Looking Ahead

Hello Everyone!
I wanted to give y'all a little taste of what my year will be like at the Oakes! The mission is to communicate the Gospel of Christ to children and young people. Ages anywhere from 8-18 have the opportunity to hear the Gospel message, be encouraged in their faith, and also enjoy a vacation. Students and kids come to the Oakes either individually, with their church, or with organized groups similar to a YMCA program.

The Oakes operates year round running from mid September to the end of August. Located on 8 acres in Sheffield, England, the Oakes is a beautiful 36 roomed Georgian house. Campers will have the opportunity to enjoy low ropes, archery, rafting, a rock wall, and many other activities. A typical day for a camper would include Bible study, Dorm times, multiple opportunities to enjoy the Oakes activities, Tea time (also known as dinner :), outdoor games, and a bonfire.

When camps are in session, my participation as a Team Leader will include everything from cooking and kitchen service to leading a Bible study. I will have the privilege of spending time with campers 24/7 during their stay. I help facilitate their activity time, recreation, bonfires, and everything they have on their agendas. When the Oakes does not have a camp in session, I will help with the daily household maintenance of the camp, participate in leading Bible studies, and have the opportunity to receive weekly Bible training. Some of those classes include studying the overview of the Bible, Luke's Gospel, Evangelism, and True Discipleship. The Oakes informs it's Team Leaders that we should view our year as a training opportunity preparing us for Gospel ministry in the future. The Oakes main training aims are:
1. To equip me with the skills and experience to share the Gospel, particularly with children and young people, through every aspect of my life.
2. To help me learn how to handle the Bible in order to prepare for ministry at three levels: personal, small group, and large group.
3. To encourage me to develop a servant spirit where I genuinely desire to serve God above all else, put the needs of others before my own, and give 100% in everything I do for God's glory.

I am so excited about all the opportunities I will have to serve, grow, and learn next year! Please pray that God would give me the energy and patience to interact with the campers, that God would open doors for me to present the Gospel to the kids, and that lives would be transformed.

The Process

As I begin to write this morning, I can't help but get excited!! The past couple months have been a great learning experience for me. If you are not already aware, I am moving to the UK next year to serve at a Christian camp called the Oakes Holiday Centre. In December I graduated high school, and without a clear path in front of me, started working two jobs while I sought God's will for my future. In December, a friend encouraged me to pursue the Oakes; however, in fear I ventured away from that option. Phrases such as "too far" and "for too long" rang in my head at the utter thought of leaving the familiarities of home. However, God began peeling back things in me that showed an unwilling heart to choose God and what He wanted over comfort. The next few months God worked with me to remove the things in my life that had replaced Him and began developing in me a deeper love for Him. At the end of March I was again approached about the Oakes being a place for me to serve in the coming year. This time though, I prayed about it in order to know if this was something God wanted me to pursue. After much prayer, counsel, and spending time in the Word I felt like this was something I was suppose to pursue. I wish I could sit down with you over coffee and share everything God has done during this whole process. I get so enthusiastic and excited over how faithful God has been to me!!

Very quickly I would love to share with you one of many things God has taught me throughout this process. There is a particular passage of scripture that has been my resting place, my encouragement, and my assurance during these past six months.
"But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.'Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong." -2 Corinthians 12:9-10
No one enjoys feeling weak or vulnerable, and let me tell you, I have felt completely weak the past four months! I've struggled countless times with thoughts of "I can't do this!" and "I'm going to fail!" However, I have found that my weakness is when I am made strong in Christ! God's grace has been most definitely sufficient for me! Please know that I'm not claiming that I have "arrived" and have mastered this lesson, but rather I am learning to, "Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say REJOICE!" (Emphasis added Philippians 4:4)
I am truly excited for what God has in store this next year! The challenges ahead no longer look like mountains but rather opportunities for God to mold me more into His image. More than anything, I am elated to see how God will grow and use me as an instrument in Sheffield next year. I would be completely honored if you would continue to check in to the blog in order to see what I am doing in England. Also, I would be extremely blessed if you would continue to pray for me throughout the next year! I can not express my gratitude to you who consistently lift me up in prayer! Thank you for your love and support!