it's been challenging to even find the time to get on here. i love the busyness of this ministry & social life i've got going on. the corn maze is over. clean up done. snow fallen. outdoor ed groups slowed down. we have been having some more 'down-time' but still always busy. it has been neat to learn from some of the full time staffers. the history of the ranch is beautiful to uncover & discuss. we are so grateful to be at the point along the time line in which we can enjoy the fruits of others' labor while being encouraged to devote passion & time in order to maintain & thrive-- all through the Lord's strength & for His glory. Tom Bissett described this period in our history as a 'tough year'. i have found much encouragement from such great saints in our legacy of faith which could not be shaken no matter the challenges. 'Where God guides, He provides.'
enjoyed a great time in lynchburg, va a few weekends back. such a beautiful area. such beautiful people all hanging out together. i love sports games in the fall/winter. i had the awesome surprise of a phone call all the way from china-land. olivia dolph rocks. i love being around great people that don't need anything more than good conversation, lots of laughing, & hugs. fun comes easy when you're laid back =)
recently enjoyed some yummy dinners at others homes. that's my favorite-- chill, comfy, community. also had a fun time taking marla & abby to see high school musical 3 with katie. bible study with the girls has been a refreshing addition to the week. mostly i hate that i always get sick this time of year, but also mostly the snow is worth it. just when the beautiful crunchy leaves are gone, snow takes up residence. yesss. i can't wait for a blizzard.
we've been working on a skit/drama for winter meltdown. we also performed it at grace bible church this past sunday. they had a special day for us & really made us feel their strong support & great appreciation. the body of Christ is so beautiful.
still loving time with the awesome people in these parts. eager to see the Lord's direction & design for the future. excited for going home tomorrow & bringing katie along!
hope y'all enjoy this season of thankfulness & giving.
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Monday, November 10, 2008
oh an update...update yo...updatio...
so its been quite a while. surprise, here i am!
-corn maze craziness is over. it has by far been my very favorite part of RVR this time of year. the retreat schedule worked out that i was able to work every weekend of maizefest. the beauty of these hills this time of year is breath-taking, mind-blowing (kinda weird descriptors, eh). so many colors woven throughout the mountains & valleys visible across the crisp, clear autumn air. i love it.
-catered a reception for a Halloween reception. interesting. beautiful. funtastic.
-been so super blessed with awesome people in these parts. each family at the ranch is so neat. it has been so nice getting to know them, enjoy their generosity, & serve alongside of them. the Lord is showing me His grace through these families & other great people in the area. what a great encouragement. & of course it comforts my mama knowing they are there for her girl.
-this past week i enjoyed some exceptionally excellent adventures: girl time, outings, time with the families, working out... & our intern adventures! we had some day trips this past week--canoed the gunpowder (11ish miles), rock climbed at earthtreks, & hiked the appalachian trail (9ish miles). katie & i planned the meals/snacks which was an adventure in itself especially due to the current economics. everything came together & we all had such a great time together out & about.
-i worked the retreat this weekend. served meals=100+ happy men. they were pals. my workeds for the weekend done good. we had a couch burning bonfire one night thanks to zack.
-been appreciated the Lord's teaching & working in, around, & through me. very grateful for how evident it has been these days. been disgusted by the filth of my depraved human nature but immediately filled with joy & hope... throughout my reading & thoughts i keep hearing over & over "but Christ"... praise Him for radically directing & absorbing God's justice in His great love. it has been awesome to be surrounded (both literally & figuratively) by brothers & sisters who support, listen, encourage, challenge, rejoice, pray, serve, & love with me. the network the Lord has blessed me with comforts me in this time i know the Lord has brought me to. it's exciting to know He has placed me here in this moment, is with me in it, & is displaying His power--ultimately good for all. oh to have the confidence & assurance of David & Paul in God's control & perfect will. how grateful i am for His grace to meet me where i'm at, where He has brought me, that His power may rock this world.
i love you.
-corn maze craziness is over. it has by far been my very favorite part of RVR this time of year. the retreat schedule worked out that i was able to work every weekend of maizefest. the beauty of these hills this time of year is breath-taking, mind-blowing (kinda weird descriptors, eh). so many colors woven throughout the mountains & valleys visible across the crisp, clear autumn air. i love it.
-catered a reception for a Halloween reception. interesting. beautiful. funtastic.
-been so super blessed with awesome people in these parts. each family at the ranch is so neat. it has been so nice getting to know them, enjoy their generosity, & serve alongside of them. the Lord is showing me His grace through these families & other great people in the area. what a great encouragement. & of course it comforts my mama knowing they are there for her girl.
-this past week i enjoyed some exceptionally excellent adventures: girl time, outings, time with the families, working out... & our intern adventures! we had some day trips this past week--canoed the gunpowder (11ish miles), rock climbed at earthtreks, & hiked the appalachian trail (9ish miles). katie & i planned the meals/snacks which was an adventure in itself especially due to the current economics. everything came together & we all had such a great time together out & about.
-i worked the retreat this weekend. served meals=100+ happy men. they were pals. my workeds for the weekend done good. we had a couch burning bonfire one night thanks to zack.
-been appreciated the Lord's teaching & working in, around, & through me. very grateful for how evident it has been these days. been disgusted by the filth of my depraved human nature but immediately filled with joy & hope... throughout my reading & thoughts i keep hearing over & over "but Christ"... praise Him for radically directing & absorbing God's justice in His great love. it has been awesome to be surrounded (both literally & figuratively) by brothers & sisters who support, listen, encourage, challenge, rejoice, pray, serve, & love with me. the network the Lord has blessed me with comforts me in this time i know the Lord has brought me to. it's exciting to know He has placed me here in this moment, is with me in it, & is displaying His power--ultimately good for all. oh to have the confidence & assurance of David & Paul in God's control & perfect will. how grateful i am for His grace to meet me where i'm at, where He has brought me, that His power may rock this world.
i love you.
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
i love firsts. todays:
-trip planning
-awesome conversation with Tom Bisset
-castration stories from Morgan
-long john dance party
-snow fall of winter 2008 =)
-trunk or treat
-awesome conversation with Tom Bisset
-castration stories from Morgan
-long john dance party
-snow fall of winter 2008 =)
-trunk or treat
familiar faces visit =)
andrew & deanna came for our 2nd annual amazing corn adventures. so fun!
i'm now winterized thanks to dave's delivery service. thanks for stopping by & the coffee!
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
dancing all over the line...
to steal the eloquent words of Colin Powell:
"...we've got two individuals. Either one of them could be a good president, but which is the president that we need now? Which is the individual that serves the needs of the nation for the next period of time? And I come to the conclusion that because of his ability to inspire, because of the inclusive nature of his campaign, because he is reaching out all across America, because of who he is and his rhetorical abilities – and we have to take that into account – as well as his substance – he has both style and substance – he has met the standard of being a successful president, being an exceptional president.
"...we've got two individuals. Either one of them could be a good president, but which is the president that we need now? Which is the individual that serves the needs of the nation for the next period of time? And I come to the conclusion that because of his ability to inspire, because of the inclusive nature of his campaign, because he is reaching out all across America, because of who he is and his rhetorical abilities – and we have to take that into account – as well as his substance – he has both style and substance – he has met the standard of being a successful president, being an exceptional president.
I think he is a transformational figure. He is a new generation coming into the ... onto the world stage and on the American stage and for that reason, I'll be voting for Senator Barack Obama."
please continue to join me in prayer regarding the upcoming elections & the state of our nation.Monday, October 13, 2008
wicked wonderful weekend
after a busy week i was able to get friday morning off. it was so nice to sleep in before going into a crazy busy weekend. worked on getting the ranch ready for the group until they got here. this time i was a support host for the one & only zack smith. i would so give him a 10 in a review. he did an awesome job of educating me as he showed me how to totally rock as hosting. we pretty much just did everything together. he knew what/how to do it all & we just worked at it all together. i can't brag on him or me too much but at the end of the weekend the group leader's eval gave us a rave review... something along the lines of appreciating the great display of servitude... none of the credit belongs to either of us b/c it was honestly the Lord working through the position/opportunity He provided for us. i was seriously blown away & excited over & over throughout the weekend. i have been curious about how the passions He has revealed might fit together in the future. this weekend i was reminded about the fact that this moment in my life right now is just as significant as whatever might come after this year. this weekend so just served to feed into my love for this opportunity to serve in the ministry of the ranch. i have loved the experience of outreach to each group that comes in. the diversity of the groups has been so fun. i just love cultures! the group this weekend was from inner city Baltimore. this weekend symbolized the wedding of the passions i have for the outdoors, the city & people. it shouldn't surprise me that the passions God has given me can & will come together in ways i don't even know yet. i loved observing & interacting with the youth & leaders. they were on their first ever retreat... out in the middle of no where. experiencing so many firsts: gazing at more stars than they ever realized existed, horse rides, (purposeful, just for fun) bonfires, hiking, paintball... my all time favorite times along these lines was the dodgeball tournament & snack shop. watching them have so much fun being kids, working/competing together, dancing with skill, & of course belting it out... to the player piano! it was such a hit. it was really fun to be there for them & try to show them a good time, giving everything we could do to give it a personal touch. the group's energy was so refreshing. it was great chatting with lateeya about her urban min experience & just be there to support & encourage the other leaders as fellow colaborers. everything about this internship has just been like the perfect combo of things i never imagined could fit together. i mostly just feel super excited these days... not because i've figured it out... but because i've been reminded that i can't... & i'm just eagerly loving the living part of the life each day =)
highlights of today: cleaning & work day with katie--mariah carey sing-a-long, awesome sunrise & sunset, trees changing more & more, out to dinner with pals, posted last discussion questions for my class, working monday=roadtrip to VA...
4 more days =)
highlights of today: cleaning & work day with katie--mariah carey sing-a-long, awesome sunrise & sunset, trees changing more & more, out to dinner with pals, posted last discussion questions for my class, working monday=roadtrip to VA...
4 more days =)
Monday, October 6, 2008
update!
it's been a super busy month. so many good things to report. retreat groups have been in & out back to back, some even overlapping. this basically means a lot of super busy scheduling, quick turning over of camp. last week we had an all boys group in which i was again duped into doing the trust fall. this time i definitely didn't trust them, but ftk (for the kids), right? right. i lived! those were some cool kids & they even started listening by the end. it's neat to study who & how kids respect. just like we learned with the horses--much encouraging & little griping is key.
in every spare moment last week we were preparing for the maize fest & we officially opened on saturday. that was my favorite day of work so far. i love this time of year soo much. changing colors. crunchy leaves. crisp mornings & evenings. apple cider. maize fest. pumpkin spice coffee. had a princess sleepover this weekend at the steele's. yay dance party, dress up, chick flick, homemade coffee & oatmeal. it was just so nice to have a little get away with the girls right here.
church on sunday was really good. i got to go to lifepoint with the cline ladies. the whole service was awesome. loved the music time. the sermon was beautiful. left me challenged to be focused on the hope & promise of eternity, having faith in & seeking after the God who has proven Himself faithful over & over. stay tuned for a summary of this & other lessons being learned these days.
after some nice down/off time this week kicked off with a bang. it was nice to meet up with chad & the other interns for a time of just catching up & praying into the week. then we were able to get all of main camp cleaned & landscaped. great times with spontaneous dance party, deep cleaning, sticking together, & knockout. last night i added a new experience to the ever growing list-- livestock auction! some of the guys bought up some piglets for the petting zoo. i dream of having my own pet lamb someday.
today was surprise day. as i'm sure you all know, i love surprises. chad, our most awesome director, took us down to the inner harbor today. it was so nice to get into the city... b-more is such a nice one. the weather was perfect. we rode in on the light rail, strolled through the harbor, ate in b&n, played in espn zone, & played on federal hill. i enjoyed the time with the other interns & the bonawitz family away from camp for a bit. yes, i do love it here. but it was just nice to chill through the day in a different environment. it was a great surprise. babysat the sweet cline girls tonight & bedtime is coming soon.
i'm looking forward to working with the groups coming in this week, working the retreat this weekend, & fun plans already forming for next week.
in every spare moment last week we were preparing for the maize fest & we officially opened on saturday. that was my favorite day of work so far. i love this time of year soo much. changing colors. crunchy leaves. crisp mornings & evenings. apple cider. maize fest. pumpkin spice coffee. had a princess sleepover this weekend at the steele's. yay dance party, dress up, chick flick, homemade coffee & oatmeal. it was just so nice to have a little get away with the girls right here.
church on sunday was really good. i got to go to lifepoint with the cline ladies. the whole service was awesome. loved the music time. the sermon was beautiful. left me challenged to be focused on the hope & promise of eternity, having faith in & seeking after the God who has proven Himself faithful over & over. stay tuned for a summary of this & other lessons being learned these days.
after some nice down/off time this week kicked off with a bang. it was nice to meet up with chad & the other interns for a time of just catching up & praying into the week. then we were able to get all of main camp cleaned & landscaped. great times with spontaneous dance party, deep cleaning, sticking together, & knockout. last night i added a new experience to the ever growing list-- livestock auction! some of the guys bought up some piglets for the petting zoo. i dream of having my own pet lamb someday.
today was surprise day. as i'm sure you all know, i love surprises. chad, our most awesome director, took us down to the inner harbor today. it was so nice to get into the city... b-more is such a nice one. the weather was perfect. we rode in on the light rail, strolled through the harbor, ate in b&n, played in espn zone, & played on federal hill. i enjoyed the time with the other interns & the bonawitz family away from camp for a bit. yes, i do love it here. but it was just nice to chill through the day in a different environment. it was a great surprise. babysat the sweet cline girls tonight & bedtime is coming soon.
i'm looking forward to working with the groups coming in this week, working the retreat this weekend, & fun plans already forming for next week.
Monday, September 29, 2008
happy hump day!
last week was officially the craziest yet, but is about to be beat out. i love it. my job is awesome. after working hard all the way through i got to go home for a surprise visit on saturday night. highlights: chill sibling time, movies, ben & jerrys, great sleep in my own bed, surprises, fun road trip with the mersons, visiting my awesome church family, & coming back to the ranch! it was short lived, but perfectly timed. i put in a hard days work monday to earn back a vaca day from the OK trip. while it would've been nice to have the day off, it was a great day of work. the entire staff power cleaned before the arrival of this week's first retreat group. then i got to help out with the new zipline exit a few times, hang out with super cool middle school girls, & do some more work in the cornmaze. the best moment of the day was, by far, talking politics with greg & chad in the tunnel.
tuesday-- after a bright & early breakfast i headed off to the zipline to help run the entrance. the new one (aka trip zip) is awesome. like you should really understand the filling of awe it provides... after clipping in a long line of brave 6th grade girls & successfully coaching a very nervous one i got to ride it for my very first time. again let's add this to the list of new exciting things! then i got to teach the other interns the process of running the entrance twice which meant 2 more rides. each ride (1700 ft.) is about 1/3 mile, so i got to fly about a mile through the RVR air... ahh! the beauty of this camp is becoming even more amazing as the colors are changing. i will try to get some pictures up as soon as i figure that process out... had an exciting night out to wherly's with lisa & then a Bible study at chad's. we've been watching 'the truth project' with great discussions to follow... challenged to seek out the truth of God & resist/strip away the lies of the world.
today we had some classes. horse class with jason, biz & morgan. operations/driving class with kevin (aka kev dawg). highlights from the day: learning horse anatomy with a sweet game of simon says, riding blizzard--my noble steed (oh how he loves me), trail ride through the acres, acing the driving test in 'beastie' the van, remix singing/interpretive dancing party everywhere, & a sweet night with the girls. loved an opportunity to spend time with them rather than homework. french toast + non-camp coffee = mmm dinner.
have i mentioned how much i love my job? it is so neat to realize over & over that the exact place & moment is right where i'm meant to be. my Lord is faithfully leading me throughout each day & it feels so great.
next up: new retreat group in tomorrow, then kicking off maize fest this weekend. check it out & please come =)
tuesday-- after a bright & early breakfast i headed off to the zipline to help run the entrance. the new one (aka trip zip) is awesome. like you should really understand the filling of awe it provides... after clipping in a long line of brave 6th grade girls & successfully coaching a very nervous one i got to ride it for my very first time. again let's add this to the list of new exciting things! then i got to teach the other interns the process of running the entrance twice which meant 2 more rides. each ride (1700 ft.) is about 1/3 mile, so i got to fly about a mile through the RVR air... ahh! the beauty of this camp is becoming even more amazing as the colors are changing. i will try to get some pictures up as soon as i figure that process out... had an exciting night out to wherly's with lisa & then a Bible study at chad's. we've been watching 'the truth project' with great discussions to follow... challenged to seek out the truth of God & resist/strip away the lies of the world.
today we had some classes. horse class with jason, biz & morgan. operations/driving class with kevin (aka kev dawg). highlights from the day: learning horse anatomy with a sweet game of simon says, riding blizzard--my noble steed (oh how he loves me), trail ride through the acres, acing the driving test in 'beastie' the van, remix singing/interpretive dancing party everywhere, & a sweet night with the girls. loved an opportunity to spend time with them rather than homework. french toast + non-camp coffee = mmm dinner.
have i mentioned how much i love my job? it is so neat to realize over & over that the exact place & moment is right where i'm meant to be. my Lord is faithfully leading me throughout each day & it feels so great.
next up: new retreat group in tomorrow, then kicking off maize fest this weekend. check it out & please come =)
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
r r r random!
if anyone cares, sorry it's been so long. went right from busyness last week to OK trip for abby & chase's wedding right into this super crazy week. love the get-away & chance to see awesome friends. i'm looking forward to more sweet adventures to come.
(left out from last post)-working 1st retreat- it was an awesome weekend. i was put in charge of the workers for the weekend... a soft spot in my heart. chelsea helped train me on the ways of the kitchen & dining hall. the boys worked hard on the nasty dishes. they all kept me laughing nonstop & we had a great time serving our guests & the rest of the staff. though it was very tiring going right into this after a long week and then having no break before the retreat i loved it & learned so much about the joy of serving behind the scenes... still learning!
some things i love:
-busyness & hard work-- retreat season is in full swing, up & coming maize fest, awesome katie quote, "man i'm learning that anything fun requires so much hard work, but that makes it more fun!"
-time with other staff- i appreciate so much the time & effort they put forth to teach & work right alongside with us. my love & respect for them just keeps growing. i have the funnest job ever. classes with john zig (aka j.z. j.ziggy) have been so good. this man's got a wealth of wisdom & just relates with us so well. i love learning about the history & philosophy of this ministry.
-conquering firsts- belaying 5th graders on the climbing tower, giant swing, trust fall, legal purple, support hosting, wheel barrowing & mulching steep rocky paths, building & lighting bonfire... coming soon--paintball!
all of this just reminded me of a convo i had with a great friend at graduation last year
-lori "so what does this mean? i'm not really ready to grow up & move on..."
-me "i think i'll commit my life to random-- if it's random i'll do it"
well here i am... embracing the random day after day & i love it =)
(left out from last post)-working 1st retreat- it was an awesome weekend. i was put in charge of the workers for the weekend... a soft spot in my heart. chelsea helped train me on the ways of the kitchen & dining hall. the boys worked hard on the nasty dishes. they all kept me laughing nonstop & we had a great time serving our guests & the rest of the staff. though it was very tiring going right into this after a long week and then having no break before the retreat i loved it & learned so much about the joy of serving behind the scenes... still learning!
some things i love:
-busyness & hard work-- retreat season is in full swing, up & coming maize fest, awesome katie quote, "man i'm learning that anything fun requires so much hard work, but that makes it more fun!"
-time with other staff- i appreciate so much the time & effort they put forth to teach & work right alongside with us. my love & respect for them just keeps growing. i have the funnest job ever. classes with john zig (aka j.z. j.ziggy) have been so good. this man's got a wealth of wisdom & just relates with us so well. i love learning about the history & philosophy of this ministry.
-conquering firsts- belaying 5th graders on the climbing tower, giant swing, trust fall, legal purple, support hosting, wheel barrowing & mulching steep rocky paths, building & lighting bonfire... coming soon--paintball!
all of this just reminded me of a convo i had with a great friend at graduation last year
-lori "so what does this mean? i'm not really ready to grow up & move on..."
-me "i think i'll commit my life to random-- if it's random i'll do it"
well here i am... embracing the random day after day & i love it =)
Saturday, September 6, 2008
FOCUS
whoo a lot has gone down since my last post. so many good times...
-training on adventure stuff- experiential learning is, in my opinion, oh so effective--for college grads, children & adults. it's been so great how the Lord has blessed me with experience after experience to overcome my fears & show His power through these elements.
-service all over the place- the ranch would not function without it. it's so awesome to work under & with the leadership of the staff here. they set the bar high in their example of humble, joyful service. it is very humbling to be served & even have your feet washed by a leader which i have such a great respect for. the display of the body within this ministry is so beautiful.
-stretching (mental, physical, emotional, spiritual, social, total!)- i could've never expected the ways in which God would be stretching me through times of brokenness & times of blessing. i'm so thankful for these times & even just looking back on how the Lord has been so obviously orchestrating it all as my only source of guidance, providence, comfort, leading, protection & the list goes on...
-working 1st retreat-
-staff retreat- the word i chose to sum up the past few days is focus. the Lord has been placing this word in my life so much lately. again i kept hearing this word revealed through our discussions, worship, prayer time & stillness. it was so awesome to take this break after coming off of the summer & as we head into the busy off season. i find myself just loving the busyness & opportunities to serve... what is my focus & purpose in this? as we took this time away, rather than trying to solely plan & program we spent time seeking the Lord first. we just had some amazing reflection & refreshing of our focus being upon the Lord's working through us.
Psalm 127:1-2 "Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it; Unless the Lord guards the city, the watchman keeps awake in vain. It is vain for you to rise up early, to retire late, to eat the bread of painful labors; For He gives to His beloved even in His sleep." i surrender it all to Him to lead & guide me through both service & rest perfectly appointed by Him and for the purpose of His glory above all.
here's a bit from an awesome song:
You're the God of this city
You're the King of these people
You're Lord Of this nation
You are
You're hope for the hopeless
You're light in the darkness
You're peace to the restless
You are
there is no one like our God
he greater things have yet to come
the greater things are still to be done in this city
-prep for outdoor ed group #1 done. ready for more new experiences & more opportunities to follow in the service He prepares, provides & blesses.
-training on adventure stuff- experiential learning is, in my opinion, oh so effective--for college grads, children & adults. it's been so great how the Lord has blessed me with experience after experience to overcome my fears & show His power through these elements.
-service all over the place- the ranch would not function without it. it's so awesome to work under & with the leadership of the staff here. they set the bar high in their example of humble, joyful service. it is very humbling to be served & even have your feet washed by a leader which i have such a great respect for. the display of the body within this ministry is so beautiful.
-stretching (mental, physical, emotional, spiritual, social, total!)- i could've never expected the ways in which God would be stretching me through times of brokenness & times of blessing. i'm so thankful for these times & even just looking back on how the Lord has been so obviously orchestrating it all as my only source of guidance, providence, comfort, leading, protection & the list goes on...
-working 1st retreat-
-staff retreat- the word i chose to sum up the past few days is focus. the Lord has been placing this word in my life so much lately. again i kept hearing this word revealed through our discussions, worship, prayer time & stillness. it was so awesome to take this break after coming off of the summer & as we head into the busy off season. i find myself just loving the busyness & opportunities to serve... what is my focus & purpose in this? as we took this time away, rather than trying to solely plan & program we spent time seeking the Lord first. we just had some amazing reflection & refreshing of our focus being upon the Lord's working through us.
Psalm 127:1-2 "Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it; Unless the Lord guards the city, the watchman keeps awake in vain. It is vain for you to rise up early, to retire late, to eat the bread of painful labors; For He gives to His beloved even in His sleep." i surrender it all to Him to lead & guide me through both service & rest perfectly appointed by Him and for the purpose of His glory above all.
here's a bit from an awesome song:
You're the God of this city
You're the King of these people
You're Lord Of this nation
You are
You're hope for the hopeless
You're light in the darkness
You're peace to the restless
You are
there is no one like our God
he greater things have yet to come
the greater things are still to be done in this city
-prep for outdoor ed group #1 done. ready for more new experiences & more opportunities to follow in the service He prepares, provides & blesses.
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
amen
i'm so thankful for the gift of music. this song has been coming to mind a lot lately. hope these lyrics can encourage you wherever you're at... that you may experience the nearness of the Lord's power
My heart is restless in me
My wings are all worn out
I'm walking in the wilderness
And I cannot get out
I need You, Oh, I need You
Blessed Savior come
I need You, Oh, I need You
Fill the every longing of my soul
Oh, how I need You, Lord
I need Your perfect Word
With tearful eyes to see
The sin that I afford
I need to weep and pray
For all the thousand ways
That I have failed You just today
My bed is soaked with sadness
My sadness has no end
A downward spiral of despair
And I keep falling in
I need You, Oh, I need You
To You my soul shall fly
I need You, Oh, I need You
Yahweh, how I love You more than life
Oh, how I need You, Lord
I need Your perfect Word
With tearful eyes to see
The sin that I afford
I need to weep and pray
For all the thousand ways
That I have failed You just today
Your silence is like death to me
So won't You hear my desperate plea
Today my soul is soaring
Way over mountains high
Though I can see the valleys,
They're all just passing by
It's not that I am stronger
Look at my feeble wings
But I've been lifted higher
Yahweh's lifted me in His own strength
Oh, how I love You, Lord
I love Your perfect Word
With tearful eyes to see
The God who always will endure
Now I will celebrate
For all the thousand ways
That You have shown me grace
And made my heart in grace to stay
You've made my heart in grace to stay
You've made my heart in grace to stay
-Josh Bales-
My heart is restless in me
My wings are all worn out
I'm walking in the wilderness
And I cannot get out
I need You, Oh, I need You
Blessed Savior come
I need You, Oh, I need You
Fill the every longing of my soul
Oh, how I need You, Lord
I need Your perfect Word
With tearful eyes to see
The sin that I afford
I need to weep and pray
For all the thousand ways
That I have failed You just today
My bed is soaked with sadness
My sadness has no end
A downward spiral of despair
And I keep falling in
I need You, Oh, I need You
To You my soul shall fly
I need You, Oh, I need You
Yahweh, how I love You more than life
Oh, how I need You, Lord
I need Your perfect Word
With tearful eyes to see
The sin that I afford
I need to weep and pray
For all the thousand ways
That I have failed You just today
Your silence is like death to me
So won't You hear my desperate plea
Today my soul is soaring
Way over mountains high
Though I can see the valleys,
They're all just passing by
It's not that I am stronger
Look at my feeble wings
But I've been lifted higher
Yahweh's lifted me in His own strength
Oh, how I love You, Lord
I love Your perfect Word
With tearful eyes to see
The God who always will endure
Now I will celebrate
For all the thousand ways
That You have shown me grace
And made my heart in grace to stay
You've made my heart in grace to stay
You've made my heart in grace to stay
-Josh Bales-
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
day off #1 & off season kick-off
it was so nice to sleep in and just spend some catch up time. there's a funny tension between here & the outside world... i have been praying for a good balance of managing both-- not too absorbed here, but also not wrapped up outside of where i'm at. i love it here & enjoyed the quiet day to get things done & spend some time with the girls. then there was another awesome bonfire at the Brumgard's sweet lawn patio in honor of Rachel's birthday--the big 24! good good times. fantasy football has started up so the boys are all hyped & provided me with great entertainment during the first draft last night.
the official week 1 of the off season just kicked off with the return of all of the full timers. looking forward to our getaway retreat next week.
coming soon... pictures of the place & a report of adventure element training =)
the official week 1 of the off season just kicked off with the return of all of the full timers. looking forward to our getaway retreat next week.
coming soon... pictures of the place & a report of adventure element training =)
Monday, September 1, 2008
quick synopsis:
looking back on my journaling from the past few days, here's a quick rundown:
-Wednesday- got here thanks to the help of my family and friends working with me when my car died. (rip Josie). this was just a great reminder of the support of awesome people who have helped me along the way up to this point and the fact that they are still there. ahh. immediately i loved the chance to be back at the ranch and also meet the newbies right away. first impressions: i am the shortest girl & poor ben is the only guy. we had a cookout back at chad & erin's. i just love chill time with chill people. after a quick lesson on the mower i took the kiddos for a ride on the sweet wagon hookup chad made. so basically we are bff's and i'm now cleared to mow any day mr. miller's off .
-Thursday- we covered a bunch of ground work: paperwork and tour of the property. i can't wait to see the ranch during the other 3 seasons! i got to enjoy a quick nap in the stage coach with cole mackers (aka coocoowaka). chad reviewed the program, purpose, and policies. it was so good for us all to get this orientation and start out on the same page. i'm looking forward to seeing the beauty of all of the servants uniting together in the ministry of the ranch. we had a nice dinner in the loft and just enjoyed a night of conversing around the table. i appreciate the humble transparency of these girls and just loved hearing of their journey's & the Lord's mighty work in their lives. it's really nice how we are all coming from different walks of life but all about at the same stage of life.
-Friday-Saturday- we got to sleep in a little bit and then started a 24 hr solo. though sitting still is a big challenge for me, it was a great time of detox, relaxation, & refocus time. God surrounded me with an overwhelming, indescribable sense of His power, control, peace & holiness--He alone is worthy of every bit of me. my prayer was that throughout this next year, amidst all of the busy hustle and bustle (which i love), everything i do would be focused on Him rather than people or task oriented. we all met up for a debrief & prayer time. i love my new family. after we showered it was lunch time. we helped out a bit and then headed out for a tour of town, basically tour de hanover. it's really nice to run into familiar people and just spend time catching up with them. i'm looking forward to the opportunity to continue relationships with the workers that come back for the retreats throughout the year. had a girls night at Hope's--coffee + movie = classic.
-Sunday- went to Lifepoint church with the Bonawitz family. it was not Apex, but it was sweet. the passion and joy of true worship was going down and it was great to hear about their ministry so in tune with the Holy Spirit. the message was basically a 45 minute snap shot of my semester of philosophy class. we then went to Codorus for the day & enjoyed a nice canoe ride after the picnic. the weather was awesome. after we got back Morgan took us for a trail ride. let me just say that Blizzard is a stud and our property is gorgeous. throughout the day and night we had good talks about our dreams as far as for the internship and next summer. God is definitely working out some really connections with my passions & past experiences... but it's still a mystery i'm just waiting to see how it all comes together.
-Wednesday- got here thanks to the help of my family and friends working with me when my car died. (rip Josie). this was just a great reminder of the support of awesome people who have helped me along the way up to this point and the fact that they are still there. ahh. immediately i loved the chance to be back at the ranch and also meet the newbies right away. first impressions: i am the shortest girl & poor ben is the only guy. we had a cookout back at chad & erin's. i just love chill time with chill people. after a quick lesson on the mower i took the kiddos for a ride on the sweet wagon hookup chad made. so basically we are bff's and i'm now cleared to mow any day mr. miller's off .
-Thursday- we covered a bunch of ground work: paperwork and tour of the property. i can't wait to see the ranch during the other 3 seasons! i got to enjoy a quick nap in the stage coach with cole mackers (aka coocoowaka). chad reviewed the program, purpose, and policies. it was so good for us all to get this orientation and start out on the same page. i'm looking forward to seeing the beauty of all of the servants uniting together in the ministry of the ranch. we had a nice dinner in the loft and just enjoyed a night of conversing around the table. i appreciate the humble transparency of these girls and just loved hearing of their journey's & the Lord's mighty work in their lives. it's really nice how we are all coming from different walks of life but all about at the same stage of life.
-Friday-Saturday- we got to sleep in a little bit and then started a 24 hr solo. though sitting still is a big challenge for me, it was a great time of detox, relaxation, & refocus time. God surrounded me with an overwhelming, indescribable sense of His power, control, peace & holiness--He alone is worthy of every bit of me. my prayer was that throughout this next year, amidst all of the busy hustle and bustle (which i love), everything i do would be focused on Him rather than people or task oriented. we all met up for a debrief & prayer time. i love my new family. after we showered it was lunch time. we helped out a bit and then headed out for a tour of town, basically tour de hanover. it's really nice to run into familiar people and just spend time catching up with them. i'm looking forward to the opportunity to continue relationships with the workers that come back for the retreats throughout the year. had a girls night at Hope's--coffee + movie = classic.
-Sunday- went to Lifepoint church with the Bonawitz family. it was not Apex, but it was sweet. the passion and joy of true worship was going down and it was great to hear about their ministry so in tune with the Holy Spirit. the message was basically a 45 minute snap shot of my semester of philosophy class. we then went to Codorus for the day & enjoyed a nice canoe ride after the picnic. the weather was awesome. after we got back Morgan took us for a trail ride. let me just say that Blizzard is a stud and our property is gorgeous. throughout the day and night we had good talks about our dreams as far as for the internship and next summer. God is definitely working out some really connections with my passions & past experiences... but it's still a mystery i'm just waiting to see how it all comes together.
what brought me here?
thought i would try to keep this up in hopes of keeping those interested posted on what i'm up to and what i'm learning....
coming into the beginning of the summer i sort of felt a strange sense of familiarity mixed with curiosity of what was coming up. it just felt so great to be back at the ranch about to dive into summer #2. i enjoyed the opportunity to build upon last summer's experience and already have some relationships to build upon. the comfort i felt with being here was paired with a longing to be here longer term. throughout the coming weeks i can try to sum it up like this: after talking with only God about these new feelings and dreams i began hearing about the internship and having some awesome people encouraging me with so much excitement and help. i knew i needed and wanted to finish school and, long story short, a great distance learning program through bbc & pilgrimage also offered a lot of help and encouragement. i found myself blown away by the flurry of everything coming together while time was flying by. so after some awesome times summer was drawing to a close and my plan was no longer one more semester at cedarville but a whole year at what feels like home for now...
coming into the beginning of the summer i sort of felt a strange sense of familiarity mixed with curiosity of what was coming up. it just felt so great to be back at the ranch about to dive into summer #2. i enjoyed the opportunity to build upon last summer's experience and already have some relationships to build upon. the comfort i felt with being here was paired with a longing to be here longer term. throughout the coming weeks i can try to sum it up like this: after talking with only God about these new feelings and dreams i began hearing about the internship and having some awesome people encouraging me with so much excitement and help. i knew i needed and wanted to finish school and, long story short, a great distance learning program through bbc & pilgrimage also offered a lot of help and encouragement. i found myself blown away by the flurry of everything coming together while time was flying by. so after some awesome times summer was drawing to a close and my plan was no longer one more semester at cedarville but a whole year at what feels like home for now...
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