six.six.twenty-ten

So, it's definitely 1:15 in the morning as I begin this. I'm probably not making the wisest choice because I tend to ramble as the nights get later/mornings get earlier, but I've had less opportunities for communication with the "outside world" lately, so I figured it's worth a shot, right?

I am sitting at my great friends' Sara & Chad's house in Louisville after an awesome girls' night with the staff. We ended the 2nd junior camp yesterday morning, wrapped up our cleaning & such, and then I got a wonderful visit from my pal Blake and my three sisters Sarah, Hannah, & Abby. It was great to see them all again & so cool to hang out with them all day. We got to go tubing and have coffee at the Malone's (camp director family) house, and then we had a pizza/pool party with all the staff that night. It was really just an awesome day.

So today was our one & only full transition/off day of the summer. I spent it cleaning & baking & watching stupid shows with Sara during the day, and hanging out with some of the coolest females on the planet tonight. It was restful without sleep. Kinda hard to explain, but it's been good.

Tomorrow we have our dedication service at Cornerstone Community Church in Macon. Families from the church will "adopt" staff members to get to know them & pray for them over the summer. It's a really cool thing. We will go to the regular church service in the morning & then have a potluck lunch that is absolutely delicious afterwards. Then we'll head back to camp for Jr. High registration & our 3rd camp begins. It's crazy.

Well as far as prayer...here's some things y'all can be thinking about as you go to the Father. Firstly, a little recruiting. This has been heavy on my heart. The numbers for camp in general are lower this summer due to the economy (isn't everything?), but especially for the week of Mission Camp Macon. This is just such an incredible week of camp. Not only do students get the traditional LFR experience as campers, but they also get to help with an outreach opportunity called Camp Macon. Visit www.lakeforestranch.com to get some more specific details. Although this is during the second half of the summer, I will be staying through then. I'd love to see some people I know that week. There are also some spots available for a few other camps & it would be beyond cool if any of you or your children could come see & experience God's love here.

And for personal prayer needs, keep praying that I will rely on His strength rather than my own. The first week was pretty hard for me. It wasn't really a circumstantial thing so much as just an emotional thing. My heart was not in my work & I was not glorifying the Father with the things I did. I guess I have just been so sick of putting up this stupid front of excitement & happiness that I was just through with it altogether. That was not the best attitude to have & I sure do regret it. The Lord is showing love to me & demostrating grace & forgiveness on a daily basis. I am SO grateful. Just please keep praying!
"Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make straight your paths." -Proverbs 3:5-6

And in closing, I want to share something that's really been an encouragement to me. I think the staff as a whole here (along with just about anybody who knows the Lord on a personal level) can agree that we all at some point realize that when we come to the end of ourselves is when He is able to work best. Our failures allow Him freedom. His power is made perfect in weakness. His yoke is easy and His burden is light.
"What we think God should be doing in our lives is just our own expectations." -Wayne Jacobsen


Love, Rachel
"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might." -Ephesians 6:10