This was a great experience for our family. We connected as a family and we grew in personal ways too. We left Malibu Club excited for the future. We also left there with a strong longing to do an assignment again. I can only hope for the humility of heart and strength of Faith to keep on the path that our Heavenly Father has set before us. It was an amazing time, meeting Folks like the Davis Family from San Francisco. I think we connected with them the most by far. I wish they didnt live in Cali though.
I (Ernie) learned that I must pursue God however he leads, that as Jesus did not respond in the typical ways of understanding (in fact he often went against popular demand and thought), so my life and the decisions we make are not always going to be in agreement with how typical life was meant to be lived, i.e. i feel that I am be called forward into the next step of my life. And I fully believe that the next step is in joining Younglife staff somewhere.
To be fully honest, this does not make any sense to most folks, because it definitely does not pay enough to provide for our current bill set-up and we may have to move, which would be near impossible because of the housing market. Nevertheless, we don't think that the Lord has asked us to focus on that, but rather to follow and let it all go. Scary, yet hopeful.
At camp we also saw a level of hurt amongst High School Students that we weren't really prepared for, not that we every are though. After seeing Post-Secrets, it becomes difficult to be angry at an XBOX for not working correctly, or a favorite sports team. there is more going on that we expected at first. We want to be apart of the healing of the world, not just sit in our own bubble and only care for ourselves.
I'm excited for the future. I have put my Application in with the Regional office for Younglife. I am mad... yet the best people usually are..
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Monday, August 9, 2010
Running the Race
Well it is now day 4 of our last week. The time has been flying for us. Silas got to celebrate his 2nd Birthday up here, which was so special. everyone sang to him in the lodge, Joanna made a great cake, and he picked out a big red frisbee for one of his birthday gifts. He is such an awesome little guy. I am glad he had the opportunity to have his special day up here with so many fun and caring people...not to mention he gets to celebrate with family when we get home.
I have found it a definite challenge this week to be as excited about many of these kids. A challenge from the Lord though... so it is also exciting in some ways to be stretched. Many students here come from a very urban zone... one student had a 4" blade taken from him yesterday, followed by "F" bombs galore. Many also have negative attitudes towards a lot of the activities. The walls students build are very strong and tall. I continue to realize though that they build these walls because of the experiences in their lives.
Post Secrets - Wow, we allowed student the opportunities to post the secrets in boxes yesterday. the response has been huge. We've tried to seperate the postings by situations; i.e. sexual abuse, physical abuse, suicide, depresssion, etc..
Well the stack for students who wrote about Suicidal thoughts and the like was the largest of all the stacks yesterday... With more ways to satisy in our world, less satisfying is happening apart from the Loard.
It makes me so incredibily grateful that we could have nearly 300 students at this camp who can have the opportunity to find great hope and comfort in a God who rescues us exactly in our own personal ways. please pray for all the leaders of these students this week, there are many who are being stretched and find it difficult to help. We have sensed the Lord stregthening us through this week, but still deeply need your prayers that these students could allow themselves to experience Love, Freedom, and Hope in Christ.
I have found it a definite challenge this week to be as excited about many of these kids. A challenge from the Lord though... so it is also exciting in some ways to be stretched. Many students here come from a very urban zone... one student had a 4" blade taken from him yesterday, followed by "F" bombs galore. Many also have negative attitudes towards a lot of the activities. The walls students build are very strong and tall. I continue to realize though that they build these walls because of the experiences in their lives.
Post Secrets - Wow, we allowed student the opportunities to post the secrets in boxes yesterday. the response has been huge. We've tried to seperate the postings by situations; i.e. sexual abuse, physical abuse, suicide, depresssion, etc..
Well the stack for students who wrote about Suicidal thoughts and the like was the largest of all the stacks yesterday... With more ways to satisy in our world, less satisfying is happening apart from the Loard.
It makes me so incredibily grateful that we could have nearly 300 students at this camp who can have the opportunity to find great hope and comfort in a God who rescues us exactly in our own personal ways. please pray for all the leaders of these students this week, there are many who are being stretched and find it difficult to help. We have sensed the Lord stregthening us through this week, but still deeply need your prayers that these students could allow themselves to experience Love, Freedom, and Hope in Christ.
Friday, August 6, 2010
Proud Moment
This past week Joanna and I were so happy to see kayla Anderson come up with a group of campers. Kayla was one of Joanna's first girls she was able to serve in younglife. We met here as a freshman in high school and knew she was just sponging it all up and learning about God, relationships, and healing.
This year Kayla attended Whitworth college in Spokane. younglife was such a huge part of her life that she decided to enter leadership in the spokane younglife area. All the feedback I hear from her leaders is so positive and encouraging.
at camp we have a time where a leader will share a Cardboard Testimony, just a very brief description of their life before Christ and after Christ. Kayla shared about the brokenness she felt after her parents difficult divorce, and how God had made her whole. it made me cry, because I saw just how far she had come and perhaps i should say how far God had brought her. I have felt so very proud of Kayla this week, for listening to the call of God, for following the path laid before her, and for realizing it isn't just about her, but the world.
I am also proud of Joanna, for she stuck with kayla during a bumpy boyfriend phase and was never hesitent to share the truth. I am also proud of the fact that Joanna has never stoppped loving high school students and serving Christ. Thanks be To God...
This year Kayla attended Whitworth college in Spokane. younglife was such a huge part of her life that she decided to enter leadership in the spokane younglife area. All the feedback I hear from her leaders is so positive and encouraging.
at camp we have a time where a leader will share a Cardboard Testimony, just a very brief description of their life before Christ and after Christ. Kayla shared about the brokenness she felt after her parents difficult divorce, and how God had made her whole. it made me cry, because I saw just how far she had come and perhaps i should say how far God had brought her. I have felt so very proud of Kayla this week, for listening to the call of God, for following the path laid before her, and for realizing it isn't just about her, but the world.
I am also proud of Joanna, for she stuck with kayla during a bumpy boyfriend phase and was never hesitent to share the truth. I am also proud of the fact that Joanna has never stoppped loving high school students and serving Christ. Thanks be To God...
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
burn baby burn
hello from the malibu club
it is day 5 of our second week. this camp has been great to hang around, especially the guys from marysville. they are a fun group and have knighted me with a special shirt... photo to eventually pop up someday. Its been great because the group is so pumped for everything they do. The energy level is more then I've ever seen. It's so awesome.
Something else that has been evident this week is that a lot of students are coming from broken places in life. so far there have been a few "abuse" cases, many tearful cabin times, and even a pop can bong... for those unsure, that is where a pop can has several holes placed in it in a specific place and improved to smake marijuana out of. this actually makes me happy in a weird way, because it means that the students who really are in need of help are at this camp. the brokeness is very clear, but we are doing our best to present a picture of a God who heals and walks us through the pains.
Another evident item today, is the haze that has been moving around the camp. there is a forest fire a few valleys away. at this point the canadian folks arent fighting it, but will soon once it reaches a certain point. not to fear, but it sure is odd looking in the haze and not even seeing Frankenstein...
Silas has gotten comfortable here with the people, running circles around folks and just having lots of fun. Joanna is pleased because now he much more comfortable with the work-crew ladies, particularly the blond one.. we've always thought he was a blond liking fella.. so far this is true. ha.
Please pray for me, especially because I am getting worn out and having difficult having thicker skin. please also pray for our students at camp, so many come from such a broken home and life. I just want them to meet a God who always promised to heal and set free.
thanks.
it is day 5 of our second week. this camp has been great to hang around, especially the guys from marysville. they are a fun group and have knighted me with a special shirt... photo to eventually pop up someday. Its been great because the group is so pumped for everything they do. The energy level is more then I've ever seen. It's so awesome.
Something else that has been evident this week is that a lot of students are coming from broken places in life. so far there have been a few "abuse" cases, many tearful cabin times, and even a pop can bong... for those unsure, that is where a pop can has several holes placed in it in a specific place and improved to smake marijuana out of. this actually makes me happy in a weird way, because it means that the students who really are in need of help are at this camp. the brokeness is very clear, but we are doing our best to present a picture of a God who heals and walks us through the pains.
Another evident item today, is the haze that has been moving around the camp. there is a forest fire a few valleys away. at this point the canadian folks arent fighting it, but will soon once it reaches a certain point. not to fear, but it sure is odd looking in the haze and not even seeing Frankenstein...
Silas has gotten comfortable here with the people, running circles around folks and just having lots of fun. Joanna is pleased because now he much more comfortable with the work-crew ladies, particularly the blond one.. we've always thought he was a blond liking fella.. so far this is true. ha.
Please pray for me, especially because I am getting worn out and having difficult having thicker skin. please also pray for our students at camp, so many come from such a broken home and life. I just want them to meet a God who always promised to heal and set free.
thanks.
Monday, August 2, 2010
pictures
hey here are some pictures friends, unfortunately we can only post a few, due to satellite charges, but we will try our best to get more here and there.
Sunday, August 1, 2010
Adventurous day
Hi Everyone! It's a post by Joanna. Ernie has written all the other ones so far. I thought I would just write a quick post. We were reslly excited to have Kayla Anderson and also the crew from Marysville arrive. I am enjoying so much watching Kayla lead campers. It brings so much joy to my heart. I guess she is doing well because Ernie told me today one of the people from her area wanted him to tell me thank you because of how awesome she is. I got to be her personal photographer for the volleyball tournement today with Si on my back in the kelty. He was having fun in it> Thanks again Shannon and Charlie for lending it to us. We saw a helicopter fly by today as well and as we were walking back to our room saw it land at flag point. Si thought it was the coolest thing. There was a forest fire up in one of the mountains and they came to use the phone. We watched from a distance for a while and then walked up to touch the chopper. Si was on clound nine. He was standing on the foot rails while work crew girls held on to him and then the sneeky little bugger got the door unlatched I felt but the driver was really nice and said to let him sit in the pilot seat and take pictures of him. He climbed in and grabbed the joystick right away and was having a blast. Then they had to take off and SI was very sad to have to get out. The day wrapped up nicely with Si playing in Kanata whith work crew while I went to club. It was a great day for us both. Tomorrow's adventure: Chatterbox falls.
Friday, July 30, 2010
Presidents, prayers, and post secrets.
more stuff i didnt post recently...
Day 4 The president of Younglife, Denny Ryberg, Flew into camp to spend a day at camp. I had the opportunity to meet him and even introduce him at the leader meeting to all the leaders of the students. He seemed like a nice guy and fairly personable. we've also had 2 photographers from Younglife come in to shoot stock photos of camp and students. they've been here a few days and will leave tonight I believe.
Post secrets –Rob our camp speaker, is doing a version of Post Secrets intermingled with Life Signs. It has been very shocking to see some things kids write, about what life is like back home. One student wrote “I am Tired of always being the Fat friend”… another wrote, “I still love you mom, even if you still hit me.” And another wrote, “I don’t want to keep having sex, but my boyfriend likes it and I’m afraid he will leave me if I tell him no.” Its such a fragile situation for these kids. Its so heartbreaking too.
We are excited for tonight, where students will be invited to take a very close look at life and make some choices about where they are going. I am also excited because next week I get to see friends from Marysville, as well as Kayla Anderson, who is leading a group from Spokane. Pray for us as a camp, that kids would be real about themselves and where they are going in life. Pray also for me, because tomorrow is boat day and I need the energy and strength to meet new leaders and kids as well as remember names! also pray i get a good nights sleep, because the Head Leaders may end up spending the night outside of cabins to keep kids from sneaking out. Go Gig Harbor!
Ps, no cougar sighting since the first one.
Day 4 The president of Younglife, Denny Ryberg, Flew into camp to spend a day at camp. I had the opportunity to meet him and even introduce him at the leader meeting to all the leaders of the students. He seemed like a nice guy and fairly personable. we've also had 2 photographers from Younglife come in to shoot stock photos of camp and students. they've been here a few days and will leave tonight I believe.
Post secrets –Rob our camp speaker, is doing a version of Post Secrets intermingled with Life Signs. It has been very shocking to see some things kids write, about what life is like back home. One student wrote “I am Tired of always being the Fat friend”… another wrote, “I still love you mom, even if you still hit me.” And another wrote, “I don’t want to keep having sex, but my boyfriend likes it and I’m afraid he will leave me if I tell him no.” Its such a fragile situation for these kids. Its so heartbreaking too.
We are excited for tonight, where students will be invited to take a very close look at life and make some choices about where they are going. I am also excited because next week I get to see friends from Marysville, as well as Kayla Anderson, who is leading a group from Spokane. Pray for us as a camp, that kids would be real about themselves and where they are going in life. Pray also for me, because tomorrow is boat day and I need the energy and strength to meet new leaders and kids as well as remember names! also pray i get a good nights sleep, because the Head Leaders may end up spending the night outside of cabins to keep kids from sneaking out. Go Gig Harbor!
Ps, no cougar sighting since the first one.
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