I think this was one of my favorite and also one of the hardest summers.
Cricket camp was a very stretchy and easy camp. I know those two don't go together but it's true.
It was easy because we knew the place where we had the camp and we only had 11 kids signed up. Why it was stretchy for me is because I had some physical problems that occupied my mind too much and I was too stressed and worried to completely focus on the camp. My ankles were swollen, so was my right knee, and I had no idea why. I tried to rest and put ice on it as much as I could but there was no real progress.
I left Cricket camp before it ended and went to prepare things to Cakovec, Croatia where we had our Performing Arts Camp. It's my favorite camp of the year and I was soooo looking forward to it!
We had around 40 youth come to PA Camp + the same team from Modesto, CA that came last year! That was exciting since we became good friends!
The theme of this year's camp was Light The Night and most of the songs had the word "light" in them. They were amazing songs and this year's program was a lot longer than last year's. I think we did an amazing show and God touched all of us in a mighty and very powerful way! Youth started thinking about God in a different way, I even saw God moving kids in my discussion group. I loved seeing them think and struggle a bit with some of the questions. My friend Tarisa also accepted Jesus into her life after years of thinking about it and being afraid of making that step! She did though, and we're all soooo excited! :)
God also did so much in my heart. I was very tired and I found myself crying and sobbing in my room a couple of times in that week, just pouring my heart to Him and asking Him for help.
I've had this huge struggle with fear in my life. I think it became really intense when my mom got cancer and was struggling. One of my biggest fears was that I'll get sick and die. The Lord spoke into that lie in May but I still struggled with it. We had a labyrinth night at PA camp and I was at one of the stations where you had to think about something you wanted to get rid of in your life, write it on a rock and throw that rock on the field. You also had to write down something your life is in need of, write it on a rock and keep it. I wrote "fear" on the one I threw away. I prayed over it and told the Lord I don't want it to be just something I did with a rock. I told God I wanted His help in leaving my fear of sickness and death behind. I could see the changes in the next day and by His grace I am able to fight with the fear now and really say no to it and not just let it take control over my life. It's still a struggle, don't get me wrong... but it's different. I'm doing something about it now instead of just laying on the floor, letting it beat me and take my joy.
It was an amazing camp.
A day after PA camp was done I had a privilege to fly to the States for the first time! :) I didn't write about it before because I wanted to surprise one of my friends and didn't want people to know and tell her.
I flew to Washington DC and am staying with my schoolmates from Bible College who live in Beltsville, Maryland. God was very gracious to me and He provided money and time for me to visit my dear friend Callie who was also my schoolmate at Bible College and lives in Phoenix, Arizona. I am staying with her right now actually and I fly back to Maryland tomorrow morning.
I love the States and I actually don't miss home at all :) I love tasting new food (mostly fast food), meeting new people and seeing black people! Love it :) DC is not a lot different than Europe but Phoenix is since it's a desert. I love it here though. Arizona is really clean - you're not going to see trash on the floor, anywhere! It's also very hot but the heat is dry which makes it bearable.
I've been experiencing God's love in a huge way. I know He always loves me and He always shows me His love, in different ways. But the way He's been showing me His love at PA camp and in the States... it's just amazing. The fact I'm visiting my friends in the States in great. But these are not just my friend from Bible College. These people are my family. We lived together for a year and went through a lot in that time. We went to Slovenia and Serbia for a 10-day outreach, we played cards, we laughed, cried, hugged and fought with each other. We became a very close family and I was able to come here and visit them.
I don't know if you can imagine the joy and happiness I'm experiencing and feeling.
I've been asking God to be a specific person to me when I have hard days. When I feel lonely and excluded, I ask Him to be my Best Friend, and He is. When I feel unloved, I ask Him to be my Father, and He is. When I feel sad because I so long to get married and have my own family, I ask Him to be my Husband. And He is. Right now He is being my Father in a huge way. He is loving me, providing for me and caring for His little girl like dads do.
God is pretty amazing, don't you think? Yes, He lets trials come, He sometimes disciplines us... and that's what He has to do. But the way He loves us... wow. I just wish I could love on people like He does.
Cricket camp was a very stretchy and easy camp. I know those two don't go together but it's true.
It was easy because we knew the place where we had the camp and we only had 11 kids signed up. Why it was stretchy for me is because I had some physical problems that occupied my mind too much and I was too stressed and worried to completely focus on the camp. My ankles were swollen, so was my right knee, and I had no idea why. I tried to rest and put ice on it as much as I could but there was no real progress.
I left Cricket camp before it ended and went to prepare things to Cakovec, Croatia where we had our Performing Arts Camp. It's my favorite camp of the year and I was soooo looking forward to it!
We had around 40 youth come to PA Camp + the same team from Modesto, CA that came last year! That was exciting since we became good friends!
The theme of this year's camp was Light The Night and most of the songs had the word "light" in them. They were amazing songs and this year's program was a lot longer than last year's. I think we did an amazing show and God touched all of us in a mighty and very powerful way! Youth started thinking about God in a different way, I even saw God moving kids in my discussion group. I loved seeing them think and struggle a bit with some of the questions. My friend Tarisa also accepted Jesus into her life after years of thinking about it and being afraid of making that step! She did though, and we're all soooo excited! :)
God also did so much in my heart. I was very tired and I found myself crying and sobbing in my room a couple of times in that week, just pouring my heart to Him and asking Him for help.
I've had this huge struggle with fear in my life. I think it became really intense when my mom got cancer and was struggling. One of my biggest fears was that I'll get sick and die. The Lord spoke into that lie in May but I still struggled with it. We had a labyrinth night at PA camp and I was at one of the stations where you had to think about something you wanted to get rid of in your life, write it on a rock and throw that rock on the field. You also had to write down something your life is in need of, write it on a rock and keep it. I wrote "fear" on the one I threw away. I prayed over it and told the Lord I don't want it to be just something I did with a rock. I told God I wanted His help in leaving my fear of sickness and death behind. I could see the changes in the next day and by His grace I am able to fight with the fear now and really say no to it and not just let it take control over my life. It's still a struggle, don't get me wrong... but it's different. I'm doing something about it now instead of just laying on the floor, letting it beat me and take my joy.
It was an amazing camp.
A day after PA camp was done I had a privilege to fly to the States for the first time! :) I didn't write about it before because I wanted to surprise one of my friends and didn't want people to know and tell her.
I flew to Washington DC and am staying with my schoolmates from Bible College who live in Beltsville, Maryland. God was very gracious to me and He provided money and time for me to visit my dear friend Callie who was also my schoolmate at Bible College and lives in Phoenix, Arizona. I am staying with her right now actually and I fly back to Maryland tomorrow morning.
I don't know if you can imagine the joy and happiness I'm experiencing and feeling.
God is pretty amazing, don't you think? Yes, He lets trials come, He sometimes disciplines us... and that's what He has to do. But the way He loves us... wow. I just wish I could love on people like He does.
Phoenix! I'll be there next Wednesday. John Paul, Anna's bro and family, live there! Yay for you getting to the States. Boo that I do not get to see you :) Yay especially for God providing in wonderful ways for you. You are loved!
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