At the beginning of the summer I remember praying specifically that Christ would stretch, mold, use, and break me in order that i'd be stripped of any self. Looking back, not only did He allow each of these, but taught me exceedingly more. From day one of counselor training we were reminded of the vitality of the Gospel message and the importance of declaring it moment by moment to our campers. One week specifically, I remember being overtaken with the immensity of this task. 'I only have 7 days to invest in these girls lives!', was my constant thought.
That same day I was reading 1 Corinthians 3 and cried out to God in thankfulness as Paul reminds us in vs 6: "I planted the seed, Appolos watered it, but God made it grow." Christ has given me the privilege and beckons me to proclaim the Gospel. As long as i'm faithful in planting the seeds amidst my campers, in His perfect time He'll cause them to grow.
So what was my greatest challenge? Simply trusting in Christ's sovereignty and sufficient control as I sought to share Him with my campers (although its far from simple:). Yes, the message of the Gospel is urgent and must be proclaimed-- without the work of the Holy spirit who draws and reveals need, however, this proclamation would be void. Through counseling I learned that I must live, proclaim, and pursue the Gospel message regardless of who I'm around or how long I have.. and Christ will faithfully do His work when and how He desires!
On the wild side, I learned that bears really do exist at Barakel. One bright mornin around 6am I was running the lake trail and as I rubbed (what I thought was) fog from my eyes, to my astonishment a bear sat 40 yds in front of me! After he looked at me for what seemed a lifetime, he darted away. So I decided to take my leave in the opposite direction:) Never a dull moment on the shores of Shear Lake!
The stories are endless, but my OB Nursing textbooks must be cracked open. I honestly can't thank God enough for His constant wisdom, strength and perseverence throughout the summer. He knew full well each tribe i'd be assigned..and needed! As I was faced with circumstances I knew I couldn't handle, I was driven to my knees realizing that my Savior would provide the complete strength and guidance needed to face what was ahead. For those of you that prayed for the counselors at Barakel this summer, thank you. Having seen the power of prayer in incredible ways each week, your part of Barakel's minsitry was (and is!) vital. It was A true privilege counseling 60 awesome girls..and seeing God at work first hand!
Rejoicing in God's complete sufficiency,
Emily
"The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and His understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.." Isaiah 40:28-31
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.