a mad Summer....

I thought last year's Summer was crazy. Well, crazy busy took on a new definition this Summer!
I've had an amazing few weeks though. Each holiday deserves its own post, but I know I'll never get around to that so I'll try to summarise a bit now: started off with camping in Devon with Maddy and her family - surfing lots.
 
 

Then to MCYC Inters 2, where I was stretched in new ways. I had an amazing group of girls (go the White Knights!) who were such a blessing...they were clingy and loving, and I was so honoured to be able to do my best to teach them more about the God who made them and adores every inch of them.




Highlights were definitely bribing my girls to be quiet at night by singing/playing each room in turn Brooke Fraser songs, and just seeing all of the campers worship. I've never met a group of kids who were so keen to sing - honestly. They were amazing...I'll never forget the way they filled up that rec room with enthusiastic 'oo-oo-oo-oo-ooo' between each verse of 'You're Beautiful'. Wow.


Soul Survivor was next, bringing new challenges and many more blessings. It was definitely hard work - especially still fighting the exhaustion of literally no recuperation time between that and MCYC. Being pastorally responsible for a group at such an emotive and challenging event was draining, but it was also brilliant to be able to see how God was working in the young people. The worship party on the last night was SO much fun as well...I don't think I've ever danced so much in my life, but being surrounded by our young people jumping up and down with enthusiasm for God was a definite energy boost...good times!



One of our young people made a video of our time at Soul which sums things up pretty well!

 

Next was momentum...Maddy and I stayed on for the weekend after Soul to go to the first half of momentum which was fun as well.  We were sooo tired and drained and just a bit stressed out by then, so I don't think we fully appreciated the opportunities we had to learn and grow, but it was good to get the chance to worship in our own space.

I also was so moved by the most amazing talk that Danielle Strickland did on overcoming fear. It was so relevant to me, and I know the notes I took and the insight I gained from it will continue to have an impact on me as I develop and grow. 

She focused a lot on 2 Timothy 1:7 " For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline." 

Something I found really valuable as well was her point that overcoming cannot just be mind over matter. It has to be a revelation of who God is in our spirit - how truly incredible He is; how much He truly loves us.  So true. <3 span="span">

Next up was Day Camp: working at HCBC to run a camp for 6-12 year olds, 8am-6pm each day. We got back from Momentum at 2am on Monday morning, and had to be at Day Camp for 8am so the exhaustion continued...it was a brilliant week though. The kids were a lot younger than the age we generally work with but I loved interacting with the younger ones and found the week so rewarding.
The staff times (morning and evening) were fuelling which was really good. We had worship, a challenging message each morning and prayer times - including prayer circles when we prayed for the people on our left and right, then massage chains as well!

Thursday night of Day Camp was also our leaving party - 5 of us (we 3 interns plus Shereen and Jon) were leaving the youth work, so we had a surprise BBQ and water fight/slide-fest before heading into the main hall, where we were given cards. We also each had a person who did a short talk on us and our gifts/futures etc...Amy did mine and was so lovely. Then we all formed a circle and got prayed for by our friends and young people. Amazing. The family feeling here is just unbelievable - even now, thinking about it makes me well up. How can I be this blessed?!

This post has become epic, and I need to do some tidying and sorting tonight. But wow, what a Summer. It's been very hard at times and exhausting, but I honestly am so, so thankful for the opportunities I've had and the people I've been able to share it with.

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Faithful?

I've been avoiding blogging because, although I've been having some amazing times over the summer so far (MCYC camp, New Wine, WASC, general spending time with friends etc...), things have been really hard.

(some pictures from Seniors 1 2011)




Although I'm actually doing really well with food at the moment, and had an amazing healing experience at camp which meant I'm no longer numb and can feel my emotions again, lots of things are crumbling at the moment. I don't want to post a 'depressing blog post', and I'm generally a very positive person...but I think it's important to recognise that sometimes it's okay (necessary in fact) to be realistic about difficult situations...

(me in my Gems uniform at New Wine)

Without going into too much detail on a public blog, my Grandma is now in the hospice and likely to only have days left; other family members (including my mum, who was in hospital after reacting badly to her chemo) are seriously ill; I feel like I have no idea where my life is going; my heart pretty much got broken at camp by a really close guy friend who screwed me over for a girl he barely knows etc etc....
It really just seems like my whole life's crumbling apart...I know that's being overdramatic but it feels that way at the moment and it's only healthy to acknowledge that...

The most important thing at the moment is that I deal with all of this by clinging to God - the solid, loving, unfailing foundation that He is - and no other unhealthy coping mechanisms...this was what I kept remembering last night on a 'getting over Matt' night out - alcohol is not going to make me feel better! Which is why I'm glad Maddy and I were home by 1:30am and eating hash browns in her front room...



The song getting me through at the minute is 'Faithful' by Chris Tomlin...the bridge is pretty amazing <3

You are there in every season of my soul
You are there, You're the anchor that will hold
You are there, in the valley of the shadows
You are faithful, God

Summer 2010

I've not blogged for pretty much the whole Summer (have been very busy) so thought I'd do a little update post with summaries of what I've been up to over the last month or so...

Baptism

On the morning of 18th July, I got baptised at my lovely church (SHCF). Our family friends were here for the weekend so my Hannah got to come to see me being baptised, -she'd never been to anything like that before so was intriuged... I'd had a series of baptism classes where we worked through a booklet and also ran through the practicalities of the baptism (where I'd stand, how to bend my knees properly etc). On the morning of the 18th I woke up early and was really nervous (actually threw up because I was so scared about saying my testimony in front of everyone). I got lots of lovely cards and presents once I got to church, though, and everything went really smoothly. As soon as I'd said my testimony I felt *so* happy because now was the bit I'd been looking forward to. When I got baptised it was one of the best moments of my life - that feeling of coming up out of the water was incredible and it was amazing that so many of my friends came to support me. Maddy told me she'd never seen me look so happy as when I got out of the pool, and seeing my gorgeous Hayley get baptised as well was amazing. Thank you, Lord <3







MCYC

MCYC camp is always the highlight of my year and this camp (Seniors 2) was no disappointment. It was such an amazing week of spending time with friends, teachings, worship and fun! God really spoke to me during the week, particularly about surrender (but that's for another post!) and our team (go Nigel!) beat everyone else on the sports day tug of war with ease!







France

Literally the day after I got home from camp, I flew out to Limoges to join Hayley and her family on the second week of their holiday. It was a really great week (despite my having to do UKCAT practice) and I loved the company, the trips out and Hayley's dad's great barbequeing!





Re:act

Re:act was a series of family fun days all around my town, run by Urban Saints and YFC, and I helped out on a couple of the days. It was a great week and loads of people enjoyed the free food and activites like face painting and hair braiding. Lots of people became Christians too which was great.






Ireland

This was my family holiday this year - Mum, Dad and I went to the south-west coast of Ireland for a week (as well as stopping off for a couple of days in Dublin). It was nice to spend some time with my parents and the weather was amazing! I also got very attached to the cats at the holiday house (who I named Nugget, Bertie and Horatio!) and am sad to leave them...







(I'll update tomorrow about UKCAT and results day because this post is getting way too long!)

Lots of lovee :) xxx

Summer '09 :)

I’ve again managed to neglect this blog, this time without such a good reason!. I’ve been really busy over the summer though, catching up with friends and going to three different places on holiday, all of which I thoroughly enjoyed.

My first trip was to Provence, in Southern France with my parents and some family friends. We stayed in two places for a week each, both very charming in their own ways: the first was on the outskirts of a quiet village called Correns, where we canoed; cycled and relaxed by the pool (it was very hot all week!). The second house we rented was near the centre of a larger town, called Vaison-la-Romaine, and was also lovely, although some of the decoration was a bit old-fashioned! (think 70s-style lime green chinaware). We were staying there on French national day, and were lucky enough to have an amazing view of the town’s fantastic firework display – we lay by the pool on the deckchairs and watched them explode directly above us – it was amazing! It was, however, a bit scary when pieces of (thankfully, cooled) firework landed all around us (one landed on my head!). In the morning we had to phone the man in charge of the pool to clean the bits of firework out of it for us!! All in all, it was a lovely holiday and it was good to get away from the English weather for a bit, although of course it was lovely back home the moment we went abroad!

The second holiday I went on was to Merseyside Christian Youth Camps (www.mcyc.co.uk) which was my third time going there in a row. It is always a truly amazing week, getting closer to God with the support of wonderful leaders who can really relate to you, and surrounded by and having funny, funny times with your friends. This year’s camp exceeded expectations, and I had a lovely time while really growing in faith which was awesome

My third holiday was in Devon, with my best friend Hayley and her family in their caravan. We went for ten days and stayed in Woolacombe, on a campsite 5 minutes away from the beach. We learnt to surf and had some classic quote moments – a great holiday, despite the issues with the great English weather!
Since arriving home, I’ve caught up with some friends and visited my mum’s cousin and her family in Norfolk, where they own a 500 acre organic vegetable farm. It was lovely to meet them again, and we had a nice weekend with a mini family reunion on the Saturday.

A couple of Thursdays ago was the day I’d been waiting for since finishing my GCSE exams in June: results day! My dad dropped me off at school for 10am, and I went in and collected them, before talking to everyone about the Summer and results and thanking teachers for all their help. I had a nice catch up with my favourite teachers in the music room. I got in total 7A*s and 3As (and an E in additional maths, but that was not at all unexpected!), but will have 8A*s and 2As in the end, when my biology coursework is all sorted out.
I start college on Thursday, so I’ll hopefully drop back in here with my impressions of that – I can’t wait!
xxx