29 things that have made me who I am today...

1. Keith & Cindy being my parents
2. Holly being my sister
3. Understanding the power of the Gospel
4. Having cousins who are also dear friends
5. Being a part of an incredible legacy and family of believers
6. Growing up in CV
7. Having my grandma as my first grade teacher
8. Falling in love with reading thanks to my third grade teacher
9. Being a camper at Kids Camp
10. Playing volleyball and basketball for CVS
11. Going to basketball camp at Maranatha and then to the Bahamas with those same people
12. The death of my friend Rachel
13. Falling more in love with Jesus
14. Going to K-State
15. Learning the importance of loving people
16. Living on the 4th floor of West Hall
17. Meeting the Navs
18. Understanding the importance of discipleship
19. Going to STP
20. Being an RA
21. Going to Zambia
22. Going to Main Event
23. Going to Malawi
24. Moving to Wichita
25. Student teaching at Heights
26. Being a teacher at Southeast (on year #7)
27. Attending First Free
28. Buying a house and moving to Indianapolis (street)
29. Going to East Asia

back together again....

This past Monday night was the official end of summer... It was a night that I had been looking forward to since May. We all scattered about for the summer and THIS was the night that the MNGP's were back together again under one roof. 

 

 

We all wore shirts from our various summer adventures. Some of us left the country, some of us left the state, others headed up the road to another city, and still others of us loved on kids at camp. My prayer that we would each come back different was most definitely answered. We each saw evidence of the Lord at work in the places He took us. We all met people that challenged us, encouraged us, and walked along side us for a season. It was such a blessing to have everyone back together again. I am excited for our times together on Monday nights.

"Macho" Mandy

For a week of each summer I have the title of "Macho" Mandy. I have tried to change it but obviously have not had much luck. There are campers who turn into counselors who knew me as Macho Mandy and say, "You aren't handy. You aren't dandy. You are Macho." So since the summer of 1997 (with a few summers off during college) I have been "Macho" Mandy.

Here are some of the highlights from my week at camp.

These lovely ladies wrote me this little diddy.

"Mandy is tough.

Mandy is strong.

Mandy has been here SO long.

That's why we're singing this song...

If you let us in (to eat)

we will all get along."

I might have whipped cream on my face. 

Amy and Jason might be throwing cheetos at my face. Maybe?!? :)

It is always so fun to see campers come back year after year.

 

It is equally as fun to see campers return as counselors.

One of my favorite parts of camp is the time that I get to spend serving alongside the counselors and staff. 

The counselors love and serve their campers and each other so well. 

It is such a blessing to watch.

These lovely ladies have been a part of camp for their share of years now. 

It is so fun to have them back year after year. 

They encourage and challenge me. They love camp and do camp well.

what a privilege it is...

A word that seems to keep coming up as I answer the question, "How was your trip?" is the word PRIVILEGE. It was a privilege to go. It was a privilege to see. It was a privilege to be a part of the lives of those dear children.

I am getting ready to enter another week of camp where I am finally able to put into words why it is that I keep going back year after year.

It is TRULY a privilege to be a part of the lives of these kids.

For those of you who have known me for any amount of time know that for several summers of my life I have spent a week of many summers at camp. It's a place that keeps drawing me back, a place where regardless of how much we have prepared or our attitudes going into the week, God is FAITHFUL to show up and do some amazing things in the lives of the campers and counselors (and anyone else who is there that week.) It really is awesome!

There are countless reasons why I absolutely love camp. I met some of my dearest friends there. I get to hang out with some of the coolest kids on the planet year after year there. I am "Macho Mandy" for a week. (It's a name that I was given the summer of 1997 and as much as I have tried, it just won't go away.)

I have spent 1 week of 15 different summers at this place. (3 years as a camper, 5 as a counselor and am going back for year number 7 as "staff.")  It's crazy but it's worth it.

Another privilege I have this year is the opportunity to share with the counselors during training the idea of being a "link in the chain." I am going to summarize as best I can a talk that we listened to in XA, EA. I was  really struck by the simple idea that we all have the opportunity to be a "link in the chain" of each person we come in contact with. What has really challenged me lately is the question of what kind of link will we be? Will we be links that connect well? Links that distract? Links that eventually break? Links that change the course of a person's life?

So if you think about it, join me in praying that we as counselors, as staff, as the body of Christ, that we will be links in the chains of the lives of these dear kiddos.

What a privilege it is.

"home"

The more I travel...

The more stamps are added to my passport...

The more of the world I get to see...

...the more I appreciate "home."

...the more I appreciate where I grew up.

...the more I look forward to whatever  is next on this journey.

pray for Ajay

I met this little guy during my time at New Day. 

He met his forever parents during my time at New Day. 

He had the first of many surgeries and needs our prayers. 

Will you join me in praying for Ajay?

(This is a link to more specifics on how you can pray.)

different.

One of my prayers anytime I get the opportunity to leave the country is that I will return different. Whether that be with a fresh perspective, a greater appreciation for "home," a deeper understanding of the Lord, a bigger heart for people and the world... Regardless of how the Lord has answered that prayer, the thing is, HE was faithful to answer once again.

The part that has been hard in all this, has not been getting over jet lag but trying to figure out how to sum it all up. How can I even begin to put in to words everything I saw and experienced? How do I explain why pieces of my hearts are now scattered about in another part of the world?

A friend of mine summed it up so well this afternoon. She didn't ask about my trip, she just said, "You're back and you're different. You left part of yourself there." Our conversation ended and my heart was light and I realized, that's it.

If there is anything that I want you to know it's just that.

I'm back. 

I'm different and I left part of myself there.

I can't express what I saw and what I experienced. (I can show you pictures and try.) However, I am excited to share with you the stories of the people that captured my heart and the lessons I learned from the people I met, the things I saw and the things I experienced that the Lord used to answer my prayer that I would return different.