Calling and Character

I am in New Orleans, for two weeks of spring break camps, we are just waiting on our campers to arrive any minute now and begin a new week with a group from PA.

This past week I had some great conversations with friends who I have not been able to talk to since I have been out of the country so much this month.  It was so great to hear from them and hear how encouraged they were in what God was doing in their lives and how he was drawing them closer to him.  

One of them said something that is still reverberating in my spirit.  He said I want to commend you for chasing after God and allowing your calling and your character to match up.  I don't say that to say he is right, but I say that because so often I am not intentional about those things and it helped me realize that I need to be so much about that.  Chasing after God, and realizing he is passionately pursuing me at the same time.  And making sure that my character what I stand for matches up to what it is that God is calling me to do.  And being willing to walk away from everything I have known and become, if that is where God leads.  

God help me strive after you with a reckless abandonment.  Help me to be aware of those around me who need to know you love them.  

Jamaica..Yeah Man

I just got back around 2 a.m. Thursday from Jamaica, it was a setup trip to the different campuses of the CCCD, Caribbean Christian Centre for Deaf.  We will be taking several youth groups there this summer.  Me, Doug the director of TEAMeffort, Pete the CFO of TEAMeffort and Matt, who will be leading the trips there this summer all went on the trip and met up with Keith Cox there in Jamaica.  We arrived on Saturday in Montego Bay and rented a van.  In Jamaica they drive on the left side of the road, so that was an interesting.  We then drove to a village called Knockpatrick about 3 hours in the mountains. We went to a revival on Sunday morning with about 300 people who were deaf.  I had never experienced a deaf service where there is hardly any verbal speaking.  It was one of the neatest encounters of God that I have experienced in a long time, in such a different way.  

After service we drove to the city of Kingston to visit another campus, and meet with their leadership, but not before stopping at a restaurant called Juici Patties, I promise I am not making that up, it is a chain. 

Monday we visited the deaf village and toured their campus and facilities, then drove back to Montego Bay to visit the last of the 4 campuses.  On  Tuesday we left and drove to Ochos Rios, and went to a straw market then climbed Dunn's River Falls, which is a waterfall that you actually climb, it was a lot of fun, even though I fell a couple of times and got scraped up, that is what I get for trying to do it barefoot.

After that we visited a biluminescent Bay that at night time the water glows when stirred up, there are supposedly only 4 in the world. 

I really enjoyed my time there even though it was only a few short days, I know that our groups are going to have a great time and be exposed to a culture and community of deaf students that they are not normally exposed too, and I think it will make for a beautiful collision.

I am back in the car heading to New Orleans for 2 weeks of spring break camps there.  I have only passed through so I am looking forward to seeing the city.

Bahamas Recap!!

Got back into Gainesville, GA around 2 a.m. Sunday from the trip to the Bahamas with FSU.  It was a very productive week, we poured more concrete than I think anyone should in a 4 day period.  The group was so great, and had the best attitudes of any group I have ever been a part of.  We spent a lot of the time laughing at each others jokes, and songs that seemed to be written through out the week.   

We normally take middle school and high school students on our trips, this was our first college trip, and we realized we want to take more.  What superb group they really set the bar high.  I hope a few of them come to work on staff this summer, actually I hear Marie on the phone now, talking with Amanda who may come on staff.  Yippee!! 

We spent the last two days of the trip relaxing in Hope Town, it is a magical place where Golf carts are the car of choice on most of the island.  I ate enough conch to satisfy my cravings for some time.  I even got to go out with some of the local teenagers wakeboarding and they actually dove down and caught a conch, brought it into the boat and ate it, pretty unreal.  

I am a little under the weather this week, but trying to get better by Saturday because I fly out for a set up trip in Jamaica, 3 countries in 4 weeks is a little crazy.  This week is our first week of spring break camps in the states, we have 2 camps happening one in Texas and one at our facility in GA.  So I am doing some office work and going up and speaking at night.  Be sure to check out all my pictures on my facebook acount.  

Bahamas!!

I am in Jacksonville, Fl at the moment, I will be getting up at 5 a.m. and driving to Merrit Island, and catching a little 6 seater prop plane to Marsh Harbour, Bahamas.  We have 2 days to get everything set up for a group from Florida State University, that will arrive on Saturday.  We will be there until March 14th.  

I have never been there so I am pretty excited I have only seen pictures from some of the other TEAMeffort staff's trips.  

I have two new books to read while I am gone, that I am cannot wait to start.  In the Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day by Mark Batterson and Compelled by Love by Ed Stetzer.