Faith Camp 2011 More Than a Feeling

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

I know I have been posting a lot lately about how excited I have been for Faith Camp 2011! I have a very special place in my heart for Faith Camp because I know that it is the BEST camp out there for junior high kids who want to know Christ. I am not saying this because I am biased, but because the Holy Spirit gives all he can, and Faith Camp receives all that it can. If God is giving all of himself and we are accepting him entirely NOTHING can be better than that! Faith Camp is God's ministry and when you are there you can see how much he LOVES it! God loves Faith Camp and so do I!

The week before Faith Camp is work week, work week is when all of the staff get together and get everything ready for Faith Camp. I am proud to say that I spent hours upon hours working on painting humongous murals that were used for one night, where God's children were drawn closer to Him, and then were torn down after. I spent a few days at work week, helping with all that I could, and prepping for Faith Camp. I had a day break where I came back home, and then I spent Sunday getting ready for Faith Camp. On monday the world began to be changed. Faith Camp 2011 had begun!

Our theme was "More Than a Feeling" and nothing could have been more appropriate! From the first day where kids got oatmeal and shaving cream shoved in their faces, God began planting His seed. Faith Camp has a theme each day. Monday is God's love, Tuesday is sin, Wednesday is Jesus Christ, Thursday is Christian life, and Friday is wrap up. I know that God is more than a feeling. When we are having "Jesus highs" it isn't God, it is our emotional response to God. God is ALWAYS good! Even if we don't FEEL Him, He is there loving us just as much as He always does. His love never falters, never fails, and never falls. God is good all of the time!

I was super blessed to be a cabin leader this year. I was also blessed to be co-cabin leader with one of my childhood friends who I hadn't seen in years. Shaylyn was such a huge blessing to me through her humility, service, love, gentleness, kindness and affirmation! God knew what He was doing giving her to me for that week to bring souls to Him. I had fourteen of the most amazing girls on Earth in my cabin. Go cabin 2! Each and every one of them was sheer joy to my heart! They were so respectful, mature, obedient, loving, giving and wonderful. I never knew that they would call me on to holiness so much! Being their leader and having to guide them was so humbling, there is nothing special about Alyse, only Christ is special. If I allow Him to live in me, then we've got the answer! Thank the good Lord that I wasn't telling them to be like Alyse, but I was telling them to be like Christ who is perfect! Thinking about my girls gives me so much joy in my heart, God blessed me so much through them!

Throughout the week God spoke to me through very unique ways. From acting in a skit that was thrown together in five minutes, to being in charge of all of the slides for the songs, God spoke to ME in a unique way! I felt so special to be able to serve Him with all that I was, and then with all that He gave me, which was SO much more! As I got home today and stood in the shower I realized just how much God was my strength. The joy of the Lord was my strength! Because without Him I would have been a crumpled, crumby, sad mess! Praise Him!

My Uncle is the head coordinator of the camp, and I am so blessed by him. He asked me to be a C.I.T next year, a Coordinator In Training. That means, that in two years I will be helping to coordinate Faith Camp, God willing. That also means that this year was my last and only year as a cabin leader and a team leader. Although it is not something that I "want" necessarily, God let me know that it is what He wants, that means it will be great! It makes this year all the more special, knowing that this was the only year remotely like this that I will have. I am telling you all, because I am afraid that I will want to back out, and I need to be held accountable. Pray that I am able to serve God how He wants me to be used.

Today when I got home and sat down to blog I prayed that God send me a bible verse that would touch my heart and I opened up to Sirach 39: 12-16 and I want to share it with you. It is:
Once more I will set forth my theme to shine like the moon in its fullness!
Listen, my faithful children: open up your petals, like roses planted near running waters;
Send up the sweet odor of incense, break forth in blossoms like the lily. Send up the sweet odor of your hymn of praise; bless the LORD for all he has done!
Proclaim the greatness of his name, loudly sing his praises, With music on the harp and all stringed instruments; sing out with joy as you proclaim:
The works of God are all of them good; in its own time every need is supplied.
The first part in particular struck out to me: "Once more I will set you forth to shine like the moon". I realize how much I have fallen short in the past, and how much I need to stay strong for His kingdom. Building His kingdom is all that matters in life, and I lose that perspective so often. To follow God and make a total life response to Him, that is our call. In the Christian life talk Sarah said, "Being Christian is NOT a life style choice, like being a vegetarian, it is a total life response to a person and that person is Jesus Christ." A total life response. A TOTAL life response! Jesus help us to have a TOTAL LIFE RESPONSE to you! Amen

Peace and love in Christ,
Alyse