Pine Cove - Part 1

Realizing my need for God in everything

Camp is a place that forces you to step out of everything that is comfortable and be stretched at all moments of the day. I found myself overwhelmed and underprepared multiple times every hour. I had to learn to rest in the promises that God has given us in His Word. Two that I relied on are found in Luke 12:11-12 and Matthew 6:33. Basically those verses promise us that God will be with us, will provide for us, and will give us the words to say, if we are being faithful to live out His gospel and seeking Him first in all things.

I lived for 6 weeks in constant need of God’s presence and if He had not provided, then I would have been lost. Coming home, and now being in Midland, I am not always aware of how much I need Jesus in everyday life. This is the case because I have a comfortable and easy life. I am not constantly in the stretch zone, where life is difficult and not always fun. However, having lived in the uncomfortable stretch zone for an extended period, I do not want to live my life in the comfortable zone. In the comfortable zone, my view of myself is too large and thus my view of God is far too small. I desire to see how small I am and how majestic and powerful our God is, which is found in the stretch zone; the place where I know that all things are truly founded in Him.

I want to risk my life, have adventure, do hard things and be stretched, because in those times I’ll need my Savior more than ever. In those times, He and I’ll grow closer than ever. I need a mission and a bigger purpose than just working a job and succeeding in the oil field. Here are some quotes from my journal over the summer that show how God was teaching me in the midst of it all.

7/17 – “I have seen how small and weak I am this week. I have seen how much I need a Savior. I have seen how much I need grace and mercy. I have seen how dependent I really am on Christ.”

08/01 – “I don’t know how to endure and persevere through this week. God I need You more than ever, or maybe I’m just aware of how much I need You. And now that I think about it, it’s not a bad thing at all. It’s completely freeing and right to be desperate for You with everything I have.”

08/19 – after camp – “I want to live my life in such a way that I feel a need for You at every moment of the day. I hate having it together and figured out. I desire to be poor and empty and to be filled and founded in You.”

My prayer is that I'd learn to live outside of myself in such a way that only God can get credit for what happens in my life. I want no glory nor credit. To God be all the glory and credit!