Camp Sumatanga - Annual Church-Wide Retreat

I just got home from our church's annual retreat - it was a blast (for the most part!)! :) It started off kind of rough with TJ's asthma flaring up and him having to go to the dr, but we eventually got to Sumatanga before the crowd. We did run into a traffic accident that got us stuck at the Junction for about 20 minutes - TJ immediately decided that since traffic was at a standstill we should abandon our vehicle, lose hope, start looting for food, and walk to camp. I talked him out of jumping out of the car and we eventually got through the accident... My silly and good-looking husband. :)

Last year at this time I was pregnant with my sweet Lucy Paige and was looking forward to having a 7 month old at camp this year. She had such a good time seeing our church family and crawling all over the youth room. We got to play outside and LP got to sleep with Mommy because she refused to sleep in the pack and play. My sweet girl loved being around everyone this weekend.

TJ always gets someone to do the youth sessions just so that he can have a break and the kids can get a different perspective. Its nice to get to meet new people and get to know them too. Our first year we had our dear friend Ben Nelson come in, next we had our best and oldest youth minister friend BJ Parson (TJ and BJ are like two peas in a pod - I love BJ and his sweet family too, awesome people - so genuine), last year was someone new - Brian Miller (great with our kids and so funny) and this year we got John David Crowe and his wife Jessica. Each and every one of those guys were so great and connected so well with us and our kids, but John David was so inspiring. His and Jessica's personal testimony touched me so much. They broke my heart, gave me hope and new perspective, and challenged me to be a "Mary", to find rest at Jesus' feet.

One thing that stood out to me was something John David said today about his son; his son passed away two years ago and they went through so much but a month after Noah passed away they went on a youth mission trip. Jessica had prefaced this story the night before by telling me that worship through music was one of the things that she and John David loved so much and truly felt close to God when they worshipped. So like I said, Noah had just passed away and they were upset and angry at God for taking away their son. John David said he hadn't prayed or read his Bible since precious Noah passed. But while at that camp, the worship band pulled them in and led them in worship; while they were singing the Holy Spirit whispered to John David and said that he should worship because thats what Noah was doing at that exact moment. John David knew, in that moment, that he could be doing something with his son, even though they weren't together they could be worshipping God together. That thought hit me like a ton of bricks... When we worship through song, poetry, prayer, exclaiming Who God is, etc., we are doing the exact same thing that people who have passed, and loved/had a relationship with Jesus, are doing. Angels and seraphim sing constantly, "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the earth is full of His glory". And I think that the saints join that song and praise our Father, who is mighty and worthy of all our praise. On my way home, I listened to "Holy" by David Crowder and I sang and I worshipped with my Granny and Pop, my Granddaddy, my brother and sister, my mother and father in law, my best friend's dad and brother, precious Noah, and countless other family members and dear friends. I cried, I prayed, I sang, I danced... Why don't you take and minute to worship and reflect  along with your friends and family, here is the song I listened to, "Holy", by David Crowder.

And now to praise our Father through beautiful pictures of one of His masterpieces... Love my girl and am so blessed that God allowed me to be her Mommy! :)