TC 2006 Recap

Hello All,

Well I am finally back from a week in Lake Geneva. It was a very challenging week. Getting only 2-4 hours of sleep a night for 8 nights, I'm really not sure how we all survived. Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers. We had a lot of big events during the week that I can now talk about. Sunday we had a Cabin Challenge course that ran through Big Foot State Park and all through camp. We began the game at 11pm and it wasn't finished until 3:30am. Monday we spent the day at a new camp site setting up 60 tents for Tuesdays Camptown. Monday night was Reach the Beach which I missed because I was spending some quality time with my Amanda girl drinking Caribou sitting by the lake talking. It was so great to catch up with her and just hang out. I love that girl so much. Tuesday was spent finishing up the set up for Camptown and also helping the campers decorate their race cars. The campers all arrived at Camptown and enjoyed just hanging out in a giant field. They had dinner and we had outdoor chapel which was so cool and then we began the square dancing. How fun!!! Wednesday morning we set up the hobo breakfast and waited for the campers to wake up from their blissful tent sleeping. And actually I was fast asleep on the seat of a camp truck for about 2 hrs during that set up. Ooops...Wednesday we spent cleaning up and tearing the 60 tents down which was exhausting. I slept through dinner and watched part of the talent show and went back to sleep. Thursday was the one of the biggest events we've done. The campers went on a road rally where they had to stop at 4 different places throughout Lake Geneva and do different things. Each team was equipped with a GPS and a digital camera to capture the event. While on the road rally they were also doing a scavenger hunt and playing Bigger and Better. Their final stop was at Lake Geneva Raceway. They all piled into the stands as some of us were getting ready to race. A few people took their cars out on the track just for fun. The races began and actually lasted a lot longer than anticipated. My car was supposed to be a Cavalier. However, it decided not to start or stay running. Sam, the speaker, took the first race in the Escort and I took the 2nd race. I came in 3rd. Not too bad for a first timer...At the end of all of the races, only 2 cars remained running. It was fun to drive and crash into people on the track. The whole experience was just very cool and will never be repeated due to the closing of the track after this year. Friday was spent cleaning up camp and putting things away and setting up for the closing dinner. Friday night was the last chapel, "20 minutes" and the Taste of Teen Camp. Friday has just become a cool day and night. Just to see everyone hanging out and talking and laughing is just cool. So many new friendships were made and so many lives were transformed.

One thing I ask is that you keep these campers in your prayers. Pray that they would not conform to this world but that they would be transformed and that they would continue to be transformed once they get home. Pray for the lost campers. Pray that they would find their way and that they would remember this past week. Pray for the Program Staff. There are some changes that will be made in the next month or so. Pray that we would all search our hearts and listen to God and see where He wants us.

Thank you again for keeping everyone in your prayers this past week. We had an awesome awesome week and everyone was kept safe. Thank you to everyone who came up to help!! Your help is so appreciated!!

Some TC Pics

The Awesome Force Guys: Andy, Chris, Matt
The Awesome Force Girls: Rebecca, Dani, Stacy, Noelle, Katie, Lydia, Laura and Bekah
My First race: I am in the bright green Escort and Steve was in the car next to me. I came in 3rd place.

Teen Camp 2006

Tomorrow I will be heading up to LGYC for the beginning of Teen Camp 06. I am so excited about this week!! We have been planning and revising and getting ready for this week since about May and now it's finally here. In 24 hours I will be on my "home turf". The place where I feel like I am being used by God for His purpose. In previous years I've been stressed to the max. This year I'm a lot more calm and relying more on God's help more than anything. This is not my week. This is His week to do whatever He needs to in these students. This is His week to work in hearts and change them to be more like Him.

Just a few things to be praying for this week. Please pray for the students: that they would be open to what God has to teach them. Please pray for the Force: We have about 10 people who will be pushed to the max this week. Please pray for strength for them. Please pray for the Program Staff: Pray that we would be able to adjust the days if things come up. Pray that our stress levels would remain low and that we would just remember that we're doing this with and for God. Please pray for all of the volunteers that will be driving up each day to help out. Pray that they would arrive safely at camp and that they would arrive back home just as safe. This week just needs to be bathed in prayer and lifted up each day. Thank you for keeping us in your prayers and I'm sure I will update once I get back.

Have a wonderful and blessed week!!