My good friend and fellow Young Life Leader, Vinnie Posteraro, once told me that no matter what we do in life, God is going to teach us something, we just have to be willing to be open to His plan. "You are exactly where God needs you to be," he said.
This week I've been been experiencing something that my friends and I like to refer to as "fomo," or fear of missing out. The high school that I lead Young Life at is currently at Timber Wolf Lake, a Young Life Camp in Lake City, MI. My team along with about 100 high school kids are experiencing a week of a lifetime, while I'm here at home feeling a tad alone and stuck.
This week I've been been experiencing something that my friends and I like to refer to as "fomo," or fear of missing out. The high school that I lead Young Life at is currently at Timber Wolf Lake, a Young Life Camp in Lake City, MI. My team along with about 100 high school kids are experiencing a week of a lifetime, while I'm here at home feeling a tad alone and stuck.
I could have gone to Young Life Camp this year, as we had enough kids signed up for every leader to be needed. Some people don't get the chance to go to camp as a first year leader because their school doesn't have enough kids signed up. Our school, however, had a big enough trip to make that happen for me, my body just wasn't going to allow it.
After attempting a weekend away a few weeks ago for the first time in months, I decided that my body was in no shape to be a leader this week, let alone be at camp in general. It was a heart breaking decision. We like to say that camp is "the best week of your life," and I have no doubt in my mind that that statement holds true.
Although camp is crazy fun, it is also crazy tiring. Camp is go go go, and right now my body is more no no no. Sleep doesn't come easy and my tiredness is constant. My recent throat and stomach pains keep me from being extremely active, and my joints are weak and sore. As much as I wanted to go to camp, I had to accept that my body wasn't ready. Even though I know my co-leaders would do anything for me, especially if I was sick, I didn't want to take them away from hanging out with kids, the whole reason we go to camp in the first place.
I know that staying home this week was a smart decision. Selfishly, I want to be at camp. I want to experience the fun, crazy things and be able to grow closer to kids like the rest of my YL team. I want to be able to hang by the lake, play sand volleyball, and have awesome cabin time. I want to experience what God has for me at camp, but I'm not there, I'm here.
Here. I think often I don't like the sound of here. I always wanna be there. I always want to be where fun is had, or where everyone else seems to be. I want to be where I can't, but instead I'm here.
When I think back to what Vinny told me, I look at "here" in a different way. "You are exactly where God needs you to be." I'm supposed to be here. Here is where He wants me, here is where He has me, and here He is with me. I can continue to wish I was there, or I can embrace being here.
Because I have decided to embrace here, I have been looking for where God is showing up. Part of my heart is at camp with Orange HS Young Life, but I am here. I am here to learn about prayer as I pray for Orange's trip. I am here to rest and respect my body's needs as I learn how to be patient with His timing and healing. I am here to experience His will for me as I spend time with those who are also here. I am here to be with the One who is always with me, because if I am here, so is He.
I am here.
"And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” -Matthew 28:20
"Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer." -Romans 12:12
"Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him..." -Psalm 37:7
"My flesh and my heart may fail but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever." -Psalm 73:26
"Many, O Lord my God, are the wonders you have done. The things you planned for us no one can recount to you; were I to speak and tell of them, they would be too many to declare." -Psalm 40:5
"Then I said, 'Here I am, I have come- it is written about me on the scroll. I desire to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart.'" -Psalm 40:8
If you would like to view videos of this weeks session of Young Life camp, please visit, www.scrapbook.younglife.org
After attempting a weekend away a few weeks ago for the first time in months, I decided that my body was in no shape to be a leader this week, let alone be at camp in general. It was a heart breaking decision. We like to say that camp is "the best week of your life," and I have no doubt in my mind that that statement holds true.
Although camp is crazy fun, it is also crazy tiring. Camp is go go go, and right now my body is more no no no. Sleep doesn't come easy and my tiredness is constant. My recent throat and stomach pains keep me from being extremely active, and my joints are weak and sore. As much as I wanted to go to camp, I had to accept that my body wasn't ready. Even though I know my co-leaders would do anything for me, especially if I was sick, I didn't want to take them away from hanging out with kids, the whole reason we go to camp in the first place.
I know that staying home this week was a smart decision. Selfishly, I want to be at camp. I want to experience the fun, crazy things and be able to grow closer to kids like the rest of my YL team. I want to be able to hang by the lake, play sand volleyball, and have awesome cabin time. I want to experience what God has for me at camp, but I'm not there, I'm here.
Here. I think often I don't like the sound of here. I always wanna be there. I always want to be where fun is had, or where everyone else seems to be. I want to be where I can't, but instead I'm here.
When I think back to what Vinny told me, I look at "here" in a different way. "You are exactly where God needs you to be." I'm supposed to be here. Here is where He wants me, here is where He has me, and here He is with me. I can continue to wish I was there, or I can embrace being here.
Because I have decided to embrace here, I have been looking for where God is showing up. Part of my heart is at camp with Orange HS Young Life, but I am here. I am here to learn about prayer as I pray for Orange's trip. I am here to rest and respect my body's needs as I learn how to be patient with His timing and healing. I am here to experience His will for me as I spend time with those who are also here. I am here to be with the One who is always with me, because if I am here, so is He.
I am here.
"And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” -Matthew 28:20
"Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer." -Romans 12:12
"Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him..." -Psalm 37:7
"My flesh and my heart may fail but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever." -Psalm 73:26
"Many, O Lord my God, are the wonders you have done. The things you planned for us no one can recount to you; were I to speak and tell of them, they would be too many to declare." -Psalm 40:5
"Then I said, 'Here I am, I have come- it is written about me on the scroll. I desire to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart.'" -Psalm 40:8
If you would like to view videos of this weeks session of Young Life camp, please visit, www.scrapbook.younglife.org