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Summer 2007
This summer was incredible. It was challenging, stretching, exhausting, and at its core one stellar summer. From big river and rock days to long extended courses, this summer was extremely full for me. But it was also one where God showed up in big ways. I want to share with you one of those instances.
My last big trip of the summer was a seven day backpack ending with a day of kayaking on the Clackamas River with kids from High School. Coming into this trip I was so tired and exhausted from very busy summer for myself. I came in listening to the song Enough by Chris Tomlin. The chorus goes.. "All of you is more than enough for all of me, for every thirst, every need you satisfy with your love and all I have in you, is more than enough." I had to let God be enough, because I knew on my own I was definitely not enough. We prayed when we met as staff before the kids showed up, that the Lord would show up in big ways, and that we would get out of the way. Looking back, the Lord showed up. My desire with this trip was to expose these kids to a new way of knowing God. That it was not about having it all together, but rather running not sauntering after Christ, baggage and all. The biggest way that we did this was through sharing our life stories with each other. One night, we decided to send the kids on overnight solos. This is where we separate the kids and give them a small space, where they need to stay, and spend time with the Lord. We left them at 4pm and got them back around 7am the next morning. As we sent each kid out, the three of us staff took the kid by the hand and spent time just praying that the Lord would just show up in big ways as they spent time with Him in His creation. Many times we would pray for brokenness and sweet communion with God. We prayed over looking Gods glorious and immense creation that they would long to give God more of a chance. Through out that week each kid dealt with some thing that was hindering them in their walk with God, and at the end of the trip, these kids left with a desire to run after God, and to give God more of a chance than they had before.
This is one of my favorite memories because God did show up in big ways on this trip, and it was all despite anything I did. I left this trip as affected as the kids. God is so amazing!!