Weeks 7, 8, 9 and 10!!

Hey there, Team! So sorry I am so behind... I am still in school and have a lot going on this month! But here they are, weeks 7, 8, 9 and 10! Can't wait to see you all in just a few hours!!

Service:
I really loved the Karl Rahner prayer. SO eye-opening and convicting. I love the way he questions God and it is clear that his heart is truly open to change and reconstruction. I pray that my heart would be that open and raw. I pray that I would be that transparent with God so that He may work on my heart with me receiving the lessons openly.
I had never thought about the difference between choosing to serve and being a servant. I think that our job's this summer really require us to be servants to the students, leader and our other staff members, not just choosing to serve one but not another. I know that ministry can be so exhausting and really difficult at times, and I am sure that each of us will run into these times at some point during our time on the water. But we don't have to worry about that, for our strength and rest comes from the Lord! He will guide our words and actions as we strive to serve others to the best of our abilities, and He is always there for us to run to in times of uncertainty. And as we learn to become servants, lets not forget that we have the support and love of our whole staff, who will be walking alongside each of us through this journey. Praise the Lord for community and humility!


Celebration:
I loved the way that John Henry Newman described the angel's announcement, saying, "Such were the words which the blessed Spirits who minister to Christ and His Saints, spoke on that gracious night to the shepherds, to rouse them out of their cold and famished mood into great joy; to teach them that they were objects of God's love as much as the greatest of men on earth; nay more so, for to them first He had imparted the news of what that night was happening." Newman explains that God sent his angels to the shepherds, of all people. They were not the most important or the most qualified to hear this glorious news first, but they were no less worthy( or excited, for that matter)!The shepherds were celebrating God's great love for them and for the world, just as we celebrate His great love. I love celebrating, whether it is Christmas or Star Wars Day (May the 4th be with you... hahaha.) But this devotional really brought out opportunities to celebrate to my attention. We are all children of God. We are "Imago Dei", made in God's image. We have SO MUCH to celebrate! We can breathe, smell and see. We can make food and taste it. We can use our voices to yell and laugh and sing praises to our Heavenly Father. We can paint and solve math problems and dance and feel a wide range of emotions. And all of things are cause to celebrate our God for His great love and the many blessings He gives.

Guidance:

Psalm 24:1-6 "The earth is the LORD's and all that is in it, the world, and those who live in it; for he has founded it on the seas, and established it on the rivers."
This verse has been a great comfort to me in the last few years of my life and has been a source of guidance, as it lets me know that God means it when He tells us that He has it all under control! There are two sides to guidance for us as Christians. First, we have to be attentive to God's guidance in our lives. I think we find this guidance through all of the topics we have been discussing in our blog posts! It is important for us to be deeply rooted in the word so we may study and meditate upon it. We must converse with God through prayer. We must set aside time for solitude, as well as be intentional about serving one another. Through these disciplines, the Lord guides us and shows us his good and perfect plans for us. And through these experiences, I believe that God has called us to help him guide others in their life choices, joys and sorrows. God calls us to live in community, and people in community want to help and be helped. God has given each of us special gifts which enable us to bring His kingdom to earth, and guidance is a big part of that. And aren't we lucky... WE get to follow God's path and guide each other and the campers out on the water in the California sunshine. Yeah, THAT is pretty awesome :)

Lord, I ask that you would equip each of us to follow you this summer. I pray that you would fill us up so that we may pour out gentle love and guidance on those around us.



Worship:
Oh, I love worship! It is usually my favorite part of church services and I love the way it brings people to a state of noticeable yet humble beauty. But this devotional reading really made me think about what worship IS and not what produces. I know that I have a sense of peace and adoration when I am in my "worship zone" if you will, but I don't notice this feeling a lot during the times that I am not choosing to worship. And there it is... I choose the times I want to worship. Shouldn't my life be dedicated to honoring God's glory and power at all times? I think it should be. But I know this will never be totally achievable until I am with the Lord in heaven. And while I still love worship in church, I will be more attentive to my daily worship. I want to use my whole life to glorify my Lord and my God, not just my whole Sunday or my whole summer with Sonshine.

For we are the Lord's and all that we do shall bring honor to His name!