Week 1 is upon us!!

Hello Friends and Family!
How is it going? Orientation is officially over. Week 1 starts today… I can’t believe we are here. The past two weeks has flown by, yet it has gone by really slow.
I love family camp for many reasons, its great to see all kinds of families come through camp. Its is humbling and honoring to watch the Lord work through this camp to restore broken families, and it is an encouragement to serve alongside my peers who desire to follow the Lord passionately. But one thing I really love about family camp is how it renews my passion and desire to raise a godly family. This week alone I believe we’ve heard anywhere from 3-5 talks on marriage and the family. One of the speakers told us, “the best time to work on your marriage is now, before you’re married”. I believe that’s true. I don’t take for granted the fact that I have been blessed with the opportunity to sit under some great people and watch their marriages.
My parents celebrated their 23rd wedding anniversary yesterday. I must say, out of all the marriages, theirs is the one I desire to imitate the most. Not only are they a great representation of Christ and His bride. But they are a great example of how the Lord can use just two people to change a generation. I was talking to some fellow staff members yesterday about how watching my parents marriage, and hearing on these marriage talks makes me excited for marriage and motherhood. It is not something I look on with dread, or resignation that it’ll probably happen one day, but it is something that I have been praying for since I was younger. If you’re married right now and reading this recognize the incredible position the Lord has put you in. Our director “Hip Shot” said it yesterday, but marriage is a reflection of the Gospel. When husbands love their wives like Christ loved the church and wives submit to their husbands as the church is to submit to Christ they are painting a picture. What an opportunity!
And moms… what greater a blessing than to get to shepherd the next generation. I feel like being a camp I see it more clearly how the enemy has really attacked the family. Not only has he gotten us through divorce, but he has made mothers feel insignificant. I believe there is no greater job than being a parent, and motherhood is the highest calling a woman can have in life. You have the opportunity to raise your children in the Lord, to show them real life examples of Christ. Look at the Proverbs 31 woman. She is the bombdotcom. And can I take this moment to say. My mom is that woman. Not perfectly, but she is a great example of what a Proverbs 31 woman looks like.
So, can I say how much I LOVE working with my brother at camp. Above is a picture of us at starbucks yesterday waiting to do laundry and get some internet. Its been cool to watch my brother with other people. He is definitely outgoing, and the life of the party. I have had so many proud older sister moments. Ross is definitely a gentleman and loves the Lord, and its been neat to sit back and watch him as his sister take care of his other sisters in Christ. Ross got a camp name last week, and while it doesn’t have the name ‘Smacks’ anywhere its still pretty cool. His name is “Trifecta”. And of course he thinks it’s the coolest thing ever.
I tell you what. this week has been encouraging. Several people have randomly encouraged me and instilled confidence in me about my job. The theme in a lot of the talks this week has not only been marriage, but being confident that the Lord supplies what He demands, and that He will call you AND equip you. While I still have moments where I’m really insecure about my job, I’m trying to focus on pleasing the Lord and not people.
Well, thanks for sticking it out this long, I will stop talking and let you get back to the real world. I would humbly ask for your prayers though (and letters too if you want to send some).
Specifically, if you could continue to pray that I would rely on the Lord, and that He would cause me to depend totally on Him and look only to Him for approval. Pray for the families that will be arriving in a few hours. Some are in a great place, others are really hurting and broken, but all are needing to be refreshed. Pray for the staff that we would continue to deepen our unity and that we would love each other unconditionally. Also, this may sound silly, but pray that the scary animals /bugs would stay away. We have had 2 scorpion stings, several yellow jacket stings, and seen multiple huge spiders. Now I recognize we’re at camp, and I don’t mind seeing these things, but I woke up several times last night worried that I might wake up with a scorpion in my bed…
Well, I’m gonna go. Have a wonderful week and I will attempt to write after week 1. God bless!
In Him,
Raychel