O How God is Good

Wow, this last week of PT before urban camp has been absolutely AMAZING!!! It all started on Tuesday when we had a messy/water day at our site. We had a peanut butter bread fight, where the kids and interns took a few pieces of bread with peanut butter layered on it and had a big ol battle! Then we had an egg toss which didn't last that long, but we had some leftover eggs so we broke them on the kids heads (the kids wanted it). So now, the kids AND interns have peanut butter and egg all over them. After that, we decided to award the kids with the most points for the week. We made whipped cream pies for them to pie an intern in the face. We each got a pie in the face and the kids absolutely LOVED that part. Then, go figure, we had leftover whipped cream so we decided to run around throwing whipped cream at the kids and rubbing it in their faces. We finally ran out of time so we sprayed off the kids so that their parents wouldn't be so unhappy about the mess. The kids left, and at that point, I noticed a weird smell. I was wondering where the heck it was coming from, and found out that it was me!!! I had peanut butter, egg, whipped cream, and water all mixed on my body and boy o boy, let me tell ya, I'm pretty sure I basically smelled like puke. It was disgusting!!! So we all cleaned up and got back to campus for a nice looooooooong shower. Man it felt good!!!

After cleanup, we had our last chapel service for the year. I wasn't expecting a whole lot out of it besides speakers and singing, but boy was I wrong. A few of the interns shared their testimony for the summer and everybody had a little different perspective of it. It was really interesting. We had our usual songs, which is always really great. However, what was next really hit me. A group performed the Everything skit with the girl being loved by Jesus but then falling to sin. I have no idea why, but during the skit, God started tugging on my heart like no other and I started balling my eyes out. I was completely broken down. I have seen that skit so many times before but for some reason, this time it was sooooooo much more powerful! The skit was finished and I was still really teary eyed. We then went into a time of prayer and I just really had a good prayer with God. I basically thanked Him for EVERYTHING. I thanked Him for the work He's done this summer, for our kids, for the interns, for the staff, for food, shelter, family, friends, role models, just anything I could think of that has been in my life. The worship team was playing a song and I was really listening to the words which made me break down even more. I cried my eyes out that night. I was so touched by God and really had my eyes opened.

Wednesday came along, and that was our last day at site. Everybody really wasn't looking forward to leaving the kids but we wanted to enjoy our last day with them. We had another water day in the morning and then basically let the kids pick between going to the gym for games, doing arts and crafts, reading, or playing board games for the afternoon. We gathered them up for the last half hour off the day to say our last goodbyes. We received homemade cards from some of the kids that which was really hard for us. The kids started leaving, and by the time the last one had left, it was kinda one of those feelings of "wow, I can't believe they're gone." It was hard letting them go, but we knew that we couldn't do anything more. We had done our work and knew that it was done. I felt as though I had done what I needed and had no feelings of "why didn't I do this/that?" Camp was over, and we had finished our work. It was time to let them move on.

So we are now finished with day camp and urban camp is just around the corner. God has really been at work this summer and He has accomplished great things. We have one last week to make a difference in the youth's lives. I know it will be a great week and we will have an absolute blast. O how God is good!!!

Coming to a close

Goodness, this is nuts! I'm getting ready to begin my last two weeks of PT! We are running the church service tomorrow, I have 3 days left of day camp with the kids, site cleanup day, the Celebration Banquet (end of the year banquet), then Urban Camp with the youth. It's gonna be a busy, yet very exciting last two weeks.

We had our last Friday experience yesterday, where we all came together for a instructions for the next couple weeks and for some reflection. The reflection part was pretty cool. We had a few different stations set up for us to go to and we had an hour to either use the stations, or just have some time for prayer. I went to the four stations, which were a couple of prayer stations, a station that had us write down how we saw our summer, and a station that had us illustrate how God had used us this summer. I felt that the station that allowed us to write about our summer was really cool. I began writing, and had a good full page worth of reflection. I read it over and realized how much I've grown over this past month. I feel that God really took me to PT for a reason. God has used me in so many ways with the kids and has helped me grow through it all as well. I guess in a way, you could say I'm becoming more "mature."

So as the last couple weeks take place, I just ask that you would pray that I be able to finish on a strong note. I have 3 days left with the kids, plus 5 days left with the youth. I'm definitely going to need strength and patience to get through it all. So here we go! The last two weeks!!! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!

Where is it going?!?!

O my gosh!!! It is July 14th and I am over halfway done with PT! Where is the time going? It seemed like just the other week I was in training! I only have this week to finish, plus three more full weeks until I'm officially done. Wow, it's crazy!

I really couldn't have asked for a better summer job. This has truly been an amazing experience! I have made such a connection with both the kids AND my fellow interns. I've heard that people pretty much ball their eyes out on the last day, so I'm pretty sure I may tear up a bit.

So as I'm finishing out the summer, please keep praying for strength, patience, and guidance for me. I appreciate the prayers from all of you! I know that God has worked through us in many different ways, and I want to be able to finish on a strong, positive note. In the words of one of our house pastors, "GO GOD!!!"

4th of July Weekend

So for the 4th of July weekend, I was very fortunate to be able to spend time with Molly and Lauren! I had missed them sooooooooo much! They came down on Thursday to hang out for a few days. I didn't have to work on Friday so that helped out a lot. Thursday, I met them at a Mexican restaurant and then headed to Lauren's cousin's house to stay. We basically just caught up with each other and hung out. Friday, we went to a water park, where we all got a nice sunburn on our shoulders. Wonderful. It was a lot of fun though, chillin in the lazy river and then going on some sweet water slides. After the water park, we went and cleaned up for the Rangers game! We were very lucky to be able to sit up in one of the suites which was super amazing! The Rangers ended up beating the Rays 3-1! It was a great game. Saturday, we slept in a bit then went to a plaza of shopping places, such as American Eagle, Aeropostale, and many others. We looked around, bought a couple things, and then headed back to the house once again. Jen and Joe, Lauren's cousins, had some neighbor friends that invited us over for food, games, and fireworks. It was pretty hot and muggy that night, which wasn't too enjoyable for outside, but whatever, we watched some colorful fireworks. Sunday morning, my amazing weekend was finally over. The girls left at about 10:45 a.m. for Kansas. We once again had to split up and go back to our summer jobs.

I have realized how blessed I really am. I have some AWESOME friends that I could never replace. I really appreciate Molly and Lauren and all that they have done for me. I really don't know where I would be without them. I'm really excited for this coming school year, as we reunite for another exciting year of college that includes concerts, late night mcdonalds, uno flash, and much more.

But for right now, I'm still enjoying my time at PT. I've had such a blast with these kids and we're really connecting. It's always a pleasure seeing them in the morning and having them come to me and say "Hi Mr. Kyle!" Awww, such a good feeling. I really enjoy working with these kids. I only have a few more weeks with them though. It's going to be weird going from seeing them everyday to possibly never seeing them again. Gosh, it's crazy. I just hope that I make an positive impact on some of those kids' lives, that's all I really want to do.
So I just ask that you pray for me as I need patience, wisdom, and high tolerance for these kids. I thank you all that have supported me with PT. This has truely been a wonderful experience for me!

Give Me Strength!!!

Alright, well this week was definitely a tough one. I got sick this past weekend with what started out as a day flu, but then turned into a bad cold that just completely DRAINED me. I didn't have any energy at all from Sunday until Wednesday. It was horrible! It also didn't help that my kids weren't on their best behavior during the week. Lucky for me, with the power of prayer, some extra sleep and some medicine, I was able to get my energy back for Thursday aka Messy Day. We had some interesting activities planned for the kids including a noodle relay, paint target practice, and bowls full of gross food that they reached into with blindfolds on. They really enjoyed it and so did we!

But what really got me through this week was God's strength. Tuesday, one of my teammates gave the morning devotion and he talked about needing to rely on God's strength instead of our own. A lot of us were sick so this devotion was perfect. He went on to speak of how when we are in situations like this when we are sick and tired and not wanting to work with the kids, we need to ask God for His strength to get us through day by day. I was listening pretty hard to this talk and thought to myself, "You know, Kodi is one hundred percent correct! That is exactly what I need to do to get through this week." So the past few nights, during my evening prayer, I would just ask God to give us all strength to get us through the next day. To help us not to rely on our own strenght, but on His. I asked for a healing touch over each and every one of us too.

The morning after I began praying for strength, I wasn't really too tired and when I got to the church, I felt like I would be able to get through the day with more energy than I had started with. Everyone else at the site was doing pretty well too! We seemed to all have our energy until the last kid left, and then we were exhausted. That was what we needed though, strength to get us through the day with our kids. God provided us with His strength, and we wouldn't have been able to get through these past few days without it. Amazing what the power of prayer can do, isn't it?

The New Baby and PT Update

Alright everybody, here she is, Adelyn Anne Just! I actually stole the picture from Gramps but I didn't have any of my own so I should be ok.

Well, today was my first day of our actual day camp. We had a TON of planning to do before we were ready for the week, as we included recreation, arts and crafts, reading, then afternoon enrichment. I will say this, the kids wore me out!!! It took them a little while to warm up to the interns but when they started to participate, they were VERY energetic! I admit, when we got back, I had to take a nap. Besides the fact that they were normal balls of energy, they actually behaved very well. We had a couple of rebels in each group but we never had a big problem, which was nice. I just hope that carries through the entire summer. O well, I guess we'll see what happens!

An Uncle Once Again!!!

So I just found out today that I am now a proud uncle once again! Eric and Andrea had a baby girl today, Adelyn Anne Just. She was 8 pounds, 6 ounces. I haven't had a chance to talk to either the the proud parents or grandparents yet but as far as I know, the delivery went well and both Andrea and Adelyn are doing fine. Unfortunately for me, since I'm in Dallas all summer, I won't be able to see Adelyn until the fall. But until then, I will find out some more information and maybe I'll have to steal a couple of pics from gramps haha. Congrats Eric and Andrea for the new daughter and congrats to Brayden as well for a new sister!!!