Deny Myself

It's crazy how fast these three weeks at CIY are flying by. Sunday afternoon we finally made it to the top of the mountain:success! All the CIY staff and camp teams had a cookout =lots of fun. We started a new week and it's been really great already. Even though we have to do the same tedious tasks and listen to a lot of the same messages, I learn something new each time. Today Mark Moore spoke. He minded us of the broken world that we live in and how sin has become a norm. He challenged us to do something about it. We need to be available to God so that he can speak to us and work through us. In a video we watched yesterday, we were asked, "Whose kingdom are you building? Yours or God's?" How much time do we waste striving to meet our own needs and desires? Has that ever got us anywhere? The good news is that God wants us right where we are at. It doesn't matter what I've done in my past. I don't have to fix myself before I can stand before God. God is big enough for the fear and doubt that I have. Luke 9:23 says, "If anyone would come after me he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it". I have to deny myself. It sounds like such a simple task right? Not exactly. The world we live in has trained us that pleasing ourselves is the most important thing. But I'm ready to be done with that life. I am ready to let go for something bigger, something better. I want to take the risk of giving myself up. I want my fear to dissolve so that it doesn't ruin my passion. I am worth it. I am wanted by Jesus Christ, and in Him I have a new purpose. What in this world could possibly matter more than following and serving him with all that I am? He is the only life worth living.
Ephesians 2:8 "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith -and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God -not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."

weekend adventures

Have I said how much I love Colorado yet? The weather could not get any better and the mountains are so beautiful! Yesterday we all got to catch up on some sleep before we met up to go to lunch. We ate at an incredible BBQ restaurant. It was so delicious! Later in the afternoon a group of us decided we wanted to hike up a nearby mountain...a mountain that had no trail. After fighting our way through trees and bushes, cutting up our legs and getting eaten by demon ants, we almost made it to the top. But we couldn't go any further because the trees were too tough to get through at that point. I'm not sure I can say it was worth it, but it was a good adventure. I found out this morning that there actually is a trail that leads up to the top. So it's round 2 today, hopefully we can conquer this mountain.
This morning we were supposed to go to church but I accidentally got left here in the dorms.  I don't know exactly how that happened, but they came and picked me up afterwards for lunch. Tomorrow starts a whole new week of CIY. 2 more weeks to go, so excited, love being here. Tonight 2 more camp teamers are coming and all the CIY staff and camp teams are having a giant BBQ party. yes please. can't wait.

love costs everything

Though this first week of CIY has been amazing, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't ready for the weekend. I could definitely catch up on some sleep! I am really glad we got to work with CCV this week even if it were just little tasks. I am so happy to be apart of CIY this year. There is nothing better than seeing students make decisions to change their lives for Christ. Last night we watched a movie called "Love costs everything". It showed how Christians are being persecuted around the world for following Jesus Christ. It left a powerful message and challenge for all of us. I personally felt a lot of shame. There are people in this world who are being physically beaten and killed just for believing in God and here we are worried about what other people think of us. We are so caught up in ourselves that all we care about is our appearance, success, what others think of us, or how we can be better, Selfish. We are too afraid to even tell people about God because we are scared of what they'll think of us. We should be ashamed. We don't know who God is because we only want to know about ourselves. We don't know how to live our lives because we haven't read God's Word to know what He expects of us. We need to change that.
Today I got to work in the prayer room for a couple of hours. I had some good talks today with Rene Hoover, Sheree Diehl, and Ashley Morales. The final night session for the week was a very powerful one. We were all challenged to live our lives pointing people to God and not ourselves. Many students made decisions to change their lives. Again, I am so glad to be a part of all this! So glad I got to work with CCV this week and hang out with them. I also enjoy hanging out with the other camp teamers and doing all the tedious tasks with them. I ended my night by hanging out with some of the girls in the dorms. It's now time for some much needed sleep. Tomorrow's schedule: sleep in, eat lunch, community camp team hang out. So pumped!

Another day at CIY MOVE. As bible college reps we have to do a lot of tedious jobs for the ciy staff. These includes things such as stuffing 1000 tiny envelopes and sealing them, blowing up 500 + balloons to give to students who end up popping them, attempting to open 100 large tin cans of chocolate pudding for a large group game that was an epic fail, and being in charge of "security" each night in the dorms -which really isn't security at all but is actually passing out hundreds of schedules for the following day to all the students. Though these tasks may seem like the worst jobs ever (and to us at times they do, especially at 12:30 at night) we have managed to have fun in whatever job we are doing. For example, after what seemed like hours blowing up the balloons in a tiny room that somehow fit all 12 of us, we began to sing songs together to keep us sane. Some songs included "it's a hard knock life" and "A whole new world". These are some of the memories I won't forget and it's been really fun getting to know everyone.

It's awesome to see how God is working in this place, challenging so many people to move. I am so thankful to be a part of this ciy experience and it's only week one! Two more weeks here in Colorado. So thankful for the ciy staff and bc reps. #best3weeksever #winnersneverstop

Something Bigger

Something bigger is the theme this year for CIY, but it seems to be something I have been thinking about a lot lately. This past year has been a rough one. I have continuously been selfish and have put my desires ahead of God's. I have made poor decisions and pushed God aside. But I have been reminded that nothing is about me. I spend so much time thinking about how I can be better, successful, or accepted. I listen to all the opinions of others but don't stop to listen to the only voice that matters. God has broken me down to show me that only He satisfies. When will I finally start listening to Him? The answer is now. Right now. I want to stop living for myself. I am so thankful that God has placed me on camp team this summer even though I really didn't want to do it at first. Already after 1 week of camp and a few days at CIY, God has surrounding me with great people, and a passion to serve him. I am excited to see what happens from here. Waking up every morning to the mountains right outside my window reminds me of how big God is, and how small I am compared to him. I am so thankful that even though I continue to fall short, God still loves me, right where I am at. My journey continues. Changes have to made in my life. 2 Timothy 1:7 says that God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, love, and self discipline. I can't do things on my own, nor do I want to anymore. There is something way bigger than me.