Sisters, the Little Mister and a New Sister: Weeks 3 & 4.

We Have Already Wrapped up Sabbatical Weeks 3 & 4.  Three Highlights:

The Little Mister:
Dietrich, our little man, went on his own 'camp' from June 30th-July 9th.  He flew solo from SPO-SEA, picked up by Dad and Carolyn Huber. The next day, spent it with 'Frandma' (friend grandma) Susan (included church and brunch), a day with lifelong friend/staff person, Brittany, from Everett/Mill Creek YL, then best pals, the Schwenkes (and friends!), then 3 days with his friend since pre-K, Micah Bell, and wrapping up with grandma PJ (my mom) and Dave, before flying solo to meet us in Bend, OR.  He returned with a high smile on his face and excitement to reconnect with us. Honestly, we were in prayer that he would not pull away from us or revert back to depression after his 10 days away.  He is still FULLY 'Dietrich,' the creative, funny, sweet, little 'mister' we know and love...and THAT my friends is a gift!


A New 'Sister':
Janna and her Young Life leader, Claudia, brought three 7th grade friends to camp at Washington Family Ranch, Creekside.  Each of these 3 friends were among her very first friends when we moved here, and Claudia has gotten to know them from times she volunteers at Northwood Middle, at club, and during FroYo (Frozen Yogurt) hang outs throughout the year.  All of the girls .  Each of the girls received scholarships for camp that Young Life supporters have invested in helping change kids lives forever. This is the first time we were impacted by others' generosity for camp.  A few of the kids' parents would not otherwise have been able, or willing, to contribute towards them coming.

It was a joy to see the girls arrive to camp like tens of thousands we've seen before.  But THIS time, it was OUR daughter and her friends who were enthusiastically welcomed to camp, wow-ed by the meal, tractor-beamed in to the high energy club, and refreshed by the simple message of God's love for them.  This new perspective through Janna and her friend's eyes was like seeing the gospel unveiled to kids at camp for the first time.  It was like magic seeing Claudia take each girl for a one on one to ask what they are thinking and hear their stories even deeper.  And after meeting with one friend, she decided she was ready to open her heart up to starting a relationship with God.  I know angels in heaven rejoice when any person turns from living for themselves and turns to faith in Jesus, but this time, like never before, Tanya and I felt like two of those angels. Our eyes consistently were filled with tears, we fist pumped about once every 15 mins, began to swing our arms as we walked around camp, prayed a little louder, and dreamed of how eternity just got sweeter with a new sister.  After 19 years leading, and Tanya's 22 years, it is ALWAYS a joy to see up close, and even hear about, kids' lives turning to the Lord.  But this time, it simply tasted sweeter than ever.

Sisters:
Our family just returned from Sisters, Oregon with our pals the Ingrams for a super low-key vacation full of biking, jogs, hikes, tennis, swimming, kids playing, reading, journaling and relaxing.  I shifted to a low enough gear that my fast spinning brain allowed me to read an entire book in 4 days. This is highly unusual for me!  After finishing "David and Goliath" (a superb read) I gobbled up "The Insanity of God."  A few takeaways:
1. When asking 'why' God allows such suffering, starvation and pain in the world, in places like in Somalia; greed, corruption and sin (life with God pushed out of it) is not far from the answer. Its the absence of God we feel.
2. The real enemy in the World is not ISIS, communists, racists, or oppressively religious people.  The real enemy is LOSTNESS.  Lostness is the terrible enemy Jesus commissioned his disciples to vanquished, He came to seek and save the lost, and pursue lost sheep who don't even realize how lost they are, and to welcome back those sons and daughters who purposely left home with God.
3. The stronger the discomfort, persecution and suffering that believers face, often, the more significant the vitality of the faith you will see in them, and more likely, miracles & God sightings.
4. Believers from oppressed nations don't often understand who people like me make such an effort to journal and share so many 'God stories.'  They consider that the Bible shares them, and we should not be so surprised.
5. We can learn SO much from listening to people's stories of how they have survived and thrived coming out of difficult living situations, holding onto their faith. 
6. It is always possible to share Jesus with others. Even if it means being rejected, imprisoned or attacked. Rejection and persecution is completely avoidable however, just DON'T share Jesus. ;)
Good stuff.  So much to chew on and consider in how comfortable of faith we seek to live, yet how God rarely moves in that. God moves through faith. He is pleased by it. How can we exercise faith and love in new ways this year?

Excited now to go on our biggest family trip EVER this next week, to Kauai.  Sounds like I'll be at Shick Shadle, detoxing...but I will be leaving my iPhone and laptop to the side almost all week. Maybe a few 'sips' but otherwise, I'm going 'dry.'  Praying for my focus to be on Tanya, Janna, Dietrich, myself, and the Lord!  Thanks for listening. Keep pressing in your faith alongside us!  There is so much more, his love is higher, wider, longer and deeper than we can imagine.   -JH-