Youth Camp season ended yesterday. Sadly, I didnt get to go to the last service this year. I normally enjoy that one but, when you have a FFFF Dinner and Drama to be a part of you learn to not be selfish and do the work instead of getting the joy! The joy of attending camp that is. It would have been really selfish of me to tell Crystal NO and visit the camp. For alot of people they would think it was slefish of me not going to camp. But God has showed me that there are somethings more important than attending every camp service...like the job HE blessed me with. But then again I can almost gurantee that I'm gonna tell my boss to let me off for a week of camp next year! 
Anyways, I enjoyed both weeks of camp that I was able to attend. The first week I was a camper. The messages were awesome. Bro Toney spoke mostly to us about keeping our identity. Like remembering who we are in Christ. One morning after he preached...either he or Bro. Bowman asked for all the youth groups to get together. Me Tiff and Amanda got together. Then I looked over and Sarah Carlisle who used to go to our church, and Sarah R. a friend of Tiffanys and mind were just standing there. I said COME ON ALREADY GET OVER HERE. And they both smiled Sarah C. was a bit reluctant but not for long and we all began to pray together it was awesome.
Then after one night service earlier during the week (which Mark Johnston did ok this year...the first night was the best though) Amanda asked me to pray with her. And I thought sure ok....but then I remembered how many times that I saw me, Tiffany and Amanda leading the church. Like a shhep dog directing the sheep. Yes, I know I just called us Dogs...so what! Anyways so maybe not leading the church (cause thats Pastors job as God works through him) but maybe we will light the path that they should take. So, I said hold on Amanda, I ran through the mob of people back to where Tiffany was sitting and I grabbed her. I told her to c'mon and pray together.
Tiffany was also reluctant -- she never likes me telling her what to do. But seeing as there was a CHANCE that it might have been a God thing...she got up.
After we prayed a while (feeling very little of the spirit moving through all of us) I felt I had to explain something to them. So, I (still holding their hand) told them, (yelling over the singing) that "something has to be done in our church, normally we are tokd that the youth need to lead us into revival but we have lost most of them. Kenzie is flying practically solo and she needs are help. Everyone else near our age might not have what we have. But today, we are called to be leaders. We got to pray more. We got to move up onto that front pew and worship. I know its not easy. But someones got to do it. I'm tired of seeing my church in a dormate condition. Were gonna have revival. Pray for revival Act upon that belief that we WILL SEE REVIVAL."
Or something like that...
It was like I was a leader in the army. Explaining the mission we had before us. Or like the captin of the third string players of a football team when its their shot to shine cause the star players are down. I encouraged them that we could do it and pleaded with them that we MUST do it. Year after year we have came back after camp and --- left the "camp" at the campground....NOT SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN!
So, yeah, little ol' quiet me is having to become a leader (aside from God and Pastor ok...not getting out of line here) of our small group. We invite anyone to join us. 4 people praying are better than three ya know!!!
Then the next week, I went to teen camp. Firstly, NO i did NOT get locked in the bathroom this year...except by my own latching of the door. 
But that camp was awesome. Bro McCool was phenoninal. Bro Smith taught more on things that were for the kids younger than me but, I prayed with them because I remembered what it was like to be in their shoes. He also preached on faithfulness, which I mentioned in an earlier blog!
On Tuesday night I met two girls in my dorm. One was named Christi and the other Amanda. Amanda was pretty sure that she wanted to go home early. This was her first year at camp and she loved the services but the rest of the time missed home. She reminded me of me. And look wise she reminded me of Julee...lol...cool! Amanda went to a smaller/average sized church just like mine. Hers is a little more strict on skirt length but not really. Thats about the only diff...from what she told me anyways. I could just talk to her. In fact I had to vent to her a few times throughout that week (which by the way she stayed all week long...she creditied that to me and Christi). We had some much in common. And she would help me so much. Me and her started talking about people leaving a church when things arent going exactly as they please. Then we realized together that one day, at another church they will be faced with the same problems cause all churches have stuff to overcome toghther. We are people. THE CHURCH IS MADE OF PEOPLE!!!!
So yeah, she helped me alot. Sho took on my job kinda. Here I am, supposed to be a leader and helper for her and shes doing more for me. I'll get back to her later. BTW she told me to call her Mandy. So because this blog will have yet another Amanda (weird huh) when I refer to her again she will be Mandy -- ok!
The other supervisor in my dorm was named Leela. She had a friend that attended camp with us at Conquerors camp named Amanda. Supposedly she called Brother Oliver about bringing Amanda as another supervisor. He told her just to bring her and if they needed her he'd find a place for her. Sad thing was, Amanda couldnt go home. Instead of addressing this problem right away, Amanda just stayed and was a Supervisor. This worked out fine til an Enemy of hers found out. His name was Alan or something like that. He told the heads at be and Amanda was kicked out a 12:30am. She went over and stayed with a lady in the cabin Wednesday night and Thursday she slept in Leelas car. She talked with me friday before she cleaned everything up to go.
I asked if she was ok last night. She said no that she cried nearly all night long. I guess that she thinks that God hates her. I said WHY?? Well...I had heard some sob stories before but her was by far the worst.
When she was 4 she was taken away from her parents because they were drug dealers and alcholics. She was put in foster care and was seperated fom one of her siblings. Then she went through about 4-5 foster homes because her mom...after 4 years of chances refused to turn her life around. Just last year, she met an apostolic young man. They dated and had planned to get married. But he would beat her constantly. Not out of anger but FOR FUN?? One time when she was outside of the hospital from a last beating. He ran at her, she thought for a hug, but instead he tackled her and fractured a bone in her neck area. Then she had to go to jail because one time she fought back and bit him and the judge did not think it was self defense! It was only a three day visit. But that was enough for her mom and dad (which by the way she went back to her first parents when she turned 18) to kick her out of the house.
Then in the past two months she has been raped. And most of her friends have became enemies just cause she went to jail. And she still loved they guy that sent her to jail...the one who beat her. Instead he chose an old enemy of hers and moved to Flordia with that chick, whom he also abuses.
Amanda was coming to camp cause she needed seomething. She didnt get it at the first camp. But after I heard her story, I prayed and prayed GOD PLEASE SPEAK TO HER TONIGHT. Because she kept on saying that she was ready to give up. Welll....
Friday Nights message was called give me my stufff back. Haha! God led Bro McCool through an awesome sermon. I ran her down after service and she was talking to Leela. I said "Hey Girl, how are ya" she replied "Better, not all the way there yet but MUCH better". I said "so God spoke to ya?" and she replied "yes." That almost made me wanna go run up front and worship again...but my earthly father had to work on Friday so, I figured I'd say my goodbyes and get home.
Did I mention that Amanda is learning disabled and, a senior in High School?
I want everyone here to pray for Amanda Newlin. She needs a BUNCH of God right now.
Anyways, Friday night was kinda akward to me. Bro McCool was talking about the exciting things of God! Like how powerful he was and stuff. How HE got the keys to Hell and that good stuff. I was gettin all excited too. Of course outwardly no one could tell. On every side people were leaping and shouting...and all I had was a smile on my face and whispered "Amen, C'mon Bro, thats right" But, to me...thats getting into it!
Finally he gives the call (cause he kept telling people to wait to go to the Altar) and we all start rushing up there. I struggled with weather or not I wanted to go up there...but I did...and then it got funny. It was scary for me but kinda funny to think on right noiw.
Here I am in the center of people praying, shouting, dancing and just going crazy. And I'm trying to pray amd focus in on God and not whats happening around me. So my hands are folded over my Face and I try to praise God by saying "God you are soo good" then BAM someone bumps into me. I smile and try to talk to God again -- then I get bumped from behind. No matter how hard I tried to talk to God I would get bumped, kicked stepped on...and I just wanted to praise God and start danceing. Well, telling God how good HE was wasnt working so, I started adding some phyical...and still I was getting bumped and shoved around and feeling like Iwas doin something rather wrong. So, I began to look for a way out.
I was arguing with myself about how long I would stay up there. "Should I go back" -- "No this is the last night of camp I need to be up here". While I am going crazy with the desire to praise but not getting to focus...my friend Mandy comes over to me. She cuts through crowds of people. Puts her hand on mine and lifts it up and the other on my back.
(PAUSE - there was another powerful experience earlier that week at altar call - Bro McCool was going around praying for people and I was standing and praying rather timidly and he said "never the same" and it was like a slow moving hot liquid moved from the top of my head towards my heart. The message he preached on was a revival of the heart. He said how many times we have revival in our head that happens real quick and goes away. But a revival of the heart while takes longer...lasts longer. Yeah so that was cool - BACK TO OTHER STORY)
When she does this. I thank God for her. And she stopped speaking in tounges enough to say "you cant let the devil keep your joy:". I began crying thinking of how much I wanted to dance but that I couldnt. And how much I needed my joy but it seemed unattable. I managed to get down onto my knees and she followed me. I just wept and wept. The whole camp season I had wanted to cry out to God and finally it happened. The tears were REALLY falling. And guess what I wasnt getting kicked anymore.
How Great God is. He cared enough to die on the cross and save me. He cared enough to rise again. He cared enough to give me the Holy Ghost. Then HE still cared enough about me to sen spritual guides and friends and prachers to help me when I dont know what HE's wanting me to do.
I love Jesus Yes I do...I love Jesus how bout you?
Pastor B wrote about being hungry.I'm hungry for God. I'm hungry to rejoice. I'm ready to praise and most importantly I'm hungry for more GOD in my life. There is a God sized hole in our hearts that can only be filled with HIM and how HE wills for it to be filled. I was hungry to dance that night that ended up crying. I told Him how hungry I was and I was given a taste that night. Now I hunger for more!
Look out BBurg! Look out Hungry souls...food better than manna will be coming our way...poured out from Heaven prepared espexially for us.
Along time ago I tried to write a sermon, Devil get out of Gods kitchen...still the smae though echoes in my head! Devil get out of Gods kitchen. Stop blocking the table...I wanna eat! 