I really shouldn't be posting right now because this guy has to get up and go to work in the morning, however, I literally cannot sleep until I get what happened tonight down in writing! I know it is long, but read it until the end, because God is crazy cool!
Tonight I had the opportunity to speak with students about campus ministries and the impact they have had in my life! I worked at a Youth church camp last summer. That same summer camp host a "College Night" where they ask collegiate ministers and college students involved in a student ministry, to come and speak with the students about how important it can be to get plugged in.
I need to preface this with what God has really been teaching me recently. As I have been preparing for my trip to China, I have been asking the Lord to show me how to really love people well. The first way God has done this is by pouring out His love on me in very obvious ways. (Read the previous post to hear more about this!)
Now we get back to this evening! Tonight while I was talking about something very close to my heart at a place that is extremely close to my heart (this summer camp is also where I accept Christ), God poured out His love in some crazy obvious ways.
First, I was able to team up with a group of some really great people, who love the Lord, to talk to all of these kids.
Second, I was also able to see some of the staff that I worked with at camp last summer! This people are so special to me due to the fact that we served along side each other for a whole summer.
Third, I had some great conversations with these friends. I think these conversations were needed by both me and my friends. This was such a God moment because it was not what I thought I was going to get out of the evening at all.
Fourth, last summer, when I worked at this camp, I had a youth group on my team that radiated God's love in a way I had never seen another group of teenagers do. They were such a blessing to us. Well this same youth group was at camp this week and I had the chance to see all of them! This was such a blessing and made my heart smile! Just another way God so obviously poured out His love!
After the team who was speaking finally stopped talking and catching up we all headed our separate ways. As I drove back to Manhattan with some other guys I had the opportunity to really praise God for what had happened that evening. I also got to share what had happened with another one of my former camp staffers over the phone.
When we got back to Manhattan I then went to hang out with some friends who had recently been out of town, I was really excited for the opportunity to get to catch up with them. Well God had other plans. We headed out to a place I call the "Beach!" Yes a beach in Manhattan, KS! Once we got out there(it is kind of the beaten path), we ran into a woman who had been enjoying the evening and lost track of time. It had gotten dark and she was afraid of walking back through the woods by herself (you have to walk through some woods to get out to the beach). She said she was very glad some other people had shown up. She began to talk to us and tell us about her life. She had a lot to say as she had dealt with a lot. My first thought was, "Ok, lady. This is not how I wanted to spend my evening. Go away so me and my friends can hang out." However, after listening to more of her story it was very evident that she really just needed some people to show her some of God's love. I very obviously heard God say, "I have poured out so much love on you in the past couple of hours, it is time for you to pass some of my love onto someone else." Thanks to a dear friend that was with us we got on the topic of God and Church. Then ended up inviting her to church with us on Sunday. She was very gracious and couldn't stop saying how nice we were.
What a crazy awesome testament to the fact that God is in control and He loves His people! All of these words don't describe how awesome and evident God's power was tonight! Praise God for all He teaches us and for the people and things He does that through!
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