first week of camp is done...

so... hello to all those out in internet land. week one of camp is over and it was fantastic! i was a little unsure of how it was all going to go down seeing how i had never even been to a family camp before, let alone helped program one. BUT, this past week was really awesome! God has already put some really amazing people in my life up here in santa cruz! as i was driving up to mount hermon a few weeks ago i had some doubt as to whether or not i'd made the right decision... but it's already been made clear that i've made the right decision and i'm super stoked for the rest of summer!! i honestly don't have any plans for the fall yet, i want to be open to what the Lord has for me and for that i'm super excited! i even visited a sweet local church called vintage faith and it was a great service.

i have the privilege of being one of two young adult directors here for the summer, its sweet because it means i get to sit in on all the adult sessions and hear amazing speakers from across the country. last week's speakers were excellent teachers and i really got a lot out of both the morning and evening sessions. the morning speaker dove in to the Lords prayer and the evening speaker spent each night telling the story of different men in the Bible such as Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

many cool things happened last week and some day i'll sit and write about all the things that happen during a regular camp week but for now i'm just skimming. however, i'm currently in lake tahoe hosting a family camp right on the lake with the help of some other mount hermon staff. it is absolutely beautiful here. its my first time to lake tahoe and it won't be the last... it's just incredible up here.

side note: i'm leaving tahoe tomorrow afternoon to fly out to orlando, florida to play drums with george williamson for the nazarene church at general assembly. its a really awesome opportunity to play out there and i'm super excited because my parents are going to be out in orlando as well so i'll get to see them! i'm flying all night long which should be interesting... flying from reno to las vegas to atlanta to orlando, its going to be a long night. but it'll be great to see george and my parents and some other people i know.

anyways... i'm off to dinner. i'll write you all more from my hotel room in orlando!! hope you are all having a great week.

parting note:

last week our young adult group really expressed how sometimes they just get worried about things in life. this passage came to mind as they were sharing with me... let this passage encourage you if you're questioning things in life right now. really take time to read these words and marinate on them...

"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." Matthew 6:25–34

praying for you.

love you.

I'm finally here!!

Hey everyone in internet land! I hope this post finds you doing well! I started my journey up to Santa Cruz last Friday when I drove from Oceanside to Agoura Hills (right by Ventura). I met up with Chelsey Hutchinson and we had a great time! Her dad cooked tri-tip and it was amazing, her mom was super hospitable and I just had wonderful time hanging out with her and her family! The next day I traveled up north taking the 1... it was so beautiful!! The drive through Big Sur was amazing! I ended my drive safely to Santa Cruz on Saturday evening as the sun was setting. On Sunday I went into town and got some breakfast at a local hotspot called Chubbie's Diner, it was pretty cool and the food was good too. I was even invited to bring my truck to the car show they have here in the parking lot every summer!! I'm super excited about that already!

It's Monday today and this whole week is dedicated to staff development and planning. My department is called Youth Staff and my specific area is working with the Young Adults (college aged people). I'm at Peet's Coffee with my co leader Beth planning out our weekly schedule. Actually we're done planning for the afternoon which is why I'm taking some time to update you on what's going on :)

There are some really great people here and I've already started to cultivate friendships that I know will last for a long time!

Also, I'm not in the summer band this year but the regular drummer isn't coming up till next week so I'm filling in this whole week for our staff worship services. We've had some cool times of worship and I'm looking forward to the service tonight!

On a non camp related note, I would like to encourage you to pray for a friend... it could be anyone. Because I feel like we're always praying for ourselves and our own personal situations and struggles (which is good) but let's not forget our friends and family who are around us too!


"Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."
Philippians 4:4–7


Stay encouraged my friends!!

Shalom