"Thou Art my KING, O God:" ~ Psalms 44:4a

When the dark tempest rise Thou art my KING! When storm clouds rush near To Thee I will sing! When surrounded by fateful lies Thou art my KING! When it seems nothing is clear To Thee I will cling! The Fire can't harm me Thou art my KING! Fear may try to have dominion But Peace Thou doest bring! The water can't alarm me Thou art my KING! Others may state their opinion Yet I'm safe under thy wing! O my God, THOU ART MY KING!!!!!!

God will provide!

Though my faith may wavier, God will provide Through endless labor, God will provide When the storms of life set in, God will provide And when I doubt and sin, God will provide. My God never changes, He's always the same. God never moves away from you and me. When the skies darken and God seems far away, It is you and I that are no longer in the way. Though may faith may wavier, God will provide Through endless labor, God will provide When the storm of life set in, God will provide And when I doubt and sing, God will provide.

Camp Battles, Burdens, Blessings, Benefits!

I thought I'd share some of the blessings of camp along with a funny story! I believe God did a work. For a long time, I felt as if God was so far. I didn't understand why. Last year I was so on fire.... and then something happened. "BAM" (note the old batman style effects). I hit a trial. It was one of the darkest trails I've faced so far. Before I was so excited to press on for the LORD, but when it became unbearable to do so... and the darkness became to great to bear. I stepped back. I was living for God’s higher calling until this trial hit. "Wham" And I gave up. Oh the LORD was still there. Still calling me back. But slowly, I began to fail to feel convicted over things I did. And then found myself going backwards instead of forward. I gave up a lot of stuff last year after camp and I took them all back. I'm thankful for the message Pastor Preached on Sunday. I really went expecting God to work. And HE DID!

Day 1:

Message 1: Monday night ~ Bro MICK. "A perfect heart" "And he (Amaziah) did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, but not with a perfect heart." ~ 2 chron 25:2. Decisions determine Destiny. Every Decision has a cost. Wants will cost you. Going half way is not finishing and is bad business. Amaziah made six decisions... four of those decisions were good and only two of them were bad. Amaziah obeyed God's WORD, Prepared for war, then made a carnal choice to hire Israel's men, then he listened to the prophet and trust God, but his carnal choice cost him and 3000 people died. Amaziah obeyed in Battle, but then mace a fatal Decision. He chose not to worship God but he instead took the gods of the enemy home to worship them. One bad decision ruined his life. When God destroys someone all he does is just leaves them to themselves. You can make the majority of your decisions right and still end up destroying your life. God wants your whole heart. Amaziah was half hearted. He only did what was right when it was convenient for him.

Day 2:

Tuesday's personal devotions. Q: Job 17:15 ~ And Where in now my hope? A: Job 18:25 ~ For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth. (At this point, I still felt dead... unmoved... and uncaring... I knew something was wrong but I didn't know what was hindering me from going forward.)

Message 2: Tuesday morning ~ Bro. Chris Gable. Esau's life - four things about Esau's life that I need to ask myself. a. Do I desire to measure up or surpass the spiritual dedication of my parents? Your parents are a resource ask for advice. b. Do I share my innermost thoughts with my parents? c. Do I bad mouth about my parents or allow my friends to bad mouth my parents. d. Do I show my love for my parents? Proverbs 19:26; 30:17; 20:20. Practical things: Treat my parents with respect. Say thank you for the common things. Say I love you. Clean your room. (:-) that really was a point ;-) Spend time with them. (I began to make a list of things that needed to change in my life. But it was just a list and I had no motivation to change those things).

Message 3: Tuesday night ~ Bro MICK. (This was the turning point message for me, before this I was asking God what was it... what was holding me back... this was it) "The beginning of a really really really really really bad road" 2 Timothy 3:1-5. Zech 7:11-12 ~ they were hard hearted because they were unthankful. Modern Fables: God's word is compromised. Apostasy - the forsaking of truth and positions once held. Compromise in personal convictions: 1. Entertainment. 2. Music. 3. Appearance - trying to fit in with the newest fad. What does the Bible say.... What do you really believe about: God.... The BIBLE.... CHURCH.... ACCOUNTABILITY.... What you believe will influence you. What you look at, listen to and who you associate with will influence you. (Here is where the message hit home for me). Romans 1:21-25 - They were NOT THANKFUL! Not satisfied, vain imagination, became a fool, foolish heart was darkened, changed view of God, Changed truth... AND God gave them up to perversion. How did they get to that place it started with one simple thing. They had an unthankful spirit. Lesson one: Draw nigh to God and he will draw near to you.... Lesson two: turn away from God and He'll turn from you. (I had to realize that I could end up down that road... I could be the one that quit on God and ended up out of church. And Bro Mick said the end of that road was found in Romans 1. We don't think we could go that far but we can. And it all starts with being unthankful. I wasn't thankful. I was worn and sad. Consumned with life's problems... I had lost my joy. Remember what Pastor said Sunday if you have a bad attitude start thinking positive for 10 minutes and you'll have a good attitude. The same could say about being unthankful. If you have an unthankful spirit start being thankful for things and watch the change.

Day Three

(HUMP DAY - This was a bad day ~ I had a bad pressure headache and the devil was attacking all of us from all sides. He attacked in the area of unity. He worked to turn each us against each other and for a while it worked. But then God stepped in I was going to ask the girls to write down their name, team, age and one thing they won't have in heaven but decided against it... maybe the day would have been different).

Personal Devotions: One verse and a song: Job 23:10 - But He knoweth the way that I take: When he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold. "O LORD thou art my God, and who am I to walk without thee. What ever my lot what ever the cost draw me closer to thee every day. He knoweth the way that I take, a new heart within He'll create, that I might walk worthy and come forth as Gold he giveth and taketh away."

\ Message 4: Wednesday Morning ~ Bro. Kenny Fryman. "It's not my Job mentality." Col 3:17-24. Developing a good and godly work ethic. God's command for it. Whatsoever ye do! God should get ht e glory for everything we do and everything we think.... in sports (if only I had paid more attention to this, cause God gave us the means to fight the battle but we failed to us it.) in ministry, in work and in being a godly example. 1 Cor. 10:31 ~ do all to the glory of God... that excludes some jobs.... Never work where alcohol is served and never work where you miss church or church activities. Never work where you have to give out ungodly materials or sell cigarettes. Deuteronomy 6:5 ~ And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. Pslams 2:119 ~ Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart. Proverbs 3:5 ~ Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. Joel 2:12 ~ Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning: Always work to the best of your ability, do more then required, if you can do more you should do more! There is freedom in the second mile... it's not duty. There is fun in the second mile. Work to the best of your capability ~ As to the LORD. We are ambassadors for Christ. An ambassador - one who acts in the place of another. Since we work for the LORD we should treat our employer like we treat Christ. Be on time ... that means five minutes early... be honest... Come to work ready to work. Work with sincerity ~ Eph 6:5. (I left after this point, because my headache was too bad.)

Side Note: I was in charge of girl games at camp. Let’s just say my attitude, along with the girls attitudes, and the counselor attitudes was very stinky. We allowed our tiredness, and some... our pain, along with an unthankful spirit to creep in. And the games weren't fun and they certainly didn't glorify God. And later on in the evening that ununified attitude will sweep in over those we girls influenced.... and to put it right... over those I influenced. Message 5: Wednesday night ~ Bro Mick. "All or Nothing" The ministry of a servant of God. What does it mean to be a servant of Christ. 1. 1 Cor 6:19-20 - it speaks of possession. No choice, no longer your own, ask the LORD about everything. 2. It speaks of purpose to please His master. No longer to make money, or have a good time or please self. As a servant I am to HONOUR AND GLORIFY GOD. 3. It speaks of a plan. Who has the right and authority to make plans in our life? God will never be satisfied with anything less then complete surrender to HIS plans for us. 4. It speaks of personal rights - personal property. We have no rights! 5. Without his master, we would have no quality of life. Our quality of life is found only in Christ. 6. It speaks of position. The most honorable thing in the World is being God's servant! God's servant sees answered to prayer, doesn't feel empty and it comes with responsibility. (I wrote in my notes: I just want to be God's servant... Little did I know that I would begin to see answered prayer and any emptiness remaining would flee. But first some dross needed to be rooted out) Luke 14:16-24 - The MINISTRY OF A SERVANT. 1. Represents all believers. All must be done a servant doesn't get to pick what he does. The story is not about what the servant desires; but it is about what the servant wants. You are in sin if you don't give all or nothing. We only do what we want to do. Doing our all is a matter of character. Deut 10:12-13... now what doeth the LORD require of thee. (that was the verse the LORD gave me last year at camp) a. Fear the LORD b. Walk in all HIS ways - obedience. c. Serve with everything you got. Definition of require - To demand to ask as a right of authority. (I believe it was this message... that Bro. Mick shared about how he loved fantasy baseball and then God asked him to give it up... it was a god in his life. "SLAM!" You see I had taken back the things I gave to the LORD. They were my gods. I didn't want to give my gods to the LORD. And now "Jennifer" what doeth the LORD require of thee. That's what I said last year. I burned movies, gave up things I wore. But I took them back.) The LORD requires: Daily service; dependable service - faithful. 1 Chron 16:37. (Then Bro. Mick said how he has health issues and he said he only missed maybe three services. Now remember I had a headache all day and it occurred to me that God gives me the grace to sit and listen to a service even when I feel like my head is in a vice. So I wrote in my notes: don't let health keep you from service!) Declared Service - Keep your promises. Demanded Service. Discarded Service - Deut 18:19. (I wrote FINISH WELL!!!!!! in my notes because that has been my heart's cry since the day I received Christ. I've seen too many start well but few finish well. After the message I talked with Bro Mick about how I had given up stuff last year but took it back cause I hit a dark trial. He said when you give up stuff expect to be hit. And that God will keep testing you until you pass. Sound familiar ;-) Those of us who were aware of the tension of the day began to pray that God would give us peace and a sweet spirit through out the following day... also a friend and I sat outside until 1 am discussing our gods and how we need to keep each other accountable because we don't want to be put on the self and forgotten.... we don't want to be down the road and out of church because we wouldn't give up our gods.)

Day Four:

Woke up with a clear head and an feeling that God was going to work!

Personal Devotions: A purpose of heart and a word of edification. Purpose of heart ~ Job 23:10-11 ~ But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold. My foot hath held his steps, his way have I kept, and not declined. Job 27:4 ~ My lips shall not speak wickedness, nor my tongue utter deceit. Job 27:8 ~For what is the hope of the hypocrite, though he hath gained, when God taketh away his soul? Word of Edification ~ The LORD gave me something to talk to the girls about before the games began.

Message 6: Bro Jonathan Purks - (page is missing cause I wrote points on the other side and gave it to the point keeper. :-( and I can't remember)

GAME TIME: Acts 11:23- "Who, when he came, and had seen the grace of God, was glad and exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the LORD." What is our purpose? That with purpose of ONE heart they would cleave unto the LORD. The LORD wants us to be in ONE heart with the purpose of glorifying God. That one heart isn't for each team but all of us collectively as a whole. 2 Cor 13:11 - "Finally, brethren, farewell, Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace, and the God of love and peace shall be with you." So today, I want each one of us to encourage each other to cheer for your team but also to cheer for the other teams. If you win cheer, if you lose cheer. But most of all lets play with the right attitudes giving all the glory to God. OUR time is God's ... even when we our playing games and having fun this time is God's time. Let's praise Him. (I then handed out a piece of paper asking for the teens' name, age, team, and One thing they are thankful for at this camp. I later would use those cards to pray for the kids. You can tell a lot about a person's spiritual condition by their answer.) The game time spirit was soooooo sweet! We had a great time. Here's the funny story. I was standing watching the girls pick up the trash can full of water ... and Tiffany screamed and started running. I was like o they are going after the game's leader.... then I realized ... hey wait a minute... I'm the game's leader. I started running ... was tackled and everyone told me that I grabbed my nose as if I was going to jump into the pool :-) What can I say ;-)

Message 7: Bro. MICK - Real Faith. Unfeigned - not counterfeit, not hypocritical, not fake. Luke 18:18 - Rich young ruler. He was searching for something, he didn't go to religion, He went to the right source, he didn't go to a college or to the world. (It was during this message I prayed over those cards I had in my hand.) After the message, a few went forward for salvation and two of those that went forward were the girls I was praying for. Two Girls received Christ but one girl left us in turmoil. Her soul still hangs in the balances. Later that night, we had team tally time. One counselor was so moved, he felt it stupid to have the team time. However, God gave me the words to say to him. This was not of me ... for I too thought it stupid... but then I thought of the other kids... sitting there who look up to us. And I walked over to the counselor and I encouraged him to be there for his team ... they need him too. I told him of how Hezekiah spread the letters before the LORD in the temple and that God can take care of that soul and we need to give her to the LORD. God then worked and gave that counselor the strength to go forward and cheer with his team. It was awesome to see God give him the strength. He like me shows his emotions on his face... and yet you couldn't tell that he had been moved with compassion for this soul’s need. I believe God did that for the reason that this brother was needed there and God wanted to portray the LORD's strength through this brother. After team tally time it was time for testimonies. Now I was in the back moved to tears over these kids. I couldn't speak, I just stood in the back praying. I wanted to say something but I knew I could never do it. So I told the LORD... I'll never be able to speak unless HE gave me the strength. I thought that’s ok I don't need to say anything. Then Bro. Chris said how when he told one of the guys he went to school with that he had a awesome testimony the guy told him.... "Chris, I wanted to be you... in school I wanted what you had but I didn't know how to get it." After Chris said that I knew that I should say something. I saw Bro. Nadaskay motioning to me to speak. I shook my head and mouthed I'll never get through it. He nodded and mouthed yes you can. So I stepped forward. And it was hard to speak and the emotion overtook my voice... but God got me through. I told them how I wanted to be my older sister. How I did everything she did. And then she left home at the age of 16 and ended up having kidney failure and dying at the age of 29. I told them how saved me at the age of 14 and that I didn't have to go out into the world. I told them how God had worked on my heart this week and how I had given thing to the LORD but when the trial came that was sooooo dark and unbearable I gave up and took those things back. I told them that I had wanted to go up higher but when it got too hard, I settled for the mediocre life. I mentioned how me and that friend sat outside on Thursday night knowing that if we didn't turn from the gods in our life, we would be out of church. I encouraged the ones who were saved to press forward and make their goal to finish well. So many in the Bible didn't finish well, and if we purpose in our hearts to finish well... we will be able to.

Afterwards some visitors came up to me and thanked me for my testimony. I later found out that one of those girls is newly saved and she is getting hit on all sides and wondering if it is worth it. I didn't know that ... but God did.

Day Five

Personal Devotions: Job 28:3; 18; 22-28 ~ "He setteth an end to darkness, and searcheth out all perfection: the stones of darkness, and the shadow of death. * No mention shall be made of coral, or of pearls: for the price of wisdom is above rubies. * Destruction and death say, We have heard the fame thereof with our ears. God understandeth the way thereof, and he knoweth the place thereof. For he looketh to the ends of the earth, and seeth under the whole heaven; To make the weight for the winds; and he weigheth the waters by measure. When he made a decree for the rain, and a way for the lightning of the thunder: Then did he see it, and declare it; he prepared it, yea, and searched it out. And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the LORD, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding." LORD, you know the shadows of darkness we walk through.... and you know the devises of destruction that wait at our doors. Each one of us has different devices. And you give us that protection and strength we need when we fear you. Neh 4:9 ~ "Nevertheless, we made our prayer unto our God, and set a watch against them day and night, because of them." The darkness is there trying to get in ... and I need to pray ... not for myself but for others. I watched as darkness could lie at the door of my life... if it was trying to get in my life... then it was also attacking other peoples lives.... and If God allowed me to "see" it .... then I was suppose to pray! Message 8: Last message ~ Bro MICK. "Building up your faith" Neh 2:17-20. It is the will of God to build... numerically and spiritually. 1. Opinions of others cannot count.... the only opinion that counts is God's. Unity in purpose is to glorify God. 2. Deal with the garbage ... there is garbage in your life that keeps you from serving the LORD. Sin in your life - secret and blatant sins. Proverbs 23:17 - heart envies sinners.... Wanting what sinners have. Hebrews 12:1. Neh 4:14 - stronger need to fight for the weaker. Bear on anothers burdens. Things that hinder >>> Loss of purpose - because of distractions. >>> Disloyalty - having the wrong father - no evidence of Salvation. Neh 6:17-19. Things to Do a. Have standards you can't come down from. b. Don't quit - Sometimes you have to FIGHT. c. Build on the word of God. Neh. 8:5-8