I love my family.

Hello everyone. I hope you all are doing wonderfully and are enjoying summer. It's been extremely busy around here and extremely warm as well. Now that I have cut off all of my hair, it's much easier for it to become COMPLETLEY drenched with sweat when I am working up at the "Hill" where I serve 9 meals a week. Did I mention there is no air conditioning in the building? Hey- I'm not complaining... I've lost 10 lbs since I've been here merely from sweating so much. Awesome.

So, my whole family is together in Greenville at this very moment without me. That's right. Without me. I guess Chip and Marcia aren't there either... so I guess I don't feel that bad. But still... they are all having fun without me and I don't like it, I tell you... not one bit.

I'm not really sure if anyone actually reads this, but if you do, could you put me in your prayers? Some classes fell through over in Italy for next semester and I am trying to work everything out for it as best as I can. I'm not really sure what's going to happen, what I'm going to take, or really much of anything at this point, but if you could all lift it up to the Big Guy, I would certainly appreciate it. I'm becoming more and more scared to go and as much as I know it is God's will for me to do so, I am trying very hard to trust that He is going to work it all out. And I know He will. Thanks.

I miss everyone so much.

Rainy Saturday

God woke me up this morning around 6:00am (I didn't have to be anywhere until about 8:30am). I am really glad He did too. I had laundry waiting to be folded in the laundry room and coffee waiting to be made in the kitchen and clothes to be ironed in my room-- so much to do and ample time to do it. I was able to make one of my coffee-addict roommates coffee this morning and the entire process just reminded me of how much I love mornings. It was raining too-- how perfect is that? It's so calm, so serene and just gentle.
You all know me well enough to know how incredibly opinionated I am. I guess for a long time I struggled with being that way. The opinions I have I didn't want. They made people look at me differently. The convictions I had I didn't want because I was going to somehow offend someone. And Thessalonians talks about minding your own business and making it an ambition to lead a quiet life so I was mad that I wasn't that way. But mornings remind me that I love my life. The remind me of the quiet life I have in Christ and the peace that He surrounds me with everyday. They remind me of His love and grace and His gentleness. And I got all of that from folding two loads of laundry and making coffee... man... God IS awesome.

It's HOT up here.

So, I had a wonderful day at the beach with a bunch friends yesterday. It was super hot and I loved every moment of it. It made me miss the Outer Banks SO much. But God is good- I thank Him for air-conditioned Wenger practice rooms and ice cream after concerts.

Here are the boy singers: Kit, Jamie, Peter, and Joshua after the Saturday night concert eating ice cream and getting quite cozy on the couch. Aren't they just so cute :-).



I got a few letters today from a few of you lovely people-- thank you so much for thinking of me. It was wonderful to hear how you are doing. I especially apprecite the frog-shaped water gun, my dear Ruth. That made my day! You all continue to be in my prayers as I miss you all so much. God Bless.

Oh, Ho-Down!

Well, it has been one heck of a week up here at Camp-of-the-Woods. Today the Dr. and Mrs. Browne are coming to grace camp with their amazing presence and I cannot wait to see them. I only get them for a week and then I won't see them until I get back from Italy, so I'm pretty excited.


This week was the annual staff "Ho-Down" where everyone dresses up in ridiculous outfits and square-dances the night away. A very nice gentlemen, by the name of Ben, asked me to attend this function with him and I accepted. Needless-to-say, we all had a wonderful time. It was definitley a workout, but so much fun.

Just like every weekend up here, we have a concert. Tonight, is the dreaded "Disney Dazzle" comprised of 15 different songs from the lovely Disney movies of our childhood. And guess who gets to the "Belle" solo? That is right-- yours truly. I know you're jealous girls...

Yes, I am alive...

Hey everyone. I hope all is well in your lives and God is blessing you abundantly. I have been praying for everyone so much and I think about everyone almost constantly. I would love to hear from you and see how your summers are all going! Drop me a line if you've got the chance!

So, I got a blog because I figured everyone was doing it. And because I kind of feel like I dropped off of the face of the planet and no one knows what I am doing or what I am up to. So, yay for the internet and yay for blogs and me finally succumbing to it all.

I am up here in Speculator, NY, at a Christian resort and conference center called Camp-of-the-Woods. It is right on Lake Pleasant in the Adirondack State Park. We have about 1200 guests each week and really great speakers (Josh McDowell and, his son, Sean McDowell just left-- incredible!). I work about 65 hours a week rehearsing, waiting tables and performing. I am apart of the 32 person music staff in which I am a member of the octet of singers. We sing everything from contemporary Christian stuff to Broadway to classical. It's been pretty great working with singers that are way better than me-- gives me lots of motivation. We perform every night except for Tuesday (our day off-- we call it Christmas) so we definitely keep busy. There is almost no cell service here (the reason most of you have not heard from me) but the lake is gorgeous and the weather has been wonderful. The people up here are also quite wonderful and I have really been enjoying getting to know the guests as well. We serve at the same section at the dining hall all week so we really get to know them and then they get to see us perform as well!

The best thing about this place though, is that I get to spend so much time with God. I'm learning a lot about why I believe what I believe and also about the love of Christ. How He loves me and why. I know that all seems a little fundamental, but the more and more I know about it, the more complex I know it is. We will never fully understand why God loves us or how, but we do know that we are His children. I never really got that before. His children. Nothing can ever separate us from that love. Nothing we ever do or say can ever make Him turn away from us. How much more that makes me want to follow Him. Wow.
Read the first few verses of 1 John 3.

I hope to hear from you all soon. I will continue to post, maybe even show some pictures of this place up here. I love you and miss you all so much.

I also have a mailing address here if you ever want to send me cool stuff! :-)
Staff, CAMP OF THE WOODS
PO Box 250 (Rt. 30 for packages)
Speculator, NY 12164