Well Shalom Readers!!
I hope you all had a wonderful week. I had a good one. A couple of significant things, the first happened on Wednesday. Mr. Bill passed away. Let me explain. There is a gas station about 5 minutes from camp that you can get food at. We at Pine Cove affectionately call it “Pic n’ Pac”. I probably eat there at least once a week, they have incredible sausage and cheese omlets. But anyways. The owner of the store Mr. Bill passed away early on Tuesday morning. I found out that afternoon and went to the store with our high school/middle school group that evening. I was overcome with emotions. See, I didn’t know Mr. Bill, but he has taken my order for the past 3 years I’ve worked at Pine Cove. As a matter of fact, he had taken my order on Sunday morning, and I remember laughing because he always spelled my name wrong, and I could never understand his handwriting. But he was a great friendly man, who always had a big smile for me. It is sad to think that I’ll never see him again this side of heaven. It even got me to thinking, I don’t even know for sure it Mr. Bill knew Jesus… how many opportunites did I have to talk to him? So many. After he passed I found myself asking the Lord to give me a boldness to share the Gospel with everyone and to live everyday to its fullness. I also found myself thinking what I would have said to Mr. Bill on Sunday, had I known that was going to be the last time I talked to him.
So, with that sad, reflective piece, hug the ones you love and remember to live everyday to the fullest. And give a smile to someone, cause you never know if it’ll be the last smile they see.
The second thing I discovered… Well, I’m going to give you a sneak peek into my journal in order to tell you. I wrote this on Friday morning, “The Lord has called me to some great things. I was just thinking last night of how He’s called me to be a leader. In ways I didn’t think of. As a dancer at Dramatic Truth, as a manager at Chick-Fil-A, as a 242 leader, here at camp. Its weird, but I think God has called me to be a leader wherever I go. And I don’t mean that pridefully, it is one of the most humbling, and overwhelming things I can think of. But look at the opportunity the Lord has given me in my positions. Not only to spread the love of Christ, but also to be almost a racial ambassador. Many times, I’m the closest to a black person that anyone will get. I don’t mind, thought at times it can get annoying, I love being the one that people are comfortable with asking questions to. So, with that wild, and humbling revelation, I want to start anew. To lead as a leader, confident that the One who called me, didn’t make a mistake, but has been planning this since before time began. So I can be humbly, confident in that.”
I cannot tell you what that revelation has meant to me. Many times, I felt that I was a leader because I don’t mind leading and people couldn’t find anyone any better. But to recognize that this is something that the Lord has planned for me, before He created the world… wow. I don’t’ really have words. But it is such a comfort to know that I am not in my position by mistake. But the Lord has been growing me and equipping me for this.
So, thank you for those of you praying for me. You had a hand in this. Although my confidence in who I am in Christ still needs to be shaped, He is doing some amazing things. I cannot wait to see how this revelation is going to play out in the future. The Lord has sent some great encouragement this way. People saying they enjoy my leadership and they think I’m doing a wonderful job. Its mind-blowing, and humbling…
Well readers, thanks for hanging this long. Some prayers for this next week.
1. That I would continue to stay humble and teachable throughout this summer
2. Supernatural energy. I am EXHAUSTED at this point. It is by the grace of God that I am functioning with joy and a smile on my face, and I have 9 more weeks to go.
3. That I would enjoy my time here at Pine Cove and live every moment to the fullest.
Thanks for reading this far! Until next weekend!!
Love,
Raychel
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