I'm BACK!

I know I was going to talk all about camp in this post on the day that I got back but.... I'm so tired! I got like around 6 1/2 hours of sleep each night and normally I need like 10 to function like a regular person. It was definitely the best week ever! I loved the fellowship of all the other High School students chasing after God and I loved how the presence of God was carried with us when we left the chapel. Besides Minnesota Youth Convention I don't think I've seen so many students worshiping with all of their heart, singing privately to God! By the way, I am so excited for MYC now! But you could just tell on the faces of us that God touched us and moved into our lives in a new exciting way! I can't wait until camp next year and God didn't disappoint at all. He reached and moved beyond my expectations of what would be in store at camp this year.

When I recover from my sleep (It might be a while since I'm waking up at 7:30 to go boating out on Lake Minnetonka tomorrow morning...) I will tell you of all that happened at camp! 

Off soon!

It's about 7:50 here and I'm almost done packing for camp! So, I won't be posting until I get back which is this Friday. BUT, pray for me and the girls in my cabin that God will do amazing things in our hearts and through us this week! I know that God has amazing things in store for us this week (: Have a blessed week everyone! 

One of My Favorite Things!

Well, I love dogs, shoes, blueberries, rain, laughing, talking, reading (but it has to be a good book), writing, my family and friends, the list could go on; but what is my favorite?

It's not on that list because it is in it's own category. The only one there ever has been and ever will be. It's inspired, it actually is! It's inspired by God Himself! It's older than me, my oldest brother, my mom and dad, even my great great great-grandmother! You might have guessed it by now. It's the Bible.

Oh how much comfort I take in my Bible! It's like my security blanket. Okay this may sound odd, but even just holding my Bible is comforting. To know that The Word of God is right there in my hands is so wonderful! It's more that I can even put into words! It's really crazy actually.

There's really nothing like the words of God written down just for you! I love reading my Bible and the hope and love that it gives me. One of the biggest things that God is to me is the comforting Father God. He controls everything and is always there. So many times, it's almost as if I can feel God's big arms wrapped right around mine. I've kind of repeated myself a lot in this post but once you have that comfort that only God can give, you will understand completely! Embrace the Comforting Father God today! He's right there and extremely accessible. He's written tons of letters to you and you can even find them online. The Bible is so indescribable so instead of reading my words trying to tell you how it makes me feel, read it yourself. You'll see just what I'm talking about. (:

-Janae 

Beauty. Directed at you girls!

Beauty: n. A combination of qualities, such as shape, color, or form, that pleases the aesthetic senses, especially the sight. 

No where in that definition does it say you have to have no blemishes, perfect hair 24/7, a size 2 figure, and the most blue eyes that anyone has ever seen. But, lots of girls seem to think that beauty is exactly what they aren't. It just breaks my heart when I say to someone that they're very beautiful and they just disagree with me until I just can't even say anything anymore. Why is there such a strong definition of beauty that it's hard for a girl to feel beautiful. I have this theory that every girl is beautiful and every girl should think that they're beautiful. No, I don't mean that they should be conceited or think that she is the most beautiful girl in the world and therefore better than others. That's not at all what I mean!  

What I do mean is that God created each girl uniquely and each one of us is beautiful in a different way. The ways that I am beautiful are much different than my friend who's a few inches taller and has a models body (long legs and a slim body). Just because we're made differently doesn't make us less pretty than the other though. I don't think I've seen a girl that wasn't beautiful. Maybe others are more striking but when I smell the garbage that smell is most definitely striking also! The sweet smell of Roses is much less distinct at first but smells just as good as Jasmine. 

Beauty is also so many times associated with having a boyfriend also. One of my friends said that she's not pretty because is she was then she would have a boyfriend. I asked her if there were any guys she would like to date that she knew because I think THAT is the reason and she said no there weren't any. The little girl I babysit also said a few days ago that all of the cute girls in college have boyfriends already. Even her, a nine year old has these notions in her head! I think that girls of all ages need to start seeing the beauty in everything. Maybe it's just me that notices the beautiful way that God created the clouds as I'm driving by, or the way that the wind moves the grass in the marsh behind my house. 

God created each one of us just the way He wanted. He didn't say, "Oh well you, oh yeah I messed up on you a little bit..." or "You're not quite as pretty now but in a few years you'll grow out of that." or "Yes, she's prettier than you but you know what? You're WAY better looking than that girl! Just be thankful you're not the not unsettling girl to look at in school..." God didn't say any of those things the moment that He made you! He said, "She is so beautiful! I KNOW that others will see her in me by not just the way that I made her but in the way that she carries herself and in her heart." 

So many commercials are targeted at young women you just want to be beautiful. Like this one ridiculous commercial I always see for mascara that shows this beautiful young woman putting on her mascara as this guy is coming into her room because she is just so beautiful. I mean, to me, that commercial makes me not want to buy that mascara because I don't want creepy men coming into my room! But, the point of that commercial is to make us girls want to buy that so we can have that look. 

Beauty isn't just one thing and it's different just as everyone is different. When you're getting ready for the day don't look in the mirror and complain about your hair or skin or weight but look in the mirror and say, "This is how God made me and He made me beautiful." 

Janae

Camp!

When I went to Camp Tadmor, that's when I really started loving camp. I loved the spiritual aspect of camp. I loved the people that went. I loved my counselors. I loved my friends that went. I loved going to the lake and going off the blob. I loved everything about camp expect maybe that it was only six days. The whole summer I would just be waiting for camp! This year, since I've moved I'm going to a new church camp but I'm still none the less excited. My friends that have gone say that it's the best camp so we'll see if it measures up to Tadmor. We'll see (;

But, I am still so excited! I feel like it will kind of be like Youth Convention but a few days longer instead. I just love that strong spiritual connection that there is at youth events like Fine Arts, Youth Convention, and camp. I think it's almost my favorite feeling. The feeling of being all one. Everyone is just like me to a certain extent. I guess, because I go to such a big school where strong Christians are hard to come by, that I just long for that company of strong Christians; and at camp there is that! It's one of the things that I love about going to youth group.

At camp, it's just such a rush I guess. The Holy Spirit is so real and present. I know that a lot of Christians use it as kind of a recharge for their walk with God, but even if that's all it is, it's such a time of growth. The way that the fellowship, worship and reflection changes people is so strong and wonderful! It's so exciting to see the girls in my cabin growing closer to our awesome Creator!! So pumped!

Janae