It's not about me...

So, this past week, I was with my middle schoolers from the youth group down at Garden City Beach Camp in Garden City, SC. It was a phenomenal week. We had 4 of our kids accept Christ for the first time and others to make decisions to make their relationship with God better. I love beach camp.

I'm not very much myself when I'm at beach camp. But it's a good thing. Let me explain to you what it's like...because many of you probably wouldn't believe me when I say I love it. Our bedrooms are rooms with 10 sets of bunk beds (20 beds total). Many of my male friends probably would not fit in them. The bathrooms have 3 showers, 3 toilets, and 3 sinks. This sounds like a lot, but when you have 20 girls in one room all trying to get ready for worship at the same time, it seems like half as many as you need. Every morning, we get up, and have breakfast and go to worship. For me, a shower is not in my morning agenda (very out of character) because I have just taken one the night before for worship. During the afternoons, we have free time. I hate sand, but I spend pretty much every afternoon at the beach. Free time is from 1-5 and I'm usually at the beach from 1-4. In the other hour, I hang out with the other kids back at the house and getting ready for dinner.

After morning worship, the kids go to their classes and, this past week, Trevor, Lyndsay, and I all taught a class on how to handle conflict. I've taught a class every year for the past 4 years, and this year, one of the classes was, without a doubt, the best class I've ever had. The content was great, but what made it so wonderful was the kids. They were very willing to participate and share stories. They admitted to having had issues with conflict in the past and we worked on things and talked stuff out together. On the first day, we decided that the overarching theme of the week was "it's not about me...". When involved in conflicts, if we can just remember "it's not about me", we will probably end up happier.

I think what I learn most every week is that the key to living a satisfying life is simplicity. When I'm there, I don't have a computer, I don't have a television, I have my phone but barely use it...and I'm happy. So if I try to add the selflessness notion mentioned above, maybe things will be even better. As much as I hate to admit it, it's so much easier to live like this while I'm down there. It's because I'm forced (as bad as it sounds) to read my bible, spend time with God, and pray. I'm trying to keep it a habit. We leave tomorrow for round 2 with the high schoolers. I'm excited to see God again...and hoping to see God when I get back too...

Feels like Home to me...

Wow. I've taken entirely too long to update my blog. For those 3 avid followers I have, I sincerely apologize. For everyone else, get over it. ha! Only kidding...

So, you may have noticed that the tone of this posts title is much more uplifting than that of my last one. It may be partially because nothing really feels like home and that song is just in my head, or it could also be that I am settling down into a routine even with half my life still boxed up in the corner. Since my last post, I have found a place to live in Atlanta. That weekend was filled with many emotions. I was mainly incredibly overwhelmed...I am incredibly overwhelmed. The fact that I will be paying for my own place really freaks me out. As much as I hate to admit it, I will miss my parents so badly being 4 hours away from them, that I will probably cry...and cry and cry and cry.

But, in all of it, I keep reminding myself, God has a reason. There is a reason that 2 years ago I went on a mission trip to Buffalo, NY when I had no desire. There is a reason that God spoke to me that week and told me to follow. There is a reason that I received an incredible scholarship and have met incredible people at this McAfee place. There is a reason. Yet, still, I'm a doubting Thomas. One day, it will all be made clear...and until then, there is a reason.

"He makes all things good

there’s a time to live and a time to die
a time for wonder and to wonder why
cause

there is a reason."

So 2 days ago, I started my internship. I love this internship. Most of the time. Sometimes Chris (the youth minister, my boss) can be an absolute tool. I mean, to the point that I want to punch him and cry. Sometimes he pisses me off so much because he knows exactly when to call my bluffs. But then there are times...times that I'm reminded that there's a reason.

I found an email from him a few days ago that reminded me of this story. My senior year in high school, Chris asked me to preach for youth sunday. Looking back, I should have been way more honored than I was. I wrote this sermon after many weeks of deliberating on a topic and I emailed it to him. The next day I got that email from him and in it, he enumerated his praise and told me that it would have rivaled the sermons written by graduate students in his preaching class. I'm not trying at all to toot my own horn, but what he said to me made me feel so good because he was proud of me. At the heart of it was pride. I'm not sure that there are many people (outside my family) that have been as proud of me and make me feel so good about myself as Chris does. For example, Chris drove from Hickory to Mars Hill to see me walk across the stage to receive my diploma. He found me afterward and gave me a huge hug, told me how proud of me he was, and left. He drove, round trip 3 hours, to see probably 3 minutes of "me time". Maybe that's just being a good youth minister, but to me, that's a great friend. I'll never forget the day that he helped me move into my dorm my freshman year in college, he was leaving and I was going down with him to say goodbye and on the elevator I started tearing up and he looked at me and said, "There's no crying in baseball." I still cried, but just the fact that he was there for me that day meant so much to me. Chris is, without a doubt, one of the best mentors, leaders, and friends I have ever had. So, yeah, now that this internship has started, things are starting to feel more like home. So, if you read this Chris, just know that I appreciate everything you do...for me, and for everyone. Thanks for reminding me, more times than many people would believe, that there is a reason....