying. So sweet :]
Now that we are home, everybody can hardly wait for youth group (which is tonight).
-Caitlin-
So, how 'bout this weather in California? CRAZY, no? It can't make up its mind! Its cloudy, rainy, then thunder and lightning-y, then the hail comes outta nowhere and all the sudden, its sunny again. I like it, though. But NOT when it makes me leave winter camp a day early.
This past weekend, I was at winter camp down in southern California and let me tell you, it was AMAZING! It took 9 hours there and back by means of bus, which was a crazy experience in itself, and we all grew closer because of it.
When we arrived, we went to our cabins to unpack then headed over to the dining hall for dinner. (GREAT camp food :]) Getting a seat or a table in the dining hall is just about as crazy as trying to find seats in the Super dome during the Superbowl. Meaning? Your chances are slim.
But that's not even what winter camp was about. Death to Life. That was the theme. Yes, kind of a basic message but who doesn't need one of those every once in awhile? (Especially those who aren't yet Christians) I know I needed it because I'll admit, I was struggling. Not with anything bad, but with being Luke-warm. While I wanted to praise God and obey, be a light to the others around me, I didn't. I mean, I desired it in my head, but not so much in my heart. I wanted to want to act in love, I wanted to want to praise God with my heart, but I really didn't want to. Make sense?
Since we moved from Yokosuka, Japan to Monterey, California; things have been very different. I was not the same person when I moved. I became very closed out and reserved to those around me. (You guys back at One-Way wouldn't believe it, haha) The worst part was, I made it look like that was just who I was, and I came to realize this at camp.
Camp gave me a time to think, to re-evaluate what was going on. For a few weeks, I had been praying that God would light the fire in me again. The one that gave me a passion for pursuing him and for showing others his love. He answered my prayer during the middle of camp. There was a lot of junk going on in our youth group for a couple of hours (to put it basically) and I had a chance to pray with a friend of mine about it. I hadn't prayed aloud with someone in the longest time! It just opened my eyes, and my tears. When I was finished praying with my friend, I went back to our cabin only to release more tears. I tried to toughen up and be a big girl, but the more I tried, the more the tears kept flowing. I went out to the rec room, but I couldn't look at anyone because I would just start crying again! Let me tell you, I was a MESS!
I was only crying so hard because, now that God has lit the fire again, here in Monterey, how much longer can I let my love for the people in this place get stronger? I just opened my heart again... only to let it break? And I couldn't look at any of my friends because I know I will soon be leaving them and I felt like I couldn't talk to anyone because they wouldn't understand. A Youth leader later came and made me talk to her, :) Which I'm glad she did, because I needed to silence the tears once and for all. In basic terms, she told me they would all miss us (my sister and I) but I should not be worried about leaving because God's not going to give me anything I can't handle.
The next day, I told this same story to my youth group when we had a sharing time. And I keep getting positive feedback :) shortly after that, we had to take the bus home because the camp was anticipating one of the worst snow storms in California in 20 years (or something like that). It was hard to feel like we hadn't been gypped, but God blessed the ride home indescribably. We finished our sharing time on the bus, and we had praise and worship, after that everybody was just talking to eachother and praying. So sweet :]
Now that we are home, everybody can hardly wait for youth group (which is tonight).
-Caitlin-
