Let's See Some Miracles

God has been blowing my mind.

Let’s finish up last week:

On Wednesday night, the girls and guys split off and the leaders were able to minister to personal issues.  The girls focused on insecurities.  We showed some clips from the movie Tangled, provided nail polish for them to paint their nails, and made chocolate covered oreos and strawberries for them.  Kendra, Melissa, Sarah and I each then shared something that we had been struggling with, or still struggled with, and how God healed us or was in the process of healing us.  We wanted to let the girls know that they were not alone in dealing with insecurities in beauty, weight, boys, and girl friends.  The result was amazing.  The girls had such a blast and we had some very fruitful conversation as a result from the leaders sharing. 

As a gift, the leaders had made book marks for the girls that had a verse written on it:

“The Lord God is with you, he is mighty to save.  He will take great delight in you, quiet you with his love, and rejoice over you with dancing.” 
–Zephaniah 3:17

Personally, I was super excited to share this with the girls because this verse has impacted my life.  The idea that the Lord of all would delight in me so that he would dance over me became such a powerful image for me.  My hope is that, through the verse, the girls are able to reminded of just how much God loves them, but not only that, adores and delights in them as well.

After girl’s night wrapped up, I pulled one of the girls (Lexi) in my small group aside.  I asked Lexi if she would be willing to share her testimony with the group Thursday evening.  She agreed and we set up a date some time for the next day to get together and go over her life story. 

On Thursday, I met up with Lexi and we went over her testimony.  She has a beautiful story and I was blessed to be able to listen to her and witness to how God has been working in her life.  She was full of desire to follow Christ and had a new drive to do so.  I was so encouraged by her determination to be open and let go of her past.  Lexi was beautiful.  I count myself as truly blessed and honored to have met her and shared life with her.

That night, Lexi did tell her testimony to the rest of teen staff and teens while sitting around a bonfire on the beach.  She was open, clear, and willing.  So far, that was by far one of my favorite nights to be a part of.

After Lexi told her testimony, we split off and ate s’mores.  Sarah, Kendra and I found out that the guy leaders – Jon and Ryan in particular – were planning on throwing us in the lake.  So we did what every girl would do: we ran away and hid in the sand dunes.  Unfortunately, they found us.  We were then dragged mercilessly into the lake water.  Honestly, it was hilarious and kind of fun (: 

On Fridays, Maranatha teens do something called then prayer walk and tower.  Each staff person does an activity with the kids during the prayer walk revolving around a subject.  Sarah and Jon decided to focus this year on the prayers God loves to answer: healing, blessing, forgiveness, etc.  Each teen staff member had a station and came up with a short interactive activity to do with the groups as they came by their station.  My theme was forgiveness.  So for my station, I had the teens write down someone they were angry at or holding a grudge against.  We then put them in a pile and set them on fire, symbolizing letting the anger and bitterness go and letting God be the one and only judge in the world.  We do not want to put ourselves above God, for who are we really to know what is good and bad in this world?  We are disciples and followers of Jesus – we do not judge, only love.

After the groups made it to each station, we all walked to the prayer tower.  We celebrated communion with each other and then shared what God was doing in our lives.  Each teen staff member got the opportunity to pray over some people who were having a particular rough time or were feeling convicted in some way.  I got the chance to pray over two girls – Alyna and Micaela.  It was such a cool experience to be able to share in their struggles and realizations.  It was humbling realizing that I could do nothing for these girls but pray for them.  So I did.  I prayed over them and tried to stay in tune with the Holy Spirit and follow where it was leading me. 

Saturday was our day off!  Sarah and I got a chance to grab some time to hang out just the two of us, which was super nice (:  Then that evening, the teen staff climbed up the sand dunes that are by the beach.  We watched the sunset then gathered on the top of one of the sand dunes and prayed together.  It was such a beautiful experience – God was everywhere around us.  IT WAS AWESOME!  Then Kendra brought up the roles of the women and men that were her serving the teens on the teen staff – men as leaders, women as supporters.  It was such a cool reminder of the roles that God was calling us to.  We were then able to share and encourage one another and pray for the coming week.

We got our new group of teens Sunday night.  I am leading 15 and 16-year-old girls this week.  It’s a pretty quiet group and honestly, I’m struggling with getting them to open up. 

Monday night was pool night.  We go to the pool for teen swim and while we’re there, a staff member shares their testimony.  Shawn did this week and the results were astounding.  First of all, Shawn was not even supposed to share this week, Melissa was.  However, while teen staff was praying on the sand dune Saturday, Jon felt a nudge to encourage Shawn to share his testimony this week instead of Melissa.  Shawn followed Shawn’s encouragement and did so.  So, Shawn shared his testimony Monday night and was able to encourage many people with his story.  There was one girl in particular who was touched by his story.  After Shawn talked to her for a little bit, he asked me to talk to her.  I was able to share the Gospel with her for the first time.  I was given the opportunity to give her my Bible and encourage her to read and learn more about Jesus’ life.  It was mind blowing.  I was so completely overwhelmed with God’s sovereignty and his perfect timing.  He orchestrated everything so that this girl could be introduced to Jesus.  And she accepted that Jesus loves her and died for her. 

Praise the Lord!

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Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible.  To the weak I become weak, to win the weak.  I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some.  
-1 Corinthians 9:19, 22