ASLKDJ!!!!!AKLSJD!!! = MY EMOTIONS!

Hello my beautiful friends!!

How are you? Crazy to think it's already the end of July, huh? That has definitely been shown here in western Michigan with the massive heat wave we received this past week. Over 90 degrees everyday with huge amounts of humidity. Luckily we're right on the lake so it wasn't as bad as the inner parts of the state got! Anyways, as I reflect on this past week I cannot help but rejoice in the goodness of our God. I was truly blessed beyond my belief with how faithful and compassionate and promising God is. As I wrote in my past blog post week 5 was definitely my hardest week yet with being sick and just problems among my campers. I was nervous for week six because I was feeling pretty low about myself as a counselor and had gone downhill. Well, God had much greater plans than me simply feeling sorry for myself. Within the first hour of meeting my girls I fell fully head over heels in love with them. I honestly couldn't get enough of them. I was so encouraged by them and wanted to pursue them through Christ in every single ounce of energy I could pour out onto them. This was a new and exciting feeling for me. Yes, I have absolutely loved all of my campers but this was the first time I have had this overwhelming passion, desire, and love for them! It melted my heart even more when on the very first night we were going through highs and lows of the day right before bed. Every single one of my girls said that Bible study was the highlight of their day!!!!!! I definitely teared up in that moment....and these are girls GOING INTO 7TH GRADE! To see their passion and love for knowing God at such an intimate level was inspiring and motivating. I gave 100% of everything I had this past week for these girls. I sacrificed a lot of my time hanging out with other staff, going to bed early to get extra sleep, and more just so that these girls would see and feel the overwhelming love and passion God gave me for them. Yes by my last day yesterday I was completely exhausted and out of all energy however it was the most satisfying kind of tired I have ever experienced because I KNOW that God was thee one and only reason I was able to put so much energy and effort out of my body. Wow, like I just want the world to know how incredible each one of the 10 girls I had were. All the glory and honor to God for the path they're set out on and the dedicated lives they're living for the glory of His kingdom. 

Every week at our closing ceremony/parent program one cabin is asked to go up on stage and share their favorite part of the week. My awesome cabin was asked to do that this week. We got up their and passed the microphone down the line of girls and they each introduced themselves and their favorite part. I was blown away with how many of them said Bible study and TAWG (time alone with God) was their highlight of the week. Well the microphone gets to Elaine, one of my campers, and she says Ask your Auntie (a game we play) and Aunt Laura. My heart completely broke in humility at the moment knowing that nothing I am doing here is about me, it's all for the recognition of the glorious plan of God. I am positive that Elaine didn't see Aunt Laura Ecklund this week but rather God through me and it is so evident to me how powerful and true God is through this experience.

I have three weeks here left at Geneva. WOW! I am still experiencing a ton of mixed feelings but they've multiplied by at least 63 haha. My roommate for this next year (HEY JACKIE!!!) emailed me this past week and completely showered me in the love of Christ. Now as we are starting to discover what this next year is going to look like for our room I am crazy excited about how present God is going to be and the major effort we've decided to dedicate to Him. I cannot wait to take all that I have learned here at camp and apply it back to school. What a stellar opportunity! However I have come to the realization this past week that camp has a very real way of wrecking your life in a beautiful way. This probably makes no sense and just like how I was trying to explain this to one of my friends through a letter it'll more than likely all come out as mumble jumble. But camp has completely destroyed the Laura Ecklund I used to be. Everything I knew of myself and who I was has been 100% flipped upside down and shaken around. It honestly has been one of the most challenging things to go through as God is transforming me however there is a beauty and comfort in the fact that He is refining me into a better daughter of His who is willing to sacrifice everything for His name. With all this mayhem and changing awaits a very difficult transition ahead of me. I am questioning what this will look like in a new environment? and away from all the people I have gone through this change with? and apart from my ministry I've been dedicated to for 11 weeks? Tons of questions like this pop into my mind daily but I know full well that God has everything under control and if He has been ever so faithful previously, why wouldn't He be now? 

I love my job...plain and simple that is what it comes down to.

Prayer Requests:

-Safety for my dad driving out here to pick me up on August 12-13th! It's going to be some very long hours in the car.

-A heart that doesn't compare. I tend to compare things from week to week and I'd rather simply go into each week with no expectations, fully ready for God to take over however He may desire.

-ENERGY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! IT'S STARTING TO DWINDLE!

-Some of my fellow staff members and friends who are unsure of what this next semester/year will look like for them due to different circumstances in their lives.

-My campers from last week...thanksgiving and gratitude for such awesome young women of the Lord!!!

-My former youth group (AND SISTER) in Colorado for Rocky Mountain High, may their hearts be open and lives be touched by our wonderful God.

I heard a challenge this past week that I'd like to encourage you with as I leave you for this next week. It's called the "No Bible, No Breakfast" challenge. Pretty self-explanatory but don't have breakfast till you've read your Bible. A great way to center yourself for the upcoming day and start it out with Christ. This obviously can look different for everyone as some schedules don't allow this but I encourage you to take on this challenge and fit it into your life. I promise you that if you give your time to God, He will make time for everything else! 

3 weeks left baby, let's do this!

XOXOXO,

Aunt Laura

Ephesians 4:29-what would it look like if everything we said BENEFITED those who are listening? TRY IT :)