Jorrow

Lauren, Olivia, Kaylee, Me, Julia and Madison

Jorrow: [jawr-oh] (n.) A combination of both joy and sorrow experienced simultaneously.

I just made up the above word and definition because it is really the only word that I can use to describe how I have been feeling lately. This afternoon I came home from Camp Eagle and I really do wish that I could say that it was the most exciting and joyful week of my life, but in all honestly it was a week full of Jorrow.

The week before camp I was praying and I felt that the Lord was telling me that Bethany, who is going to be taking over the middle school ministry next week when I leave, should be with the middle schoolers for camp. As soon as I felt the Lord say that, I selfishly pushed it to the back of my mind. I was confused... all that I had left with these middle schoolers, that I have been sharing my life with over the last two years, was this one week. How in the world could God ask me to sacrifice that? I told Him that if He really wanted me to step down from leadership with them at camp then He would have to tell someone else and have them bring it up. Fast forward a few hours and that night one of our parent volunteers, April, told us that she kept feeling like Bethany should be with the middle schoolers at camp. Right in that moment my heart sank... I felt like I was going to fall apart, throw up, go crazy all at the same time, but I knew deep in my heart and soul that this was the right thing and this is what would be best for our middle school girls in the midst of this transition. It was not fair to think only of myself in this. As much as I wanted to selfishly continue bonding with these girls I love so dearly I knew that in order to guard hearts and make everything easier for them it was best for them to begin trusting and bonding with Bethany before I leave.

I am not going to lie, it was extremely difficult for me to be at camp and away from them, but it was such a blessing to watch as Bethany and one of our wonderful high school student leaders, Victoria, stepped up to the plate and loved and cared for the girls just as much as if not better than I do. I realized that God is completely in control and I have to keep reminding myself that it is NOT all about me!! It is continually about HIM and who HE CHOOSES to use!!

Throughout this entire week I found myself with a lump in my throat as I constantly choked back tears.   I remembered the dreams that I had when I first came to Fort Hood: To develop meaningful friendships with middle schoolers, To develop a separate middle school ministry where students felt safe and could be themselves, To learn more about being obedient to the Lord, To have my faith refined, To become more confident in who God has called me to be, To step out in faith and take risks with kids and in ministry... Yesterday while at camp I looked around and as I watched the 17 middle school boys and 10 middle school girls running around constantly "secretly flirting" with one another I realized God DID IT!! All of those things I longed for when I got here have come to fruition... not because of anything I have done... if anything they have been accomplished despite my unfaithfulness and the ways that I constantly fall short, But it is in those weaknesses that He is Strong and it is despite those things that He chooses to Glorify Himself!! I am so extremely humbled as I see the way that God even this week worked in the lives of these middle schoolers.

Last night we had a worship night and I was able to steal away to a deck overlooking the river front. I was able to see thousands of stars in the darkness of the night and for the first time I actually allowed myself to grieve this loss. As I heaved and sang out to the Lord, two high school boys from Louisiana came over to me and asked if they could pray for me. I agreed. Those two boys 10 years younger than I am prayed a simple prayer over me that was tangibly FULL of power, and for the first time in a while I felt complete peace. I know this is exactly where I am supposed to be and that in the same way God has been faithful here at Fort Hood He will be faithful at Lackland!! He is Good all of the Time and All of the Time He is Good!!! His will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven!!!! AMEN!!

Following the Cloud

Back in 2008 I started a Blog about my journey to Iraq called Following the Cloud. In the Old Testament God guided the Israelites in the form of a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. In order to get where they were meant to be all the Israelites had to do was follow God's Cloud. It is the same for us today. It sounds so simple, but just like in the time of the Israelites the Cloud of God's presence is not predictable. There are times when He moves quickly and times when He has us wait... and wait... and wait.

I LONG to follow God! I LONG for His plan for my life and to be in His presence constantly in a way that I cannot express with words. I fall and I stumble and sometimes I don't understand God's will for my life. It is definitely an adventure following Him step by step. As I sit here reading my old blog I am able to rejoice in the faithfulness of the Lord in my past and the way that He guided me to Iraq and then guided me to Fort Hood. Even in my confusion or reluctance to follow, His plan has been perfect. Each move has been in His perfect time and for His perfect and Good purposes.

This last Friday, after much waiting, God finally began to move and revealed His next step in my life to me. After much prayer by many people and after many circumstances lining up perfectly, I was notified that as of this next month I will be leaving Fort Hood Texas in order to become the new Community Director of Youth Ministry at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, TX!!! I am scheduled to leave to Lackland right after I take our kids to camp during the first week of June. After which Bethany Carter will be taking over as the Director of Middle School ministry.


I cannot even describe the joy that I felt when I got this news. I have been praying for military families in San Antonio for the last three years and have always had a longing in my heart to someday minister there. It is humbling to know that God has called me to go and be His hands and feet in that community as I join Him in developing a Youth Ministry program there. It will continue to be an adventure following the cloud day by day and week by week as we start ministry from scratch. I cannot wait to see what God has planned!!

At the same time this has been one of the most difficult moves I have ever made. It is all happening so quickly and I am leaving so many people that I love very deeply. As I think about the last two and a half years I am overwhelmed by the ways that these students have blessed my life and how the Lord has used them to change Me!! I love these middle schoolers and high schoolers more than I can express and I deeply wish that I could continue to witness daily the way that God is shaping their hearts. I will just hold firm to the promise of God found in Phillippians 1:6 that He who began a good work in my middle school and high school friends here will continue to perfect them until the day of Christ Jesus!!

Please Join me in praying for: 
-The Fort Hood Ministry: 
-That this would be a smooth transition for our leaders and middle schoolers
- That the Lord would continue to strengthen our Fort Hood Community Director Steve Carter and his wife     Martie as they navigate this new season of ministry.
- That I would finish well over the next three weeks and would remain focused on the present.

The Lackland Ministry: 
-That the Lord would go ahead of me and already be preparing the hearts of Middle Schoolers, High Schoolers, Leaders, Chaplains, Community Members, School Administration, Command Group Members
-That I would draw near to the Lord and minister out of the overflow of my relationship with Him and not out of my own strength.

Friday Night at Middle School Club after my tearful announcement to my Middle School friends about my upcoming move. Ugggh I already miss them so much!!! 

I want more of YOU GOD!!!

I sit here listening to this song:  

This weekend I was in South Padre Island for our Young Life Regional Staff Retreat. At the end of such an eventful year it can be easy to get burned out and count down the days til the summer break. It can be draining being on the front lines of ministry spiritually battling daily for the souls of our kids. But having the privilege of retreating and having a prolonged time of rest and instruction with my Commander my Lord Jesus Christ is overwhelming. My soul was filled this weekend and I was reminded of the calling that God has placed on my life to be a witness to the things that He has done in my life and the lives of those around me. He has not called me to be perfect... thank goodness cause I am not. He has not called me to be the female Billy Graham or Corrie Ten Boom. He has called me to be Bekah and I need to rest in that reassurance that He loves me even when I fail or am tired. I feel like the last few months have been an emotional roller coaster. 


In December our Fort Hood team found out that our contract on Fort Hood to do ministry was going to change come May 31st. What that change was going to look like was still uncertain and how our lives and ability to do ministry were going to be affected was also unknown. I have struggled with trusting God to hold me and guide me even in the uncertainty. The only thing that He has told me as I beg Him for direction is "Dig In!" I immediately knew that I needed to press in with the middle schoolers and high school leaders that the Lord has placed in my path here at Fort Hood. I have been following the Lord and investing in them, teaching, encouraging and challenging them more than I have in the last two years. It is almost as if I feel an urgency to equip them with truth before this summer. I know that God has a reason behind telling me to do this and I trust that He has my friends in His hands and has mapped out every step of their future and will never leave or forsake them. I have been doing this all while struggling to trust God with my own future. 


This weekend in South Padre as I stood on the beach alone in the middle of the night, I watched as the waves continually crashed against my feet. As each wave crashed against my feet the sand continually got sucked out from beneath them and I slowly but surely began to lose my footing. I was reminded that the Lord must be my firm foundation. I must trust that He is in complete control. I must be standing on the truth of His word and promises even as each wave of uncertainty slams against my feet. I have come to realize that as God says "Dig In!" He is not just talking about in ministry. He means those words for me as well. I need to dig in and not be moved though the earth may give way. I need to trust that He will protect my feet and guide them one step at a time. He only reveals what is necessary!! Boy am I being trained in patience.


This week is a pivotal one in God revealing the future He has for me. 
I ask for you to PLEASE join me in prayer!! Pray that doors would be opened. That I would trust in God and cast my cares on Him. That His Will would be DONE on Earth as it is in Heaven. That I would desire His will for my life and not my own!! 


As soon as I know the next step You all will be the first to know!!! 

"He brought me up out of the pit of destruction, out of the miry clay, 

And He set my feet upon a rock making my footsteps firm." 

Psalm 40:2 

"I will lift up my eyes to the mountains; From where shall my help come? My help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth. He will not allow your foot to slip; He who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, He who keeps Israel Will neither slumber nor sleep." 

Psalm 121:1-4

Joy comes in the Morning

About a month ago, at our morning church service, our Chaplain had a goodbye ceremony for Abby with many of our students and parents present. I sat there wanting to cry and looked around as I saw both middle school and high school students with stone wall faces. Though they were completely stoic, it was obvious in their eyes how much they were hurting. I struggled inside and felt my old military kid mantra circulate in my mind “Bekah, you can’t cry it would be unfair of you to break down. That will cause everyone else to break down.” I heard another small voice say “It is okay to be sad. Be honest with yourself.” I would love to say that I then broke down, but I didn’t. I held it together...until out of the silence I heard sobbing from the back of the congregation. I looked back and saw Sally, one of our high schoolers with down syndrome running to the front of the congregation covered in tears with her nose running because of the sobbing. She ran up to Abby and embraced her in both love and sadness. I couldn’t help it. Seeing her being so vulnerable and honest and not even caring about the social rules she was breaking was amazing and moving. Seeing her honesty gave me permission to be honest and so I cried. At first I thought I was the only one that was moved, but as I sat there looking around through my tears I saw my middle school friends and my high school friends crying as well. Some of these students I have been friends with for two years and I have never seen them so unguarded. It was almost as if there was automatic intimacy between both the students and the leaders and together in our tears we were able to acknowledge our loss of a great friend. I realized that it was the honesty of Sally that had broken that barrier with the entire group. She didn’t even have to say anything. She just cried.

April Update

Some Highlights from the last few months:
-We took 40 students to Camp Eagle on a service project.

-Camp Eagle has an interim year spiritual discipleship program for 18-25 yr olds and they came to Fort Hood to learn about military ministry. It was fun introducing them to our students and families and opening their eyes to the blessings and trials that come with being a kid growing up in a military family.

-We said goodbye to one of our dear middle school ministry volunteers Abby Mayfield and were able to celebrate her going into Full Time Club Beyond Ministry in Ansbach Germany.

-We are starting a middle school discipleship Bible Study on Thursday nights which is EXTREMELY exciting!

-We have been working through stories in the Gospels with the middle schoolers and will begin teaching on Acts throughout the rest of this semester. I am excited about it. Acts is such a great book.

-Our highschool leadership team helped to plan all of the middle school clubs for the rest of the semester which was such a sweet thing to be a part of as I watched Juniors and Seniors getting so excited about ministering to their middle school friends. They are SUPER creative also which is a huge blessing for our middle schoolers. It seems like every club until the end of may is going to have completely interactive messages which our middle schoolers LOVE!

-We are currently working on getting all of our kids signed up for summer camp at Camp Eagle which is going to be happening during the first week of June.

Was the Forbidden Fruit Really Snickers?

In January we held our first all club Interactive Gospel Message. I don't think I have ever felt the presence of the Lord in the way that I did that night. Before every meeting we worship together as a leadership team and that day as we sat in a circle like we have many times before there was something different. The Spirit of the Lord was tangible and thick and throughout the entire night there was a cohesion and peace among our leaders and kids that I have never felt before. It was amazing!!

Our middle school friends entered the club room to find a makeshift Garden of Eden waiting for them with candy laden trees (the tree of the knowledge of good and evil had snickers or course... cause they are amazing!!), a serpent, the whole works. We talked about creation and some of our amazing student leaders acted out the fall after which our students were led out of the garden and into the hallway to learn about to consequences of sin, the wandering of the Israelites, and the law. They were then led back into a dark club room where they were blindfolded and separated from one another, signifying the spiritual blindness and separation that sin causes in our lives. As they sat there in the darkness our leaders were surrounding and scattered among them, acting out dialogue examples of the role sin may play in a middle schooler's life. They were then un-blindfolded and invited to think about the effect sin has had in their own lives and to record their sin on post it notes. We then shared the message of the cross and redemption and restoration that we have been offered through Jesus Christ. As soon as we stated "It is finished" two white boards at the front of the room that were covered in black sheeting were pulled apart to reveal a huge cross on the wall where the students were invited to once and for all lay their sin on the cross and give it to Jesus.

Throughout the whole process of planning this event it was obvious that the Lord was working. Our entire leadership team Martie, Steve, Abby, Victoria, Matt, Sean, Scott C., Amy, Derek, Dave, and Scott M. participated in the execution or planning. It was amazing to watch us all work so well together and bring us closer as a team. It was also such a blessing to watch our students hear about the hope that we have in Jesus. There is no blessing greater than watching a 7th grade girl's eyes well up with tears of hope as she hears that The Lord loves her enough to have sent His only Son to die and receive the consequences of her sin so that she could have eternal life with Him forever!!!! This is what it is all about!!

Christmas Time is Here

Hey Guys!! I am so sorry that I haven't updated my blog in a while. So much has been happening. We finally moved to the new chapel and had our Glow in the Dark club as our new location kick off. It was AMAZING!! We had twice as many middle schoolers as usual and it was great to see them dancing and hanging out and actually being attentive during our small group time. We also had a great group of high school and adult leaders who have decided to commit to walking alongside our students for the rest of this year. This change to the new building has really made a difference in the whole direction and feel of ministry. Our leadership team just seems to be blossoming. It is so exciting to really focus on worshiping together and thanking Him for the way that He has been providing.

The week after thanksgiving we were able to include the kids in that worship and praise during our "Thanksgiving Leftovers Club" We turkey bowled... dug our feet into mashed potatoes and guessed thanksgiving baby food flavors, but best of all we all sat together before the Lord and really thanked Him for the things that He has given us in our lives. Our list of things we are thankful for was HUGE!! It included Jesus, our family, angry birds, chocolate, Puerto Ricans, Justin Bieber, Xboxes, freedom, the ability to read, our homes, our iphones, and the ability to worship our God freely. It was so much fun seeing all of the kids raising their hands and genuinely contributing to our discussion. I LOVED IT and I know God did too!!!

We are taking a little break for the Christmas Season which makes me sad, but at the same time grateful. I love when I have time to just sit at the Lord's feet and rest in Him. I pray that you and your families are able to do the same. MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

MMMMM... DONUTS!!!

This week at Club we had DONUT OLYMPICS!!! It was a blast and the students LOVED IT!! It was a little sad being as it was our last club at 19th St. Chapel, but I am really getting excited because we are finally getting into the swing of things and our Middle School ministry is starting to have a life of its own which is GREAT!! I can't wait to see what the Lord does the rest of this semester!! We move to the new building next Friday.

Here is a slide show from our Donut Olympics!!

Upcoming Excitement/Prayer Requests:

-Camp Eagle Service Project:

We are taking both our High School and Middle School students on a retreat/Service Project at Camp Eagle in Rock Springs TX. I am really excited because we are going to be serving and we are going to be teaching them about how to love our Lord and our Brothers and Sisters in Christ well. We are going to be talking about how important it is to be satisfied and content in the Lord in order to love other people in the way that we are called to love them. I can't wait!! We leave tomorrow morning and will be getting back on Sunday. Please keep us in your prayers. Pray that this would be a time of bonding and of intimacy with the Lord for both our leaders and our students.

-Middle School Glow in the Dark Club:

Friday night we have our first Middle School Club at the New Chapel. We will be having Glow in the Dark Club and talking about how not only is God working all around us, but He is inviting us to join Him in the work that He is doing and how important and satisfying joining Him is!!

-Christmas Video Production:

We are currently working on our annual Bob's Diner Christmas Video. It is going to be a modern day Nativity Story. Please pray that it goes well and that we get it done... ha ha we have less filming and editing time available before Christmas than there is both filming and editing to do.

Photo Scavenger Hunt

This last Friday we had an amazing Photo Scavenger Hunt and S'mores Night with our Middle School Friends... it was such a great time of bonding and fellowship.

Here is a video that we put together for club this week!! ENJOY!! (There are only the pictures from two of our teams... the other teams pics got "mysteriously" deleted ha ha)

What I live for!!!!

I am sitting here in my kitchen counting down the hours until High School club tonight... I forgot to tell you guys about what happened last week. Well we were in our girls small group discussing the message from the night which was about how the Lord calls us into a Love relationship with Himself. One of the girls started to talk about how she sometimes feels like the Lord is far away and started to express just a few of the many fears that she is currently battling in her mind. As she was pouring out her heart to her friends Martie and I as the leaders sat there and listened while the high school girls that surrounded us bound up her heart and encouraged her using the word of the Lord. It was one of the most powerful things that I have ever seen. These young women between 15yrs old and 18yrs old were learning what it looks like to be used to heal people's hearts by the Lord. It is those moments where I just get to watch the Lord working and get to see a glimpse of fruit and growth and HIM that I live for. This is my purpose... to Experience and share the Glory of God!! I can't wait for tonight!!

Tidbits of Truth from a Military Brats Journey

It is funny how the Lord ministers to us and refines us constantly while we are ministering to other people. Over the last couple of weeks He has been showing me that it is my heart and my obedience and surrender to His will in my life that ultimately draws people to Himself. It is not all about programs and the words that I say, but the way in which I choose to live.

I will have to admit as cliche as it sounds I have always been a little rebellious military brat... I would like to blame it on my "strict" military upbringing... ha ha but my family really wasn't that strict. Dad never made us make our beds with hospital corners or call him sir. Honestly, I think my rebellion is just my good ole' fashion selfishness and some of my type A personality. So needless to say obedience to anyone, even the Lord, tends to take a lot of self control and a conscious effort on my part. I have always been pretty independent... that basically comes with the territory when you are raised in the Army... and whenever someone tells me to do something I shudder a little inside. I will admit this tendency in me has toned down a TON since I have been walking with the Lord, but it still rears its ugly head now and again.

So a couple of weeks ago the Lord just impressed upon my heart the verse "Create in me a Pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast Spirit within me." Psalm 51:10... as I have been meditating on this verse I have been thinking about Matthew 5:8 which is one of my favorite verses... "Blessed are the pure of heart for they shall see God." I kept asking the Lord if those two verses are connected... I debated with the Lord... really Lord so you want me to allow You to purify ALL parts of my heart...surrender EVERYTHING to you... but what if I miss out on something good... are you sure that you aren't keeping me from something good? Of course you and I both know that these are lies, but I confess I entertained these thoughts in my mind for a while.

Jump ahead a couple of days and it was crazy I started to do a word study on the Holy Spirit and Psalm 51:10 came up... and wouldn't you believe that after all of that time meditating on verse 10 I never looked to see what came after... this is what it says:

"Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me."

Right then it hit me. Surrendering and Obedience is not about giving stuff up... it is not about doing what is right cause God says that it is right... It is about longing for His presence and Seeking Him more than anything else...LOVING HIM more than anything else... Being sustained in the joy of the salvation that He provides... the two verses ARE connected and you know what... I WANT TO SEE GOD!!! I want to be in His presence continually and I don't want ANYTHING to get in the way of or distract me from that!! I don't think I am ever going to look at obedience the same ever again!!

Fall Fun!!

Hey Guys!! Oh my gosh this last week has been amazing!!

Here are some of the highlights from the week:

Middle School club Pumpkin Club

We had a pumpkin carving contest and Pumpkin Seed spitting contest and Abby gave a talk on the Parable of the Sower. She did an amazing job and the kids loved her visual of throwing sunflower seeds all over them!! Ha Ha I LOVE Middle Schoolers!!!

My Friend Maria and a pumpkin cross

Everyone Carving away... there was some fierce competition

Matt one of our High School leaders and his team

Derek one of our leaders and his team... their pumpkin was CRAZY!!!

Abby one of our student staff and her team... their pumpkin actually had

Perry the Platypus from Phineas and Ferb... AMAZING!!

Victoria one of our High School leaders announcing the winner of the carving contest!!

The Middle Schoolers all lined up for the Pumpkin Seed Spitting Contest...

Who was the winner?? ASHLYN!!!

Abby giving her awesome talk... asking them to go sit by themselves

for a few minutes and pray and think about what kind of soil they are!! :)

Derek's Birthday Bowling Bash

After Bible Study on Thursday night we had a birthday celebration for one of our leader's Derek. He turned 22!!

High School Costume Birthday/ Samaritan's Purse Party

On Friday night some of our highschoolers celebrated their birthdays out at the Carters house. Everyone dressed up like Disney characters we watched The Lion King and Wall-E, BBQ'd, played volleyball and gathered toys and gifts to send to kids through Samaritan's Purse Operation Christmas Child Program. It was a ton of fun!!

Some of our Highschoolers wrapping our shoebox gifts for Operation Christmas Child

Some of our Highschool guys singing Hakuna Matata while watching the Lion King... I really wish that someone would have taken a video... it was amazing... the entire room was singing and dancing :) It made my heart so happy!!

Scott, Victoria, and Matt blowing our their Birthday Candles!!

Me wrapping one of the shoeboxes for OCC

All of the Highschoolers watching Lion King... That movie never gets old!!

Glow in the Dark Capture the Flag

On Saturday some of our students volunteered with the Post wide Hallelujah Fall Fest by making cotton candy, popcorn, and helping with food preparation. Afterwards we played an amazing game of glow in the dark capture the flag!! It was soooo much fun!!

Bethany one of our Leaders and Alex one of our highschool guys

being silly before the game started

The players getting ready to be divided into teams. Red vs. Blue!!!

Some of our Middle School girls getting ready to size up the competition!!

Marissa one of our high school girls... okay so you probably think that she dressed up all awesome just for the capture the flag game... nope this girl looks awesome EVERYDAY!!!

Chem lights... a military youth leaders best friend!!!

"I will stand on my guard post and station myself on the rampart; And I will keep watch to see what He will speak to me..." Habakkuk 2:1

I sit here a little overwhelmed... wait that is an understatement... VERY overwhelmed as I think about everything that God is doing right now in my life and in this ministry. I feel like everything that God has been telling me to prepare for and pray for is happening.

Middle School Ministry Change

As many of you know, this last summer we started to have middle school club separate from high school club. We have been having club on Tuesday nights before our Art's Night. Well once school started we began to find that a lot of our students couldn't attend on Tuesdays because of sports etc.

Seeking God's Plan

So Abby who is on student staff and works with me in middle school ministry and I started to pray about whether the Lord wanted for us to move our programming to Friday nights.... if and when to approach the subject with Steve who is our community director and how to just proceed in general.

God Answers

Well Craziest thing!!... not really crazy, but God... This weekend as Abby and I were sitting with Steve he asked us what we thought about considering moving middle school ministry to Friday Nights!! All that we had done was pray about it! I love how the Holy Spirit speaks to us and for us!! I love how unifying He is!! I love how He knows best and prepares our hearts and the hearts of others to receive His vision for His Kingdom!! I love how He cares about these kids more than we ever will!! I love how He gives us the desires of our hearts... and lines up those desires with His own!! I love how He loves me!!

The New Chapel

In order to have middle school on Friday nights we are going to change locations from our current Chapel to the brand new chapel that was built... Look at how beautiful it is!!!

Please be in prayer for us during this time of transition...

Please pray for:

-More middle school leaders... specifically men who will step up and love these boys well

-Smooth transition between buildings

-Parental support and excitement about this change

-More students hearing the Gospel and that we would be BOLD in proclaiming the Gospel. Romans 1:16

-That our leadership team would continue to grow more intimate in our individual relationships with the Lord.

-That we would have discernment when it comes to what God's vision is for this ministry and for Friday Nights and what is our own vision.

May God's will be done in Fort Hood as it is in Heaven!!!

Bowling Night!!

A few weeks ago we had an amazing time with our middle school and high school friends at a Friday Night Bowling Hangout!! Honestly it was a little chaotic trying to figure out payment and how many games everyone played, but it was so worth it! We met a few new friends and were able to reconnect with students who we hadn't seen in a while because they are involved in sports and extracurricular activities. It is nights like these that keep me going. I am so blessed to be called here with these specific students!! I LOVE IT!!

Trying to figure out the scoreboard... how many people does it take?

One of our leaders Abby and Kaylee

Our middle school girls hanging out

Laughter brings joy to the soul :)

Derek one of our leaders and some highschool guys

After this hang out Abby and I decided that we need to do this more often... yeah the kids love it but SO DO WE!! ha ha

What do we have planned this weekend? Glow in the Dark Capture the Flag and Volunteering at the post wide Hallelujah Fest.

Next weekend? S'mores Party and Photo Scavenger hunt!!

So Excited! Stay tuned for pictures!!

Choir Concerts and Football Games

Update: I am sorry that I haven't blogged in a while. There has been a lot going on in my life and the lives of my family members. For those of you who know my family you know that my mom had brain surgery last month and it went amazing. Please continue praying for her recovery. She is experiencing partial paralysis in her face, but the pain from her jam has not come back which is exciting. They were also able to remove 98% of the tumor. I also started my masters this semester. I haven't been in school since 2005 when I finished my bachelors and boy is it a time investment. It is so exciting though to be learning more about studying the word of God. I am working on a Masters in Biblical Counseling and taking a Hermeneutics class. It has been completely opened my eyes in my own personal study of the Bible and in preparing messages for our kids. I am extremely excited about everything I am learning.

So this week we didn't have Club... our leadership team has been going strong throughout the entire summer and so we decided to take a small break this week to breathe before the rest of the semester. It was such a great time of rest and fellowship. Because I was free on Tuesday and Wednesday night I was able to go watch one of our 8th grade friends win in football on Tuesday and one of our 7th grade girls perform in a dance recital with the Smith Middle school choir on Wednesday. Honestly on Wednesday I was exhausted and not really sure if I was going to go to the show, but God told me I should... so I did. I took one of my other middle school friends Julia and headed out there. What a blessing it turned out to be. Not only did Kaylee perform amazingly, but I ran into two of the girls that went to Camp Buckner with us... Abby and Jenesis. They have both been so busy throughout this semester with extracurricular activities that I hadn't seen them at all. Just seeing how excited they were to be performing for their families and to watch them singing "Just the Way You Are" by Bruno Mars and "Firework" by Katie Perry which were both songs that we loved singing together at Camp brought tears to my eyes. There is no doubt in my mind that that was a God ordained night. He reminded me that He is still working in those girls lives whether or not I am able to be there. I love how the Lord sends us those glimpses of His presence. I am so glad that I listened to Him and went. I wouldn't have wanted to miss out on the message He wanted to give me!!

Julia and Me at the PX before the Concert

Smith Middle School Song Line Up

Awesome Smith Choir

Abby Right before her lead dance solo to the song "Thriller" by MJ

Glad To be Back!! - Part One

The last couple of months have been crazy, but wonderful. I am sorry that I have not updated in a while but here are a few tidbits from the last few months.

February

Would you Like a Little Snow with that Fellowship?

MCYM Staff Conference - Fraser, CO

Every year our MCYM staff gets together for training and fellowship. This year our conference was in Fraser, CO at Young Life's Crooked Creek Ranch. It was amazing. The days were freezing and the nights were even colder, -15 degrees to be exact, but it was so nice to be out in nature spending time with the Father. At the half way point of the year it is always nice to have a little bit of time away to recenter and focus on what is important.

Highlights from the Week:

-Seeing my wonderful friends from all over the US

-Having time to sit and pray with other girls who are single and going through the same stuff that I am while being on staff.

-Getting great ideas from other staffer for fundraising initiatives and community awareness as well as games and hang out ideas for the students.

-Going Snow Tubing with a group of adults and being able to act like kids with one another.

-Having my quiet time in the middle of the Rockies.

Remind me to never have Septuplets because I don't think I could handle 8 middle school girls in my house 24/7

Middle School Girls' Sleepover - My Tiny Apartment

Tons of Stuffed Animals, Taco Bell, Emperor's New Groove, and Just Dance on the Wii. That is all that we needed to have an epic Middle School Girls' Hangout! Here are some pics from the evening. This is why I love my job. There is nothing more fun that giggling and playing games with these wonderful young ladies!!

Two of my friends with the coolest dolls EVER! They are Called Daddy Dolls which you put a picture of your Dad in when he is deployed. I wish they had those when I was little.

Time Away From the Front Lines

Finally the new year is beginning. Right after the holidays on the 4th of January I went straight to Young Life Winter Training at Sharp Top Cove in Jasper GA. It was basically a week spent studying Systematic Theology with 250 other Young Life employees. It was so much fun and I learned so much about how to take God's word and tangibly live out His commands and His will daily. To be completely honest when I was flying from Killeen to Atlanta I dreaded being in a camp with all of those people with no time to be alone. But, by the second day in camp I was sooo excited to be surrounded by so many people who love the Lord and love kids. There was never a time of solitude even when we were having "Quiet Time" with the Lord, which actually meant sitting in a room with 5-10 other people while spending time with Jesus, ha ha, but I loved every second of it. Which is a crazy statement coming from me... an introvert. I met so many wonderful people and am so grateful that God provided that break up in the mountains where I could just be in community with people my age and with God. It truly was a mountaintop experience.... an R&R of sorts... some time away from the front lines of ministry. A time to recenter and remember why we are doing ministry in the first place and what this is all about. It is all about relationships with one another and the Lord!!

Here are some pics from the week:

(Another blessing a snow storm came through the area which actually stranded us in the mountains an extra day which was a blessing in disguise. More time to forge relationships and be alone with God. The snow was gorgeous!!)

Christmas Party

Sorry that I haven't written in a while. The Holidays got hectic but they were great! It was fun to celebrate with all of our kids. In December we had an amazing Christmas party. We had an ugly sweater contest, Christmas chain making race, snowball fight, and Christmas carol singing with chem lights. It was a ton of fun! We also had a family style Christmas dinner with some of our leaders and volunteers. Here are some pics from over the Holidays!