I want to start out this post by talking about how special a touch can be. This is a bit random and kinda weird, but have you really thought about how intimate physical contact with someone is? I'm just talking about a simple hug or a pat on the back here. I remember in Psychology this past semester reading about how some monkeys would forgo food in order to be in physical contact with a "mother" and this week I was reminded of this. I was in the middle of a worship service and this random student walked up to me and said, "You look like you need a hug," and proceeded to give me one lol. I don't really know why but it just made me feel like God was hugging me. Worship is such a fierce experience for me because I really get into the music and just have a conversation with God. This week was a bit emotional for me just because I could tell so many kids were in pain and I wanted God to heal that hurt.
Here are some lyrics from a song the Christian Baxter Band played called "Living Water":
"For all the lost and the broken
For all the lame and the blind
Come to the table of mercy
And all who seek me will find
For all who had it together
But lost it all in the fight
Come to the One who is able
And says His burden is light
You have seen how far we've fallen
Sent Your only Son to die
For the wretch, the thief, and the broken
On the cross You poured out Your life."
There are all kinds of students who come through Fuge camps. You have the ones who have grown up in church all their life and "had it together." You have the ones who are hiding sin, guilt, shame, and "have fallen." You also have the ones who have never heard any of this before and are "lost and broken." There is a God who is greater than all of this though. He has the power to heal and I've seen Him move in some incredible ways already.
Two students in my Bible Study really stuck out to me this week. I won't ever mention names because it's confidential, but they were both hurting. The first student's parents were going through a divorce and she approached me after Bible Study and wanted to talk. I met with her and I had no clue what to say. Christ definitely helped me in that conversation because I can't relate to it all. She was a bit embarrassed by it and just wanted people to treat her normally. She didn't want sympathy, she just wanted to be accepted. The second girl had so much spiritual warfare going on. If you think of the textbook definition of broken person she was that girl. Her counselor recommended her to go on this trip and I'm glad they did. She was introduced to the Gospel for the first time and asked a lot of questions. I don't think she accepted Christ by the end of the week, but I could tell that she was soooooo much closer than she was at the beginning of the week and that made me happy. Life change isn't just a saying at Fuge, lives are changed forever because Christ is alive and working.
This week has been really tiring, but I'm excited about it and can't wait to do it again. My awesome girlfriend, Bri, came to see me as well so it was refreshing to see her beautiful face again. I'm excited to go home to her at the end of the summer. In the meantime, there's work to be done. God is going to do even bigger things here and I'm blessed to be a part of it. I can't wait to look back on this summer and know that God is more powerful than anything I can/will ever do. Please be in prayer for the students who are coming through here. Pray that they are willing to accept the Message and change. Please also be in prayer for the staff because we are pouring our hearts into these kids and we put out so much energy. It's going to be draining the further we get into the summer, but God will be glorified through it. Thank you so much for reading this and for your prayers!
In Love,
Bill
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