I Hate My Job, I Love My Job

We had an amazing time at Winter Camp. I thought I'd give you a glimpse into my life with the pics below...

I Always Think This Will Be The End Of Me

I think there's a special kind of regular amnesia that youth pastors have - probably like the amnesia moms have after giving birth and then wanting to do it again - It's called CAMP. Planning camps is like giving birth (like I know, right?). This week has been hell week with creating, planning and final touches - labor pains. I feel like a Zombie, I'm addicted to Monster, and I'm hoping everything goes great --- It always does, but like I said, it's amnesia.

Jake and I will be heading up to Show Low, AZ for Winter Extreme with our High Schoolers for skiing, snowboarding, sledding, and fun. Wish us luck! :) I'm hoping that God does amazing things through this camp and our speaker. I'll have pics to share when we get back.

Christmas Decorations

Over Thanksgiving we got things nailed up and the Christmas decorations out. Things have been so busy lately that I forgot to put these up and share. Plus, Karen you were right... that hot chocolate Starbucks cup has been up way too long! :) Just an FYI... these decorations are still up. It's Winter Camp madness month so they might not get taken down until February. :)

Why Do These Things Get Me So Giddy?

Christmas is coming!!!

With An Open Heart

Philippians 3:10

"I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised Him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in His death, so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead!"

I'm having a breakthrough - And this only (and always) happens through suffering and challenge. My broken heart will lead me to bent knees. My emptiness will guide me to the only thing that can satisfy. Lord, thank you for hard times. Thank you for struggle. Thank you for silence and desperation. I need that. I am growing. You have a plan. You have my attention and heart. I can't live without you.

Forgive me please for my selfishness, my resistance to change, my "victim" attitude, my hopeless heart, my paralysis, my temper tantrums, my need to feel loved and approved by everyone, my addiction to worry, my paradoxical lifestyle, my half-assed effort, my lack of faith, my judgmental heart, my lack of compassion, my gluttony, my pride...

You must refine me with fire. I want to come forth as gold. Your love is better than life.

Off to Strawberry

Strawberry, Arizona that is...

I'm off this weekend for a Global Trip Leaders Training Retreat. I'll be going through an intense training to prepare me to take a group of teens to Africa this next summer. Crazy, I know. Our church has focussed mainly on helping North East Africa and the Muslim people. We have many Muslim refugees we help here in AZ, and so that has become our focussed mission as a church, to bring these people hope and love. We also have a ministry to children suffering from AIDs. I do not know which focus will be my trip, but I'm excited for this opportunity. There has been talk about flying into Cairo so we can see the Egyptian pyramids - so fun! I'll be sure to be blogging more as things come together.

Ladies and Gentlemen...

We have a house! The owner accepted our addendum and as far as I know (you never know, right?) we are homeowners!!! Yay!!! I still can't believe it! We are set to close on or before September 17th. :)