Parents Weekend

The Whole Gang


I think they were cold



What a blessing to get to spend time with my wonderful parents and have them share in and support what we're doing out here! We had a few adventures- fixing my car, finding snow, visiting the aquarium....and of course we ate good food like steak and valentine's cookies.

A bad day

I don't really know how to just type words about this. My roommate, Julie, was asked to leave the LeadTime program yesterday. The leadership thinks it would be best for her right now, because she is dealing with so much heavy personal stuff and this place can be really difficult; they think she would be safer and better able to find healing somewhere else. It's pretty hard to know what to do with this- yesterday evening after we found out we just kept cycling between tears, and anger, and laughter. Her parents are here for parents weekend- so that's good I guess- just that they can encourage and suppport her. But this was just sprung on all of us, so please just pray for us and the Littles in dealing with this huge loss. And of course pray for Julie as she battles a lot of lies and tries to discern where she is supposed to live and what she is supposed to do now that she cannot be here.

Gray's Peak

This is the fourteener that I will be hiking in a week and a half!

Jenna

Please pray for my classmate Jenna. She found out last night that Jason, her camp director who is like a 2nd father to her, passed away suddenly on Sunday. Jason was only 33 and has a wife, Joy, and a 4 month old daughter, Abigail. Jenna flew out this morning to go home for the funeral. Please just pray for comfort and grace and protection over her and Jason's family during this time.

A difficult choice

Today I choose to follow You
Today I choose to give my 'yes' to You
Today I choose to hear Your voice and live
Today I choose to follow You

As for me and my house
We will serve You
As for me and my house
We will spend our lives on You
Wonderful Counseler, Everlasting Father
Eternal King, Lord of hosts
Willingly we follow

Today I choose to follow You
Today I choose to give my 'yes' to You
Today I choose to hear Your voice and live
Today I choose to follow You

Life Stories

The 4 newest girl littles each gave their life story to the whole girls' house last week. It is hard to know what to say about these. The hurt and pain and need in all of these girls runs so deep- some as a consequence of their own choices and some just due to what life has thrown at them. Out of the 4, 2 really could see their hurt and need and desire healing (G an K) and 2 have still fooled themselves into thinking they're ok and don't really need anything (EM and C). I guess listening to their stories kind of raise up 3 things in me. One is a desire for Christ to come back and put an end to this fallen messed up and yucky world. Also just the realization that there is no way I could possibly help or bring change to these girls - the problem is way to big and Jesus really is their only hope. And last, even though I can't change them, I really want the Lord to teach me how to love them like Him, that with His love he can change them. "I don't know how to be a love like that." To see them as He does and to remember when these girls are throwing up all kinds of rebellion and hatred and other smokescreens, that under it is a history and a lot of hurt.

Surely We Can Change by David Crowder

And the problem is this
We were bought with a kiss
But the cheek still turned
Even when it wasn't hit

And I don't know
What to do with a love like that
And I don't know
How to be a love like that

When all the love in the world
Is right here among us
And hatred too
And so we must choose
What our hands will do

Where there is pain
Let there be grace
Where there is suffering
Bring serenity
For those afraid
Help them be brave
Where there is misery
Bring expectancy
And surely we can change
Surely we can change
Something

And the problem it seems
Is with you and me
Not the Love Who came
To repair everything

Where there is pain
Let us bring grace
Where there is suffering
Bring serenity
For those afraid
Let us be brave
Where there is misery
Let us bring them relief
And surely we can change
Oh, surely we can change
Something

Oh, the world's about to change
The whole world's about to change

Sneaky Sneaky

So, the staff realized a couple days ago that some guys had probably been sneaking out of the house at night through the floor of the laundry room and under the house. So last night they totally set the guys up- puposefully left the laundry room unlocked, told them that the night duty guy wasn't coming in so they needed to settle down quickly and get to sleep, etc... and then waited for them outside. They caught 4 of the sneaky rats coming out of their underground escape! Haha, victory! We also caught girls out of thier room last night trying to pick to lock to the office in the girls house. Double victory! :o) These stories are a lot better told in person, but the point of it is that it feels good sometimes to catch them in their stupidity and sneakyness. Haha, from working here I have fine tuned what we like to call the "shadar" - the radar for shadiness.

Psalm 34

I will extol the Lord at all times; his praise will always be on my lips...
I sought the Lord and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears.
Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame.
This poor man called and the Lord heard him; he saved him out of all his troubles.
The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them.
Taste and see that the lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.
Fear the Lord you his saints, for those who fear him lack nothing...
The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

Praise

I had asked prayer a while back for my new little, "EM". She is really doing well; she is a ton of fun and I really enjoy her. The big answer to prayer is that earlier this week, the other 2 newest Littles "ran" from property. They wanted "EM" to come with them, but she decided not to. This is huge! I am so proud of her. As I had specifically asked for prayer apprehensive that she would try to run soon, I see the fact that she chose not to as a total answer to prayer. So thanks!