Sunday, June 29, 2008

Well...It's been exactly a month...

This summer has been going really well, just going bye entirely too fast. It's already almost July! I can't believe how fast it's been going. I just got back from Submerge summer camp on Monday. I think Tyler said it well when telling us what one of the students wrote to him in an email. She said it was amazing, God was there, and you could feel Him. That pretty much sums up the whole time we were there. We heard some impactful messages. One was about breaking barriers that Mike Haman spoke about. He told us not to let what PEOPLE define us as hold us back. You might have done what they said you did, but you're not who they say you are. Then we heard a message, which impacted me that most, by Josh Turner from Celebration Church. He spoke on how fearfully and wonderfully made we are. It was just awesome to hear the detail of how we're made from a scientific point of view. I mean it was uncomprehendable! He also told us a story of how his wife is so hard on herself, which totally made me think of myself. He said one day he saw her worshipping and she was crying, and so he asked her what was wrong and she said I've been asking God to show me how he sees me and he has. She said I just closed my eyes and, I saw God holding me and telling me that he's proud of me. I tried to picture God holding me in worship after his message and I was crying and couldn't help just standing there shaking and thinking WOW God loves me and is proud of me THAT much. I know all that stuff in my head, but sometimes it's hard to believe God feels that way when I don't feel that way about myself and others don't think of me that way. I'm just in awe of how God loves me no matter what I get up and do that day, whether it pleases him or not. He loves me reguardless. It made me make a committment to not talk negatively about anything but especailly about myself because GOD MADE ME. That's not respectful of him to criticize his work. I even told some of my close friends to hit me when I say things that are negative especially to do with my talent or lack of and how I look. We also heard a message by our very own Tyler Tullos from Healing Place. It was very good. He just left us with a question. He asked us if God would ask you to do something that might be unfamiliar or uncomfortable, would you trust him enough to let go and do what he's asking. That message was also challenging and left me thinking. Shortly after that service ended, we had extended worship. I decided to stay with my friends even though I was hungry and ready to go, thinking it was just be another song or two more. Well, that "short" worship session started at about 11:30 and went until I don't even know when because I left a little after 2. It was insane!!! I've never been in an enviroment of people speaking in tongues and then interpreting what people were saying. It was even a little scary at times. There were also some other things that went on that just showed how heavy the Holy Spirit was in that place. It was awesome, but just a very different experience for me. Then the last night we had our own Jason Laird from Refuge speak. It was slammin'!!!! He talked about healing and freedom. Sometimes we think that in our secrets we have freedom and protection, but that's a lie from the devil. He said that whatever's concealed can't be healed. So, we kind of did an exercise to help us. Anyone with secret sin went to the altar and confessed it to God and asked for forgiveness. Then we went to leaders and opened up to them about what we've been dealing with. It brought great freedom. I also learned that God using your mistakes to glorify himself. It's almost like the very thing you're dealing with, that you think no one else goes through,... because that's what the devil tells you... is exactly what God decideds to use you to minister to someone else in or use that "weakness" in some way. God wants to use your past mistakes and your past failures...WILL YOU LET HIM?! Saying all that, it's NOT over! Like Tyler said, we gotta bring what we had with God into our hearts and bring it into our youth groups and out to our schools. I like to think of all the things God could use us for if we brought our Submerge experience to right where we live here in Louisiana. Alright, that's really long but it's just some things I got from Submerge. I can't wait to see you people on Tuesday at Saturate, and then I'm leaving for Texas to visit my fam. See ya soon!!!