Not gone yet :) God is invested in the details!

John 2: 1-11   God is interested in the details of our lives.  

I listened to a fabulous podcast this morning and got a chance to view this scripture in a new light and I just read this last week LOL.  Scripture is alive and active :)

Read the scripture then check out some of the notes I've jotted below.

- How much joy have we missed because we think God is uninterested in the details of our lives?

- If Jesus had not turned the water into wine, the world wouldn't have exploded, the people 10 miles away wouldn't have been affected at all.  

-Jesus acted because someone asked him to be interested and involved in the details.  Nor did it matter to anyone else in the universe other than these people in that moment.

- Mary didn't command Jesus she just created space for him to intervene and be creative.

-Empty jars, ceremonial jars (religion- the emptiness of it) He provides the best and an abundance of it.  Jesus " I want to lavish you with life!"

Outta here

My home away from home for the next 5 weeks... dining hall @ Rockbridge

I'm taking off for a month of hard/delightful work at the YL camp property- Rockbridge.  I am looking forward to serving alongside and being in charge of 26 high school kids in the dining hall.  Mostly I'm looking forward to living with Melissa for 5 weeks :) YESSS!!!!  

Rockbridge has such a sweet spot in my heart it is one of my most favorite places to go on dates...  WHAT?!? lol Dates with God!   We steal away in the mornings on the front porch in a rocking chair, bundled up (mornings are cool) and surrounded by breathtaking mountains- He def knows how to capture my heart! *Awwww sigh*

So while I'm away I'll try to blog pictures, little stories, and random teachings but I'm not promising anything.  This is my first time as a work crew boss and from what I gather the dining hall boss doesn't get out of the dining hall all that often.  Please be praying for the kids, campers, assignment team, and property staff while I'm there.  

Love you all!

The Shack!

If you have not read "The Shack" by Paul Young you need to pick up a copy today.  Yesterday we hosted Paul here for two Young Life fundraisers.  The book is an incredible work that uses unexpected imagery to get us to think about God, Christ, and the Holy Spirit outside of our normal boxes.  I've often talked to kids about how we put what we know about others on God.  We make him our dad, our mother, teachers, or friends.  God is none of those things He is the I AM, He is God!!!!  

I had the privilege of picking Paul up from the airport, when the call came in that my services would be needed two things went through my head 1) OF MY GOSH my car is disgusting and my AC is broken poor guy ... I better find another car to drive and FAST!  2) What do I say to a celebrity, I'm not witty, smart, and I certainly have not sold over 7 million copies  and been on the NY Times bestseller, I have nothing to offer this man other than no ac and a filthy car.   Luckily I roped Christi (although it didn't take much convincing) into coming with me and using her car.  

Sadly my dreams were crushed when I realized that I wasn't as lame as I thought I was lol.  Paul was the most gracious, friendly, and down to earth person I've ever met.  As soon as he got out of the gate we smiled and hugs were given all around.  Over the next 36 hours I got to have dinner with him and few friends, hear him speak at our luncheon and at our evening event.  Each time discovering new things about who God has created him to be and what gifts and passions he has been given.  Pictures to come of our photo shoot.  It has been such an honor to work with Paul and The Shack Team: Deb and Don, Christi & Kelly, Greg and Stephanie, and Ben.  

Go grab his book I promise it will not disappoint and will offer insight and will shatter the box you've placed God in.

Knowing God the most when you don't feel Him.

   When something happens that is negative and unexpected we tend to not feel God.  We question where He is, how could He let this happen?   I'm going to state that maybe we can know God the most when tragedy happens.  It is times like this that we have to affirm and repeat and think about over and over again how God is good, faithful, loving, righteous, blameless, protector, comforter, all powerful, all knowing, and the provider of life.  We may want to question each of those things but scripture says that God can't be anything other than what He is and those things never change despite of what our surroundings seem to declare.  Join with me in praying for those who are suffering and trying to figure things out, asking questions, getting angry and pray for readiness of those who know hope, and may they be prepared to give a reason for the hope that they have!

Sitting and listening!

Listening isn't our strong point.  Are you thinking "our" who are you speaking to Adrienne?  Yes I'm talking to you.  We, humans, suck at listening it is a learned skill that goes against everything that we are and that says "look at me! I'm important! Hear my story! Listen to me, not me listen to you."  I suck at this!  Shocking I know! :)   However, occasionally I can sit still enough to listen and my focus is shifted to pure attentiveness, those times usually revolve around someone sharing with me what they are learning about God.  I love listening to people tell me how they've seen God in new ways, what they are learning, and what has captivated them!   This morning I sat with Katey an upcoming freshman in college.  She is recently discovered that she and I'm quoting "has a crush on Christ!"  Don't you just love it?

We sat for almost 2 hours talking about how Christ is tenderly pursuing her and what that looks like in her life.  I jotted down a few quotes from our time together with her permission of course.  After talking about how God is loving her and whispering sweetly to her (what a great visual, of a father's love for us).  No whispering sweet nothings here... everything He says has a purpose and point!!!!    She said "when I fall in love with a human." LOL  We had a great chuckle over this, it was said with a little disgust and a little oddity of a strange human.  What a great picture of our relationship with Christ though.  We are still human, we still fail but with His abundant love don't you feel like you're in this relationship that is out of this world? Its not tangible here... so when she falls in love with a human I'm confident that human will draw her even closer to God.  

At one point she said that before she knew God loved her like this... she said I just felt "monotone!" Life is pretty boring and uneventful without Him, we just go through the motions.

Finally and I'll wrap up with this... she said "I catch myself daydreaming about Him."  What goes into our well comes up in our bucket and how exciting that she is so captivated by Him that she begins daydreaming about Him without even knowing it...

Our love is an overflow of our heart!  He desires this captivating love from us and is the only one that can offer it to us.  

" My lover spoke and said to me, 

       "Arise, my darling, 
       my beautiful one, and come with me."   Song of Solomon 2:10

Let's go away with Him!!!!

Camp- Faithfulness!

Thanks for waiting!  So last week we were having TONS of fun up in NY @ Lake Champion.  It was a great week, full of laughter and the Gospel!  It was probably my hardest camp trip yet.  I was emotional wiped before we ever set foot on the bus and physically exhausted by the end of day 1.  I'm not a spring chicken anymore.  However, God proved Himself faithful yet again.  That is one thing that God has been working on with me... me being faithful to Him, and me realizing that He is always faithful to me.  It was my discipleship girls last camp trip as they are heading off to school in the fall (blinking, blinking, blinking).  God showed His faithfulness when I was exhausted they stepped up and took over the camp trip.  These five senior girls ran harder than I've ever seen!  They finished the obstacle course as leaders after one of them got hurt and I stayed to wait with her for the EMT.  They had EXCESSIVE amounts of energy every day.  I think though the neatest and most faithful thing was that when I sat down to have one on one time with each of the younger girls in the cabin THEY all mentioned at least one senior girl who had already had significant conversation with them about the talks this week. God is so FAITHFUL!  

It has been a true honor watching each of these girls grow up over the last four years.  I consider it the highest honor apart from Christ choosing me to love!!!  My ending thought is something so simple the definitions of faithful.  My question to you is are you these things to Christ? and how have you seen these things from Him?

Faithful- 1) obsolete: full of faith

                2) steadfast in affection or allegiance 

                3) firm in adherence to promises or in observance of duty

                4) given with strong assurance

                5) true to the facts, to a standard, or to an original

* More proof of his faithfulness to come tomorrow*

Camp Photos!!!!

Katey and I hanging out 

Playing some games: the LAUGHING GAME!

Bethanne, Shelly, and I before a meal (Ben is creeping in the back)

Senior Girls!

Shelly and I