Tuesday, July 18, 2017

CAMP

Dear Friend,

For the last four years, I have looked forward to the opportunity to work as a camp counselor at a camp for kids in foster care. I have witnessed countless moments of God at work in the hearts of these young kiddos. I have witnessed the change that happens from Day 1 to Day 5, changes that are hard to explain unless you have witnessed them firsthand.

Anyone who has been to camp knows that the kids are full of all sorts of emotions as they step off the bus. I’ve had the privilege to see the shy and timid kids blossom and light up as they step up and take a risk, like flying down the zip-line, and the sense of accomplishment that brings! I’ve watched while kids—who may have been told all their lives that they can’t succeed—cling to the top of a rock wall while other kids cheer for them by name. I’ve heard the excitement as the kids realize that we are throwing a birthday party for THEM, because sadly some may never have had their birthday remembered or celebrated!

The truth is I could go on and on about the things I have seen and witnessed at this camp, but I want to tell you a very REAL tangible story about what God does at camp.

Last year, another counselor and I decided to give up some of our break time to go to the pool with our campers. While there, one of my campers came to me very upset. She had been wearing a necklace, one that she never takes off, and it was gone. To me, the necklace I had seen her wearing didn’t seem very significant, but I had learned that it was given to her by her biological mother and was the only thing she had from her. When we realized, the necklace was missing, we began searching the pool, her bags, the bus, everywhere we could think to look. It was GONE.

“We’ll keep looking,” I told her. “We’ll keep looking.” What else could I say? What else could we do? I’ll be honest, I wasn’t very hopeful. When we got back to camp and realized the necklace was in fact gone, I saw this sweet girl’s face and started searching through all my thoughts. What could I tell her? What could make the loss of her necklace better? In that instant, it hit me. PRAY. We had been talking with the girls about God and about prayer and in that moment. Prayer was the only thing I could think of. Together, we prayed for the necklace to be found and safely returned in the morning. We prayed and then continued with our afternoon/ evening. I prayed some more, “Father God, this child, this child who has been through so much, who can’t count on anyone… please, dear God, show HER. Show her that she can count on you.” We walked into breakfast the next morning, and someone at the pool had found her necklace and returned it. That little girl looked at me, and said “OUR PRAYER WORKED!” This story still gives me chills, isn’t God awesome?

Please hear me, this is just one of MANY stories I could tell you about life changing experiences that God brings to these kids at camp.  Camp is one of my favorite things to talk about so if you have any questions or want to know more please feel free to ask!

Please be in prayer for camp, and if God has blessed you please consider financial sponsorship.  We must raise $43,000 for 40 children, age 7-11 to experience camp in the great outdoors.  I will be providing 5 days of service to make this camp a reality.  By sponsoring, you become a sender.  Senders go with me because they have given resources, which are representation of your time and energy.  Not everyone can go physically, but everyone can go in spirit, when you send.  For more information, you may contact me, or, go to http://campforchange.org/.  100% of sponsorship funds benefit camp and is tax deductible as provided by law.

Again, thank you for your prayers for camp, and that these kids would come to know God’s abundant love, see Him as a personal friend that they can always turn to and know the power of His healing. 
            In Him,


ABBY

Monday, June 25, 2012

Mission

After years of doing the same old thing, Kevin and I find ourselves being called to do something more something different.  Feeling this pull on our hearts we find ourselves looking into our mission. God has called us to raise up and to live a life of service.  We have struggled greatly in our search but now find ourselves looking into overseas missions.  We are passionate, excited, and yes a little intimidated but truly believe that this is something God is calling us to do.  We are currently looking into opportunities to teach conversational English overseas for a year with a program called Teach Over Seas. Mean while, we are also looking into what it would take to go to Haiti with some other members of our congregation this coming March.  We are excited about where God might be leading our lives, and find ourselves while a little scared or intimidated by not only the daunting task of fundraising but the sacrifice it would mean to go overseas we are also ready to be RISK TAKERS for Christ.   We seek the prayers of our family and friends that we would feel God's pull, have the knowledge and discernment to understand where HE is calling us, and that we would have the courage to GO as he has called us to.   THANK YOU ALL For your continued love and support and for inspiring us to live our lives out as HE is calling us to.

Thursday, June 14, 2012

We have spent so much time the last several years feeling dissatisfied and unfulfilled.  Pursuing with every ounce of energy a life of comfort, stability and family.  We have worked hard at our jobs, trying to scrape pennies together to save towards a house of our own, a second car, or just to be a little more comfortable.  I'm excited to say that God is working in our hearts and answering prayers to move us in HIS direction.  I'm no longer so caught up with the idea of having a nice house, and a comfortable life.  We instead find ourselves seeking a way to live our lives for Him.  As well as seeking a way to SHARE HIM and his news to the world.  We don't know where God is calling us, but we find ourselves thankful that we are once more hearing His call.  We ask for prayers as we continue to seek Him that we would have ears to hear and courage to listen and to follow Him!

Sunday, January 29, 2012

The Good Life: "The Good Life" - Week 4

I've joined the conversation, and I would love for you to join as well!

The Good Life: "The Good Life" - Week 4: Week 4 - Matthew 6:10b "...your will be done on earth as it is in heaven." As I'm studying this passage this week, I'm shocked by the fa...

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

our struggle

These last few years have been a struggle, one that Kevin and I never imagined we would go through. While we don't know why God has placed this path of infertility before us, we know that he has a reason for everything. We are trying to be faithful and trying to remember this. Some days are easier then others, especially for me. I have so many friends expecting children, or who have already had them. I rejoice in their happiness and am truly thankful that God has blessed them with such an amazing blessing, but somewhere deep within a part of my heart aches every time I see another birth announcement, another announcement of pregnancy, or even the pictures of my precious friends and their beautiful bundles of joy in their arms. This combination of happiness and longing fill me, I look to God and ask one more time, when will it be our turn.... what is your plan? We stand here, faithfully on this path of infertility knowing that God has a plan, and as hard as it is to understand, I guess my only solace is that I know one day God will reveal his might plan, and IT WILL BE the perfect plan...HIS perfect plan. So as we continue along this path laid before us, We will continue to try to be faithful to the one that has placed it there, and we are glad that all our family and friends can join us as we live out and search for all that God has intended for us.

Thursday, September 30, 2010

New

Man sometimes it feels like we don't do anything, and yet we are entirely too busy for not doing anything ;-). There have been lots of stuff going on between family issues up here and our new church activities, not to mention the new business we started life has just seemed to get CRAZY! I am super excited about our new business... abzuushops.com I think I will be good at it, and just look forward to more opportunities to help teach people a great way to save some money on their purchases :-). CRAZY CRAZY things are right now, but hopefully I can remember to update more, its just that I don't feel like I have much to share, life is pretty boring, but I kinda like that (at least sometimes)

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

recent wonderings

Kevin and I have been talking a lot lately about where our life is right now and where we want to be. After a recent trip back to Texas we realized just how much we miss it. We miss having good friends to spend the weekends with. Playing cards and enjoying good uplifting conversation. We miss the Texas environment and the friendly people. So why not move back? Well, we are considering it. The problem is we moved back to Colorado to be close to my family. I like that I am close to my family, though at times it gets overally dramatic and I don't know why I am living here close to them. Anyway, we miss Texas a lot and we always said we would move back one day. I knew coming back to Colorado would not be a perminant move... but could it only be a move for a couple of years? Could we really move back to Texas in another year or so. Unfortunatly I do not have the answer to this question right now. If it wasn't for my family, we would move back without a doubt. But there is more to consider here. If we move back where would we move...back to Lubbock? I don't know... only time will tell. On another note, I am looking into another Masters program. Not in Education and DEFENITLY not from ACU. I am actually considering a Masters in Family Life Education or a Masters in Counseling from LCU. I want to work with children and families but I do not want to do this through the education field. I don't know right now that I am going to start either of these programs or if I even want to. I am just looking at them. All I know is that as much as I love my job, I will not keep this job for more then another year as it barely pays the bills. I also have to consider what I will do if I return to Texas. How will I contribute to our finances and how will we eventually be able to reach our goal of being able to adopt a child. There are so many things we have to figure out. I can tell that there are many changes to come.