Happy Friday!

What a fantastic day. You couldn't go 20 minutes without receiving wonderful news today. Our curriculum for summer camp is complete. We have 20+ interns moving to Clarkston tomorrow. There were many donations that came in that brought us past our crowd funding campaign goal. Josh, Carrie, Scott, and I were able to enjoy a nice dinner together in the wonderful Garage à la Guess knowing that much of the planning is done and implementation (the fun part) starts soon. 

The donations we have revived and the help we have received from so many people has been such a blessing. Planning and running a camp is no small feat. Josh and Scott Kelley before him have done an amazing job tackling camp, interns, short term teams, campers, and high school helpers all on their own in the past. I know that the years I have been involved all boil down to one thing: you can't have too much help. Whether your strength is in arts and crafts or finances, the Lord has blessed you with gifts to share with others that expand his Kingdom. It's beautiful to see all of these people coming together for the same cause. Thank you again to all of you who prayed, donated, served, or contributed in other ways.

Be praying for our wonderful interns as they come in town tomorrow and start settling in for a full summer. Pray that their hearts are ready to grow, their eyes and ears are ready to see and hear, their hands and feet are ready to serve, and that they would be willing to join the workers here in the mission of bringing the Kingdom to Clarkston. 

Camp Planning

Planning for a 7 week summer camp is no small feat. I have so much respect for those before me who managed to coordinate planning camp, registering kids, training high school helpers, rounding up interns, and informing short term church teams on their own or with just a few people helping. We have certainly been blessed this summer with the number of people we have to get everything done.

Check out the most recent update to get to know the other staff!

Not included in the update are the 20+ interns coming to help with Summer Camp, the Garden, and Clarkston Cafe that will be here SATURDAY! Please join me in praying for their safe arrivals and that their hearts would just be ready to receive and serve whatever the Lord has planned for them. I'm excited that there will be some familiar faces in the group (Jess and Hannah I'm so excited to serve with you both this summer!!). 

All of these people to help make camp the best it can be a HUGE prayer answered for us. We will be able to serve more kids at camp and provide a better quality program for those campers. We will also be able to spend more time getting to know the families of campers and build stronger relationships. God is so good!!

After a week filled with meetings, finishing curriculum, and a whirlwind of home visits, the prospect of finally getting to put our plans into action is exciting!!

Also, with everything going on I have not yet had the chance to send out support letter, but I have not forgotten all of you awesome people who have been asking for a letter! I appreciate all of you so much and I am excited about what this summer and beyond has for me!!

Here is a link to my support letter.

OR you can go to this link and choose my name on the drop down menu to support me specifically. 

Overwhelmed by Blessings

What a great day today was. I finally started moving into the house marking the start of a full year of ministry in Clarkston to come. My awesome family has been amazing in helping with the move. I couldn't do it without them and Garrett, the best fiance there ever was. The day started early with my mom and I heading down early to get my new room clean and ready for the big furniture my dad would bring down later. Being the efficient and hardworking individuals that we are, we finished our part early and had time for a lunch break before my dad came down.

On the way to lunch, I was telling my mom the story of one youth I have gotten to know over the years. This particular youth has had a lot to overcome throughout their life and is now in a good place working on getting to an even better place. We happened to run into this youth at lunch and had a chance to talk with them for a while. After catching up a little they had one question for me: "Could you help me with my math homework?"

What a beautiful reminder that my ministry in Clarkston is so much more than programs and administrative work. I get to live in the same community as these people that I have so much passion for working with live life right alongside them. It's easy to say someone who travels across the world is a missionary or that someone who works at an orphanage or in a church is a missionary. I think it's so easy to forget that every relationship we build is a chance for discipleship. Something as simple as helping someone with their homework and spending the time with them can lead to something so much more, something with an eternal impact on someone's life.

I was overwhelmed by the thought that my job now is to help this youth with their homework. My job is to spend time with youth, know them, love them, and help them take a hold of the potential that they have. I get to facilitate a space for people to learn about the Kingdom, forgiveness, and how love and kindness. I have the best job in the whole world.

After a long day of moving and helping training up a new group of High School Helpers, it was off to a relaxing and enjoyable night at the future in-laws house for a graduation/engagement/going away party with Garrett and some of his good friends and their families. It was the icing on the cake to be able to share my heart for Clarkston with the people that are so important in Garrett's life. The support that I am surrounded by and that I literally cannot hide from is such a blessing. I know that many others in similar positions as me do not have the same level of encouragement and support that I do.

Thank you so much to all of you who have listened to my stories, come to visit camp, supported me financially, or encouraged me to keep moving forward. It's because of you that I have made it to where I am now and the people that I am able to serve and disciple are result of the amazing and overwhelming encouragement I have received from people like you. THANK YOU!!!

Next Steps

What a whirlwind! I have spent the last month graduating from UGA, getting engaged to the most awesome guy there is, and finding a place to live in Clarkston. All these amazing life events happening at the same time could easily be overwhelming, but I have such an amazing support system of family and friends that the celebrations just keep coming.

I have spent the last week preparing for the move from Athens to Clarkston and easing myself back into Camp Co-Directer mode. It only took a few hours in the office and a home visit to one of my favorite families to get me back in the groove.

Fortunately, there are some really amazing people helping make this years Summer Spectacular better than any I've ever seen before (and it hasn't even started yet!). The Lord has definitely heard our cry for help and answered 10 times over. We are looking at having 3 times more interns this year than last year and staff has over doubled in size!

There are also High School Helpers left and right signing up to be trained into leaders in training for the camp they grew up participating in as campers. It's so amazing and beautiful to see the transformation that happens as those little middle school campers turn into responsible High School Helpers. We are so blessed to work with youth who are so invested in the program and willing to give back.

I also have a new house that I am moving into while all these last minute camp pieces are falling together. Carrie, Sarah, and I will soon be moved into a nice little house in Clarkston where the three of us will be able to continue serving the Clarkston community with Friends of Refugees year round.

Prayer Requests:
Pray for me as my entire life is in the middle of transitioning into a new house, job, and engagement. All these happy events happening at once can take a toll on a person!

Pray for Summer Camp staff as we all get into groove of what we need to do to prepare for camp as we also get to know each other. Pray that our goals for camp would be in line with what the Lord wants. 

Thank you for your investment! You matter to me!