Ministry...sometimes there are no words.

Many times over the past month I have thought of many different things that I should blog about but when it came down to writting I often could never put into to words what I was feeling so I just said forget it. Let me explain this past month of my life I have been doing a lot of ministry, more than a normal month because of retreats and ski trips, and I have dealt with a lot of different and hard things and now that it is all done I can relax a little bit but I am so tired that I am not even sure I can relax, I have learned so much and I have felt so many different emotions this past month that it is almost impossiable to just sit and not process or think about it, especially now that it is all done.

I am learning how to be a minister to a hurting world, to a world that is unfair and often leaves teens feeling unimportant, I am ministering in a world that is against me, spending one weekend teaching 8th graders that sex is a gift from God and that it is only meant for marriage for a reason doesn't make up for the endless hours and days of the media and culture telling them that sex is no big deal, and if it feels good, do it. It is hard, it is hard to know the root of peoples pain, and to hurt along side with them, it is hard to know that you can't fix there pain, that sometimes all you can do is listen and pray. But thank God that he is in control, which is something we all know but I think it is something that we forget. and Thank God that he has overcome this world and that he is bigger than this world. These are promises that I have always known in my head and in my heart but they have taken on new meaning, because I have to believe it with all of my heart because it is the only thing that gives me hope somedays, and sometimes it is the only hope I can offer to my youth.

Ministry is hard, and people have hard lives, but ministry is fufulling and joyful, and it is a blessing to get to be a part of so many peoples families. I wouldn't trade my job for anything, and there is nothing else I would rather do and I mean that with my whole heart...but somedays at the end of the day I am glad that God hears prayers that have no words but have heart.

New Years Eve Crew

  

International Relationships

Well it has been a long time since I have written, to be honest Facebook and Myspace have kind of consumed my online time lately. But everything is going very well. I am really just enjoying life right now and being able to do as many things as I do. My job is amazing I really couldn't of painted a better picture of what I have going on at Calvary, the youth, the families, the staff I feel like I have been there for years. Not everyday is easy, but that is ministry and well that is life, but the good defentially out weighs everything else.

This past weekend my good friend Ingrid from Canada came to visit!! We had such a great time! I felt like I was on vacation because all I did for four days was play with my camp friends! Here are some pics of the visit.

I hope everyone is well (for those of you who still check this) Steady On!



 
Pretending to be tourist at MOA

 
This is my really good friend Chase, he is the first person I met at camp and I worked with him for two summers, we have had lots of crazy times together and he always says to me "oh Mel G" I hadn't seen him in a year and half and it was so good to spend time with him and Ingrid
 
Canada and America loving eachother :) It was so much fun to have a "roomate" for 4 days!
 
We had a girls night and what is a girls night without some food!