We must go.... ...live to feed the hungry, stand beside the broken.

WOW!....i think that's a fair way to start this entry about my training. Here's an idea of what a typical day at training looks like: 6:45 am: get up 7:00-7:45 am: breakfast 7:45-8:15 am: crew devotion 8:15 am-12:00 pm: training 12:00-1:00 pm: lunch 1:00-6:00 pm: more training 6:00-7:00 pm: dinner 7:00-9:00 pm: general training sessions (with everyone) and worship 9:00-11:00 pm: free time (which is usually NOT free....this means time to work on the stuff you couldn't get done during the day because you were in training) 12:00 pm: lights out. yeah.....so.....it's been quite a ride so far. HOWEVER, as difficult, tiring, and long as the days are, they are extremely valuable and too few. I don't think we could have ENOUGH training to prepare us for the insane-ness of the summer. haha Becca (my sister) text messaged me yesterday and said, "Dang, why do ya'll train for so long?" and i said..."well....it's more than just playing my guitar and singing some praise and worship tunes..." That's an understatement, really. I am not only the music leader for these camps...i am the mentor, the guide, the teacher, the picture-taker, the slide-maker, the decorator, the investigator, the mediator, the student and staff. THAT is why we have to undergo nearly 9 hours of training every day. It has absolutely been a blast, though. Please understand that. I am not being help captive and I am not being tortured. I am just being built up to be a more qualified leader for Christ. I am so glad that I am not running off of my own energy (i would be spent!) I am sooo thankful that Christ lives in and THROUGH me and that he provides me with the strength to get through the long days and SHORT SHORT nights. In more light-hearted news, tonight is the big whiffle ball tournament between the Summer Staff and our National Staff (the big kids). Last year, apparantly, the SS BLEW the NS out of the water and had a victorious win. We are hoping for that again this year. All I can say is, I'm a pro. I mean....i'm not gonna lie...i skipped out on the Summer Staff whiffle ball practice last night, but let's get real, here...i don't need it. hahahahahaha anyway....i guess that's all....I would like to ask for prayers for some specifics...so, if you feel lead to do so, please be praying for one or all of these: 1. The kids at the camps....that the Lord would begin working on their hearts so that they will be open to the good news of Christ....and that they will begin to be open and understanding to the idea of EVERYTHING being worship (the painting, the scraping, the roofing, the singing...EVERYTHING is/should be worship.) 2. Our team. Lee, Nicole, Matt and myself will be spending A LOT of time together this summer. They are my family as of next monday when we hit the road, Jack. Sooooo....a few things on that...number one: that we would be patient and loving towards one another....two: that we would use our time together to grow in Christ-that we would build meaningful and deep relationships with one another so that the love of Christ can pour out from those relationships to our others and so that we have something to keep us going....and three: that we would grow this summer individually. That we would continue to rely on the strength of our Risen Savior to get through the even longer days and even shorter nights that are to come. 3. For our staff and our other teams: That they would have the strength to run the race set before them and strain with perserverance towards the goal. That our national staff and other leaders will not get overwhelmed and frustrated with all of the things on their plates (and it's A LOT...waaaay more than any of us have). That they would aslo rely on God for strength, rest and joy. So i guess that's all for now! I'll let you all know how the tourny goes tonight!!!!