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!