A much needed update!

It has been a long time since I've updated this! And I'm excited to say, an update is very much needed at this point!

The Lord is good. I'm so grateful that we are loved by God because we are created by Him! Not because of the success of ministry. Or how 'good' we are. Or by any accomplishment. Or list of friends. It is so different from this world. I'm doing a Bible Study by Beth Moore right now. She was talking about how vast the universe is and how God created every star and planet. Then she told us that the disciple John shared with us, "not just that God loved the world but that He so loved the world." He so loved it because we are on it. Then she said this, "He just loves us." What a gift. He just loves us. End of discussion. So, if you remember nothing else from this entire blog, remember that He just loves us.

This time of year is always special to me. I decided to give my life to Christ just after Thanksgiving my freshman year of college. So essentially, I just had my birthday! 5 years of following Jesus. It's always a season of reflection, looking back and seeing the incredible ways the Lord has moved in my life. The ways I've grown and what I've experienced. This year, in particular, I've been thinking about the past 2 years and where the Lord has brought me...senior year of college, followed the call to go on staff with YL, moving to Rochester, leaving my dear friends and the HS kids I had poured my heart into, learning about ministry, being humbled like no other time in my life, seeing kids experience the joy of Christ, experiencing life-changing fellowship at new staff training, having my world rocked in El Salvador, dating a great guy who has quickly become one of my best friends, experiencing tragedy and trauma that will forever change my life, wrestling through tough questions with God, watching kids go from death to life spiritually at camp, spending a month with 48 college students who laid down their lives for the sake of the gospel - many of whom will never be the same, reconciled relationships, being stretched to continue to show up in lives of HS kids not because of the response I get but because I'm compelled by the love of Christ and because Jesus has asked me to. What a crazy 2 years it's been!

And now there is a new thing to add to the list. The Lord continues to give me opportunities to have faith, step out of the boat, and run towards Him. The latest way is that I'm going to be moving! Over the past few months, the Lord has made it clear to me that I truly desire to be a teacher. To be in a school, to spend all day with kids, and to live life with them in that way. Honestly, I've wanted to be a teacher since about the 3rd grade, the Lord just had a different path to get me there I suppose. At the same time, Evan and I have been dating for a while now and have become such great friends. He's such a blessing in my life. The Lord has opened up the opportunity for me to move to Saranac Lake! And I am SO excited about it! I'll get to pursue my teaching degree, live in the same town as Evan, and be part of an awesome community of people there.

I have learned SO much in this season of life. I've learned about the Lord, my purpose and calling, life lessons, how to work with people, how to be an empathetic person yet not try to carry the weight of the world (which is funny in itself - who do I think I am? that's why Jesus came. yet I think I can carry it. humorous, right?), how to love and be loved, how to ask for help, how to study scripture. The list goes on.

I am confident that this is what the Lord has for me in this next season of life. I am so excited. But it's not easy to leave. I've invested here...in people, relationships, and ministry. This place and these people mean a lot to me. But I know that the Lord has a plan for both myself and for this town. I am praying that the Lord will continue to raise up people to walk the halls of the high schools here in the name of Jesus.

I want to say thank you. Thank you for supporting me in the many ways you have.

• Financially - The amount of money raised for this year was enough to keep me on staff through December…while this has been a source of anxiety for the past 3 months, I now realize that the Lord had it planned out all along! It's because I wasn't going to be here! Go figure. Thank you for your generous support. Lives have been changed for eternity. I am forever grateful. 
• Prayer - Ministry is not possible without it. I have felt carried, and I am grateful for that. Ministry can be a very lonely place to be. It is humbling and such a gift to have people lifting me up along the way.
• Relationships! Thank you for being my friend! I am so grateful for the phone calls, visits, notes, and encouragement along the way. I am surrounded by an INCREDIBLE group of people. I do not take you all for granted. What a gift it is to have brothers and sisters all over the world. Also, thank you for the way you live your lives! To know that you are going in the name of Jesus to the corner of the world that the Lord has called you is an encouragement to me. Thanks for having great faith. 

So. I'm moving. And I'm pumped! I would love if you could continue to be praying in this time. Here's a few things you can be praying for:

•  Peace from Christ - If I'm not careful and don't daily surrender it to Jesus, I tend to be an anxious person. Please pray that I would let go of details. My desire is to care for people as best as possible in this process. But what starts out as a gift from God can quickly turn sour. Pray that I would daily surrender. And in that, that I'd be able to sleep well!
• Continued open doors - Apartment, job, school, etc.
• Healing! My knee is still not doing well. I haven't run in a long time and am in daily pain. Please pray that as I go home, that the doctors would be helpful and be able to do surgery or whatever needs to be done so I can be healed!
• Pittsford - As families and kids find out, there are many mixed emotions. Pray that the Lord would be glorified. Pray for the committee and staff here as they seek the Lord's will on where to go next with ministry in this town. Ultimately, pray that kids in this town would hear the truth of Christ! No matter what it takes…

Don't forget. He just loves us.

My life in pictures over the past 2 years!

 

 

It's fall!

Fall in Pittsford!

It is BEAUTIFUL here! And I've been able to start running again! Which in itself is a miracle, considering I couldn't walk 6 months ago. Such a gift, and something I absolutely do not take for granted. I took a cycling class at the Y last week, and although I am still not able to finish the whole class, I was amazed as I sat there and thought about how just 6 months ago I was in PT 2-3 times a week. And that I struggled to even complete one full rotation with the pedals. And now I can do 30 minutes straight. Funny how the Lord works. How he literally will strip us of all things comfortable (for me…that includes running and exercise), to bring us closer to Him. Now I can't complete a run without praying continually. I am blessed beyond belief.

Ministry

SHS Field Hockey!

   The Lord is reminding me of my role in all of this. My purpose is to do the will of God. To love him and love people. To share the gospel, the truth that I have come to know and rely on. It is not my purpose to change hearts. So I am clinging to that. This semester, team Pittsford consists of myself and Pat, who is currently enrolled in college 40 minutes away. Needless to say, his time is limited. On top of that, kids in Pittsford are incredibly busy! Every minute of their day is scheduled. It's unreal. My heart breaks for them. Ridiculous amounts of AP classes, sports practices/games daily, SAT prep, college apps, jobs. It's hard to find any free time that kids have. It's been freeing to approach the Lord about this, and to realize that my role is to be faithful. To be obedient to what the Lord has asked of me, to show up in the lives of these kids, and to love and to speak truth. So that's what I'm doing. Showing up. All over the place. Soccer, field hockey, starbucks, running through the village, going to the farm markets, Chipotle, volleyball games. Being visible and available. Loving and speaking truth. And praying big. Asking big things of the Lord. And waiting for Him to keep moving.

Prayer Requests

• That God would protect ministry in Pittsford and all of Rochester
• That kids would meet Christ in the midst of crazy busy lives
• For opportunities to meet & get to know kids, to serve the school & the community
• For support - I am still raising money to be on staff this year! Please pray for financial support to come in!
• If you are interested in supporting me financially, please click here, and search for my name in a 'Young Life Staff Person's Ministry'!
• For LEADERS! Pittsford, and our whole area, is in desperate need of leaders. This is what we're up against:
• Pittsford: 2 high schools - total kids: 2,400 & 2 leaders
• Schools with YL: Fairport, Victor, Penfield, Webster (2 HS's), Irondequoit (2 HS's), HFL     (Not to mention 3+ HS's without YL right now on the east side, plus more in the city)
• Total kids: over 15,000 High school students, Total leaders: 22
• Please join us in praying for leaders to be raised up! There are far too many high school kids who need to have someone speaking truth into their lives!



Rochester East Leadership at the Greater NorthEast
Leadership Weekend at Saranac 2 weeks ago
*Praying that many of these people will be called to lead
with us in Rochester this year!



Team Pittsford (Pat & I)

Catching up!

It has been a while since I updated this blog, life just flies by sometimes! I can't believe it's October already. I have a lot to update about ministry & life. I'll do a quick overview and add in some pictures! (Those are the best part anyways, right?!)


Assignment:
Here are some highlights:

My incredible summer staff girls!

• The summer staff - they were incredible! I got to spend the month with 50 college aged volunteers, and let me tell you, I was so blessed by them. My specific job, summer staff coordinator, allowed me essentially to be a Young Life leader for a month…which works out great, because that's what I LOVE! I got to know these girls and guys who desperately want to know and serve Jesus. In them I saw lives be transformed, Christ-centered relationships be built, callings be heard, a unique community of servants be formed, leaders be raised up. It was awesome.

The Saranac August 2012 Assignment team!



Evan & I

• The guide house - I got to live in a building with about 8 other families and it was the BEST! As a team, we all woke up every morning to have Bible Study together at 7:30. It was such a blessing to live in such a loving community, to be constantly around people who love the Lord, and to serve with them. I learned such valuable things just simply from watching couples care for each other, be parents, lead ministry. In addition to that, my summer staff co-coordinator was awesome, and I truly enjoyed leading with him and getting to know his family. So, so great. 

• Evan, my boyfriend, works at camp and we got to serve alongside each other for a whole month! It was a privilege and a joy to lead people together and to pull off all sorts of events for campers. To get to live and work in the same community was such a gift. The Lord really blessed us by having us both be at Saranac in August!

 Overall, it was such a gift from the Lord! It was truly a privilege. 

Transition back to Pittsford!

     I'm back in Pittsford! If I'm totally honest, it was a tough transition back, in particular the first 2 weeks. I was exhausted in every sense of the term…physically (very little sleep happened on assignment!), emotionally (it's hard to move from a community of close friends to a place that is still very much new, in particular with relationships), spiritually. However, I'm very grateful because the Lord truly brought me to me knees in that time, and I was able to re-evaluate and re-commit myself to the call the Lord has currently placed on my life. It is not easy, but I am confident that I am supposed to be in Pittsford. So here I am. And the Lord has been SO gracious in that! I am learning how to balance life, how to ask for help, how to communicate, and how to cling to Jesus. I am also learning that I am not alone in this, despite the times when I choose to believe otherwise. "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous; do not be terrified, do not be discouraged. For the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go." I am not alone.

I have chosen to follow & live my life for Jesus and He has completely taken me up on that. He's led me away from everything that is comfortable, and for that I am grateful, because I am getting the opportunity to know Him in deeper ways than ever before.

Assignment!

Well, I'm currently sitting on camp, at one of the most beautiful places in the world. I get to live here for the rest of the summer! I have a summer assignment at Saranac, a YL camp up in the Adirondacks, starting yesterday! I have the privilege of working for a month on camp as the Summer Staff Coordinator. The Summer Staff are all the college volunteers that come to work for the month as life guards, work the ropes course, cooks, do laundry, work in the store & craft shack. And my job is essentially to love them! Best. Job. Ever. I'm really looking forward to this time. I love the camp environment. I love the people here. It's truly a gift to be here for the whole month of August. Please be praying during this time! Here's what you can pray for specifically:

• That I would trust Christ in the position of authority that he has entrusted to me this month
• Our SS has memorized and will focus on this passage: "If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:"
• Pray that I would have the same attitude as Christ Jesus
• For relationships amongst the camp staff and Assignment team (all the field staff like me who come live and work together for the month)
• That high school campers (& middle school the last week!) would meet Christ this month
• For the work crew (high school volunteers) & summer staff - that they would intimately experience Christ

Thanks for your prayer & support over this month! 

Everything is different now.

One of the best things about camp is coming home! But not for the reason you're thinking (although sleeping in your own bed for 15 hours straight is always a great thing…) My favorite part of YL camp is that we get to go home with our friends. It's not a week long counselor/camper relationship. It's life on life, all day every day. This was the first time I go to go back and spend time with my friends. In college, I always left pretty much the day after to come back to NH. It has been like camp part 2 this week, and it's been so fun. The kingdom is seriously expanding at a rapid rate. We have had devotionals everyday, a picture party, watched a movie outside on a projector, had 11 girls up to my family's lake house for the day/night, had a pool party, and ate gutter ice cream sundaes! It has been a blast. It feels like a family. The kids love spending time together. At the picture party (which was literally 48 hours after we had gotten off the buses), I showed up at 7, which was when it technically started, but no one is ever there on time. However, this time was different. I had 5 high school guys run up to me saying, "Megan, we missed you! We're so glad you're here!" That does NOT happen! There was so much joy in that place. We had a bonfire, ate big cookie (you have to go to camp to hear more about this one!), played volleyball (or our very own YL camp version…Nuke 'em), and watched a slideshow. When we went inside to watch the slideshow, I literally stood in front of them for 20 minutes. They were all piled on top of each other giggling and just couldn't stop. It was hilarious. And I loved every second of it. Another friend of mine was walking with me and he was just so excited. He said, "Megan, thank you so much for getting me to camp. This is just the best. I love these people. Everything is different now."

That's it. That is the reason why I do this. Because when these kids experience the gospel, everything is different.

Enjoy some pictures from our summer hang outs this week!

SARANAC 2k12

"Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, O Lord, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all…Now, our God, we give you thanks, and praise your glorious name." -1 Chronicles 29:11,13

I read this verse in a devotional and can't stop reading it. It puts words to describe what an incredible week we had at Saranac. I got to watch kids go from death to life. Eternal decisions made…these kids will never be the same. And I got to watch it and be part of it! Why me? I have no clue. But I'm so so thankful. Absolutely incredible.

My favorite parts of the week? The laughter (when you get 16 girls in one cabin…it's bound to be a good time). Constant laughter. Singing (more like screaming) Don't Stop Believin' in club. Hearing Tim, the speaker, share the gospel every night…the kids were so intrigued, you could hear a pin drop (which is a big deal when you have 350 high school students in one room). Watching high school boys square dance…and love it! Laying in a hammock with a high school for 2 hours talking about life and what holds us back from trusting the God of the Universe. Parasailing with a freshman girl and just being in awe with her of God's creation. My incredible support system at Saranac…seeing people who I care so much about and who care for me so well - what a gift it was to walk around camp, talking with girls about life and the Lord, and to look up and pass by a dear friend who just gives me a smile and to know that I was being covered in prayer in that moment. Having the privilege of extending the same grace I've received to my high school friends. Being broken before the Lord (it's a really long and hard week).

Here are a few pictures: Enjoy!