Pine Cove Shores Edition

I realized how long its been since I've posted a blog...a lot has happened since then, I'm kind of shocked. The Lord has been moving in my life and it is so evident. My last semester flew by. One of my dear friends graduated and is now studying at SMU law, I'm so proud of her, accomplishing one of her life goals. My other dear friend has still been here with me, but she is graduating this month to go student teach and live in Tulsa...not too close to Norman, but still Oklahoma. They have both been and truly are loved and missed, and I'm sorry if I never tell the two of you that, but you have meant a lot to me over my time at college. Thank you!

After I finished the spring semester, I went and worked at Pine Cove Shores for a third summer, this time as a lifeguard/band member...I can honestly say it was one of my favorite summers I worked at PC. I made lasting friendships, got to pour in to more campers, got to be out in the sun for 5+ hours a day (and for those of you who know me really well, you know I get dark in the summer). Besides all that, the Lord moved in my life. I figured I would learn the same old thing, like I had from previous summers...but I was definitely wrong. It was there I realized how much I had missed leading worship, having fellowship with other believers, having deep conversations while star gazing, talking about real life issues and how the Lord brings us through the good and bad times, being able to pray fervently without any distractions, being able to bless those around me because I had been blessed...for my fellow PC staffers, you know what I'm talking about...despite all the craziness of camp, (jumping up and down, doing the birthday rap, the awesome cheers, the count 'ems, never stop jumping up and down, ropes, the lake, the pool, never ever stop jumping up and down, club, Pit 'n' Palace, etc.) there was one thing that remained...and that was the Lord moving in each and every camper that came through. It wasn't because there were so many amazing, Godly college kids working there or because of the ridiculous stuff we were doing. We just let go, and let God...

Needless to say I am going to miss Pine Cove Shores, but I have learned so much from being a staffer there...after all, it is where I re-dedicated my life to Christ my freshmen year of high school, its where I found dear friends who will encourage me and aspire me to be better than I am because of the Lord, its where I was able to lead worship and literally get to watch kids worship on their knees to bring praise to our Heavenly Father...It was a life-changing experience, and I never will forget it.

There will be more posts to come with specific stories from camp...but I'll offer a verse that has been an anthem in my life

Philippians 4:6-"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, with prayer and supplication, let your requests be made known to God."

We are blessed, so we can be a blessing...

Cheers,

Amber

When things don't go the way we plan

Jeremiah 29:11-"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

I'm sure all of you have heard this verse at some point or another. Teachers, mentors, pastors and parents quote this verse before you ever make a big decision in life, like choosing a college. If I had a dollar for every time someone told me this verse during my senior year of high school, I would be a freakin billionaire.

This verse has begun to have a whole different perspective on me since being in college. Now I have to think about my future even more...what job I will have, who I'll marry, where I'll be living, what I'll be doing after college...The sucky part about the future? You can't predict it.

Wanna know the cool part about the future though? God already knows what's supposed to happen, when it's supposed to happen and how it's supposed to happen. We may not always know why things happen the way they do, but He has a plan.

That is ultimately what it comes down to...my own selfish desires, my own wants, my own PLANS do not even COMPARE to what God has for me...so what? weekend plans get ruined, I accept it and move on, knowing that God has something even greater planned, though I don't know what those plans may be for the time being. As long as God, who knows the future, provides our agenda and goes with us as we fulfill his mission, we can have boundless hope. This does not mean that we will be spared pain, suffering, or hardship, but that God will see us through to a glorious conclusion. So I fully intend on embracing that mission this weekend and be the best encourager I can be, and love the people who are around me.

God is sovereign in all He does. I take HOPE in that fact, that He knows the plans He has for me, plans to prosper me and not to harm me, plans to give hope and a future for me...

so what are YOU putting your hope in? Your own ambitions or God's ambition for you?

Cheers,
~Amber

I think I'll go to Boston

What a catchy song by Augustana...

Ponder this...Living in the here and now and taking one day at a time...How often do we tend to rush things and want everything to work out how we plan and on the time schedule that we have created? I tend to do this too much. The Lord has been working with me on this, because He knows how much of a planner I am. He knows the hairs on my head and He ordained me before I was even created. That thought alone floors me everytime I hear it. I mean, think about it...the Most High God cared about YOU and me enough to intricately and individually design us so that there is no one else like us because He loves us that much...whoa!

While on that topic, have you ever thought about how we even came into being as Christians? Because God sent His one and only Son to die for us, we are able to live with Him in eternity in Heaven if all we do is accept Him. Living, He loved me, Dying, He saved me, Buried, He carried my sins far away, Rising, He justified freely forever that one day He is coming...Because a Sinless Savior died, my sinful soul is counted free, for God the Just is satisfied to look on Him and pardon me...that last line always does it for me. God sent Jesus to die an excruciating death on the cross for my sake, and He pardoned my sin for it...I'm sorry, what? What was God thinking? I am worth nothing, yet He still loves me that much. God just blows my mind. I feel that I will never be able to fully comprehend just how significant that is

Oh how He loves us...

Let me know your thoughts

Cheers,
~Amber