Wait, hold up...less than 3 weeks left? Crazy!

(Many of our interns hanging out and celebrating Patrick's birthday!!!)

So, everyone knew it would happen this way. Summer would start. All of the interns would get really involved in our jobs, building relationships with new summer staff, work crew, and assigned team. And, then all of a sudden we would realize that the summer season has flown by. Well I'm at this point right now, the period of recognizing that there's only one and a half weeks of summer left, and just two and a half weeks left of my internship.


The third session has been incredible so far. My five summer staff cooks are all-stars and I feel incredibly privileged each day I get to work with them. They work hard every day, get things done fast, and are excited to be here to work, learn, and grow. God's doing some exciting things in all of their lives, and I'm honored to be able to participate in this stage of their journeys.


So far we have had eight full camp weeks completed. That's well over 3,000 high school campers who have come onto the property and heard the gospel message of Christ. Of these students, many have stood up at the end of each week to proclaim that they are making changes in their life and want to begin a new walk with Christ. How exciting it is to work in a place of eternal significance!

While summer has certainly been amazing thus far, I am now at a point where it is easy to be anxious about things coming up in the future. Would you be able to join me in prayer for these concerns that have been on my mind and heart recently?

1. Where will I work when I am done here at STC on August 14th? Well, I've currently applied at a couple of YL camps for full time food service jobs and actually have an interview at one camp early next week. Pray for God's guidance and for my peace and confidence as I interview.




2. What about having a vehicle? Currently I still do not own a car since my previous car's transmission died while driving down here last August. Looking for another car is stressful, as this is a big investment. Please pray for the right options to become available and let me know if you know of any good, reliable cars that may be available to me for less than 3,000 dollars.




3. Will I be able to spend time with family and friends before starting a new job somewhere? I'm hoping I will have at least a couple of weeks (if not more) in between my internship and whatever job I obtain to go home to Michigan and spend time with my family. I miss them all a bunch and would love to see them before starting the next phase of my journey. Also, there are so many good friends back in MI that I want to see and catch up with too!




4. What about the great people I have lived and worked with at SharpTop? With many of the interns going in different directions, it is sad to think about this community we have called home for 12 months never being the same again. While we are excited for each others' individual journeys ahead, we all hope to stay connected somehow (phone, Internet, random road trips) in the future. I truly believe these friendships I have made here will last a lifetime!
   

Thanks for reading and praying for me as I finish strong and prepare for this upcoming time of transition.

Blessings!

One Month to Go!

It seems crazy to say...only one month remaining during our year long internship here at SharpTop Cove. Definitely mixed emotions come along with the reality of the change ahead. Excited for whatever God has in store for me next. But, I'm going to miss this experience and the people I've been able to share it with over the last year.

We've got one more session of summer staff, work crew, and assigned team staff starting this weekend. We'll be working with them for the next three weeks as we all serve the next groups of high school campers that come through SharpTop. Then, there will be one more week left as we wrap up things here at camp.

No matter what's next, I'm excited for what will be happening here over the next month. I want to enjoy the remaining time I have with my fellow interns and staff. I want to serve the summer staff and work crew in the kitchen well. I don't want to miss out on what God is doing in the lives of the hundreds of campers who will be visiting this property each week. May He give the rest of the interns and myself the strength, and energy to live out the next four weeks to the fullest.

Hello Session Two!

Well the first three weeks of our summer camping season have come and gone already. Our first session assigned team, summer staff, and work crew left early Sunday morning and our new session two folks arrived that same weekend. We had quite the welcome with a fierce thunderstorm rolling through camp Saturday night. The power was out for a bit and there was some minor tree damage around camp. Thankfully no one was hurt and things are starting to transition to the normal summer feel.

Pray for our energy as we continue to spend long hours this week as we train our new summer staff and work crew through their first week. Also, pray for new relationships with these people to begin and grow (right now I'm just trying to remember all the names!) . Finally, pray that no matter how long are days get and how much work has to get done, that we always stay centered on Christ as we serve in this place.

Blessings!

The busy summer season...

Hey everyone! It's week two here at SharpTop Cove and things are busy, but going really well. I get the opportunity to lead five summer staff in the kitchen as we prepare and serve breakfast and lunch for over 600 people each day. There's a lot of work that goes into all of that preparation, but it is such a blessing to be leading this group. Despite a variety of personalities, our group is becoming closer together each day and I feel like we have really tried to center ourselves each day on the Lord.

When I'm not hanging out at the kitchen each day, I have been trying to engage in the other elements of camp, such as club, tableau, opera, etc. Also, I have been able to brush up on my frisbee golf game with some of the other interns. While there's a lot of improving left to do, I really have enjoyed the friendly competion and time we have been able to share with each other throwing the disc.

With the first session at about the halfway point, I ask you to keep us all in your prayers here at SharpTop Cove.

• Pray for the group of campers from last week who committed their lives to Christ and strengthened their relationship with Him. Pray for their transition back to home and for their relationships with their Young Life leaders, family, and friends.


• Pray for the lives of the campers here this week as they continue to hear the gospel and learn what it means to trust.


• Pray for the next eight weeks of campers who are anticipating their arrival to SharpTop Cove.


• Pray for the community of work crew, summer staff, assigned team, and SharpTop staff to be energized in our work as we finish out the session over the next week and a half.

Thanks y'all!

Counting down to Sunday...

5 days. That's it! Only five days until the first group of buses roll in to SharpTop Cove for the first week of summer camp. Excitement is in the air here at camp as we anticipate ten weeks straight of high school students from all over the southeastern United States coming to have "the best week of their life!"

In preparation for all these buses to come in, we had about 200 volunteers last week join our staff to work on various projects in landscaping, construction, cleaning, etc. to get camp to a condition of excellence before Sunday. This week the work continues for our staff as we finish the projects that were started last week and continue training for our roles as interns this summer.

It really is amazing how many people are involved in making a camp like this run smoothly during the summer time. There is a total of 19 interns here this summer: 4 in ropes, 4 in the kitchen (one of the four will also help in maintenance too), 2 in retail, 2 health officers, 1 lifeguard, 1 sound tech, 1 videographer, 1 bikes wrangler, 1 guest services host, 1 housekeeper, and 1 office intern. All of us will be interacting in one way or another with work crew, summer staff, and assigned team staff as we set up high school students to encounter Jesus Christ.

So, just a few more days remain before all the pieces are in place. Be praying for our staff as we prepare for these groups to arrive at our property. Pray for leaders as they get ready to spend a week with kids they have been building relationships with over the past few weeks, months, or years. And, finally be praying for kids as they arrive at Sharptop, begin to let their walls down, and engage leaders' challenge to trust and pursue Jesus.

Feeling like Summertime!

Just got back from a week long family vacation at Myrtle Beach, SC. It was really nice to see the family and be able to relax and read in the sunny weather outside at the pool and beach. Also, when we returned to Georgia for Mother's Day weekend we all visited the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta. It was a lot of fun and I was especially happy for my sister Kelli to enjoy all the sights of the sea-animals.

Another highlight of course was being able to spend mother's day with my mom! I was so thankful that she was able to see where I've lived for the last nine months and spend the week with me and the family. They all headed back to MI on Monday and are eagerly anticipating the warmer weather they felt in the South to work its way up North.

Well, the warmer weather down here in GA, is certainly feeling like summer. Our camp is gearing up for the busy season ahead. Our summer intern class is arriving this week. Next week is our work week where over 200 volunteers are expected to come and help us with a variety of projects around camp to make this gorgeous place even more beautiful before the first bus of campers arrive on May 29. Just a couple days before the kids arrive a group our work crew, summer staff, and assigned team staff will get here and train for the first session of camping.

It certainly is busy, but we are all excited for what's ahead. Be praying for kids who are contemplating being here this summer. Pray that they will say "yes!" commit to spending "the best week of their lives" here at SharpTop Cove!

Blessings!

April Summer...

Well, it's about eighty degrees outside and sunny in mid-April. Definitely love weather like this, especially after hearing about reports of snow on the ground a couple of days ago back home in Michigan. Everything is continuing to go well here in GA. Just over a week ago, our intern group and a few others from SharpTop and WindyGap went to an Atlanta Braves baseball game followed by an Avett Brothers concert, both at Turner Field. Even though the braves lost to the Phillies, it was a fun day. Definitely loved catching up with a few of the WindyGap interns as well.

Camp life is going pretty well lately. Anticipation is high for the summer. Last week we had assigned team training for all of the Field Staff who will be running the three sessions of camp this summer here at SharpTop. It was great to meet so many people I will see in a month or two. I can't wait to get to know them all better.

In the mean time, I'm excited to head home in a couple days to see my family for Easter weekend. It's been just over four months since I've seen them last, so I'm really looking forward to hanging out with them and some good friends back home for a few days. Then, hopefully I'll be joining the family again a few days later for a family vacation in SC. Definitely things to look forward to before the busyness of the summer.

Thanks again for your prayers here and may we all focus on the sacrifice and resurrection of our Lord Jesus this week!

Spring is in the Air!

Well I'm definitely starting to enjoy what Spring time is like here in Northern Georgia. Even though the weather has fluctuated from cloudy skies and 5o degrees one day to sunny and eighty degrees another, altogether this weather has been quite pleasant. Baseball season has started once again and of course I'm rooting for my beloved Tigers to do well this year and make a run for the World Series. But, I will admit the Braves are in the running to win my heart for my favorite National League team. On Sunday our intern group will be heading to Turner Field to watch the Braves play the Phillies. Should be a great game! Along with baseball, I'm looking forward to seeing my family in a few weeks during Easter time, and then again on a family vacation to South Carolina the first week of May. It will be a nice break from camp life before the craziness of Summer arrives and of course I'm excited to see my family for the first time since Christmas! So with the Spring season here and Summer around the corner, here are a few things you could be praying for back home...

• Focus for our interns as we continue our rotations before summer.


• A continued unity among us as we anticipate the arrival of summer interns, work crew, summer staff, and assigned team to camp in just over a month.


• Peace concerning our future job endeavors after this internship is over.


• Success in finishing up our group fundraising for the year.


• Wisdom and provision for me as I go through the process of looking for a car to have possibly for summer, but more importantly after I leave here in August.

Thanks and Blessings!

Race to the Finish

Ever since we arrived back at camp since our trip to Nicaragua it seems like our group has been searching for a sense of normality. For the first time in a few months we suddenly seemed to be hosting many mid-week groups. Also, many of the interns made plans to go home to visit family and friends. It was definitely an interesting few weeks. But, now all nine of us are back here at camp and trying to enjoy the present while anticipating the future.

Two days ago, I ran a half marathon race in Atlanta. It was my first ever race of that distance, and I loved it. I was especially happy that I achieved my goal of finishing under 2 hours (1 hour and 53 minutes)! But, now looking back at the race I can see some illustrations of the challenges that our intern class faces in balancing the acts of remembering our pasts, living in the present, and awaiting the future.

As for the past, it is very unlikely I would have achieved my goal of finishing under 2 hours without my past experiences in running and the training I put into preparing for the race. Even though, my training was far from perfect and had many roadblocks throughout the months, the process was vital for my conditioning on race day. Similarly, my past experiences before and during this internship have prepared me for the present. My relationships with Christ, family, and friends certainly have an impact on who I am today. Also, experiences in work and ministry have equipped me to face the tasks of life today. For example, my summer internship at Timber Wolf Lake last year helped prepare me immensely for my time in the kitchen here at SharpTop Cove.

Just as the past is important to remember, it is also vital to live in the present as well. In my half marathon race I had to take the race one mile at a time to make sure I kept up with my desired pace. Also, by appreciating each moment I was able to take in the scenery of a variety of places around the city of Atlanta. If I was constantly concerned about how I wished I would have trained better, or only envisioning the finish line I would have missed out on so much. This is the challenge here in this internship as well. Sometimes the year can seem like it's dragging by, and sometimes it can go extremely fast. In either case, it is really easy to be distracted from what is going on in the present. Right now all the interns including myself are anxious about what we will be doing after this internship is complete. It is important to make sure we don't miss out on many opportunities to enjoy what we have now, by always being focused on the future.

That being said, what is ahead should not be totally forgotten. I really enjoyed the scenery of running through Atlanta and the encouragement from all of the crowds. But, without an end goal in mind, I would have lacked motivation to continue running after a while. While appreciating the journey of getting there, it is healthy to be excited about the finish line of the race. Likewise, I know I cannot totally neglect what life will look like after this internship is complete. I need to be assertive in thinking, praying, applying, and planning for what's ahead.

The challenge of course is figuring out how to balance these three perspectives. There are some days when I dwell in the nostalgia of the past. Other days, I want to block out the past and future and just focus in on the here and now. And, then most days I am freaking out about where God is going to have me in the future. While there is no secret formula, I believe that being mindful of both the past and future while living in the beauty of the present is the best way to go. There will be days when this is harder than others, but this is why it is so important to genuinely trust God through all of it.

Well, off to go enjoy the present... Blessings!

Miami to Managua to Matagalpa to Massaya and back!

Hey everyone! It has been a few days since I returned back from my week long trip in Nicaragua. Our group of 14 staff and interns from SharpTop Cove left last week Tuesday and flew from Atlanta to Miami. It was there that we met the 10 people from Windy Gap who were joining us and then we all flew out to Managua, the capital city of Nicaragua. After we cleared customs, we all headed across the busy highway to our best western hotel stay. It was a nice place to rest up after a long day of travel and a busy week ahead...

On Wednesday our group went through an orientation meeting with Ann Sharpe, one of the American leaders of Vida Joven (Young Life) Nicaragua. Ann was an amazing blessing to our group as she guided us through the days at camp and surrounding cities of Nicaragua. She also often translated between the Spanish language of the Nicaraguans and our spoken English language. During the orientation we learned a brief overview of the country of Nicaragua and the ministry of Vida Joven in Nicaragua over the past 20 years or so. The camp used by Vida Joven is called La Finca (The Farm) and was located on the outskirts of Jinotega and Matagalpa, Nicaragua. This is where we would be spending the next five days of our trip.

After a two hour ride North on the camp owned school bus, our group was warmly welcomed by some of the Nicaraguan Vida Joven leaders. We entered the camp by going down a zip-line over the small lake. Then, after a small tour of camp and our first lunch of the week, we started our first afternoon of work. A normal workday for us during the week at camp began right after breakfast and morning devos at 8am. We would get a short break at 10am for juice and crackers. Then, work again until noon, and start back up after lunch until 4pm. Some of the projects our group worked on included: digging a trench to lay new pipe in for a bathroom that was being constructed, digging a different trench (about 200 yards in length or so) to remove and replace a broken pipe that carries water from a well to the "beneficio" where the coffee beans are washed, painting the game room and gym, constructing a Frisbee golf course, and building ten new bunk beds. The two main jobs that I focused on during the week were in the trenches.

Even though it was hard physical labor, I really enjoyed the opportunity to work alongside SharpTop staff, Windy Gap staff, and Nicaraguan leaders. It was great to share intern experiences that have been similar and different with the interns at Windy Gap and also very rewarding trying to communicate with the Nicaraguans. The language barrier was difficult to overcome at times, but both the Americans and the Nicaraguans were able to appreciate each others efforts to learn more about each others' lives.

I think one thing that stood out the most to me about our relationship with the Nicarguans was that even though we have different cultures and languages, we all share so much in our desire and worship of the Lord. It was so powerful to sing the same songs together with them at our evening worship session and have the same song sung both in English and Spanish at the exact same time! It was a foreshadowing of what I believe our worship in heaven may be like. Also, we saw that the way Nicaraguan Vida Joven and American Young Life put forth clubs are very similar. On Thursday evening the Nicaraguans showed us what a Nicaraguan club looks like and then on Friday evening the SharpTop and Windy Gap staff put on an American club for the Nicaraguans. We both love using songs, skits, games, and laughter to open up hearts for the gospel. It was just a slight difference in cultural setting and language that made the two clubs different.

Similarly, we saw unity at church in Matagalpa on Sunday morning when almost all of the songs that we sung were songs that I was familiar with back in the United States (only I was used to singing in English). Along with unity, I also saw hospitality as the pastor had his son come up to the front of the church to translate the sermon into English so us Americans could understand it too. This theme of the Nicaraguans going out of their way for us continued as our group split up into pairs to go off to our host families for a day. My friend and fellow intern Mike and I stayed with Reynaldo (Condor) and his wife Daysie. Even though their living accommodations were modest in comparison with what we are used to in the United States, they were both always willing to share what they had with us. We shared three amazing meals with them, and Condor even allowed us to watch a bit of the Ohio State vs. Purdue basketball game on television (in English)! Later on in the day we all met together to see an actual Nicaraguan Young Life/Vida Joven club with the children of Matagalpa. Not only did we get to watch what happened, but many of us were asked to participate in some of the games as well. It was a ton of fun!

But, more than just being fun, I was amazed to see the transparency of the Nicaraguan Vida Joven leaders. Just like at the end of an American Young Life club, some of the leaders shared apart of their story and then they shared about Christ. Condor was one of those leaders who shared and it was incredible to hear how God has transformed his life from one filled with drugs, alcohol, gangs, and living on the street to one who vibrantly lives to serve Jesus with all of his heart, soul, mind, and strength. He actually first gave his life to Christ at La Finca, the exact same camp we just had spent the last five days. I know God is going to use Condor to affect so many lives of the youth of Matagalpa!

Our trip concluded with a trip to Massaya on Monday. First, we stopped at Massaya Volcano National Park and saw very large craters of the surrounding shield volcanoes. The most surprising aspect to me was that these volcanoes looked much different than my envisioned mountain top with lava pouring out image. Instead, we actually were looking down most of the time into craters where steam still steadily rose into the air. Still a pretty cool sight though. Then, after seeing the volcanoes we went to the marketplace which exists in a square shaped fort looking complex. Many crafts and goods made in Nicaragua and other places were on display here. Some of the items included hammocks, machetes, cigars, rum, paintings, sculptures, etc. Finally, after an hour of shopping we all headed back to the hotel in Managua and rested up before heading home the next day.

Overall, it was an amazing trip. Being my first ever international mission trip, I certainly appreciated many different aspects of the journey. I liked the warmer weather, the culture, and seeing sights like the volcanoes and gorgeous skies from a mountaintop. However, more than any of that, I fell in love with the way God has united his people through his son Jesus Christ despite differences of culture and language. These people shared the same passion we had of sharing Christ to the youth. As some of the people in our group rightly pointed out at the end of the week: God does not just exist in America. His presence is felt throughout the nations. How great it is to think about what God is doing through people in other countries, just like what we saw in Nicaragua!

Nicaragua here we come!

So today is the day that all of the interns and a few property staff from Sharptop Cove and Windy Gap Young Life camps are traveling down to Nicaragua. The camp we'll be helping out at is called "La Finca" and is located in Jinotega, Nicaragua. As part of our trip we'll be staying one night with a host family, working at camp for a few days, possibly helping out in the coffee plantation, hiking a volcano, and visiting a marketplace. Definitely excited. I'll update you all when I come back on what actually transpires.

One neat little tidbit is that all of the guys from SharpTop on our trip grew out our mustaches for the trip. It's been a fun little community builder, but I'm definitely ready to shave it off once we get back. Hopefully it's not too poorly received when we travel.

Also, over the past couple of weeks my new kitchen rotation has started. In that time we've served over 1,000 guests on weekend camp trips and also provided meals for property staff who were here for sound training last week. Still trying to get back into the rhythm of last summer, but for the most part I'm enjoying the experience.

Well that's all I've got for now. Look forward to sharing about Nicaragua with you next week. Blessings!

Looking ahead to February...

Hey everyone! Most of the snow that was around for winter training has melted, but of course there are rumors of another system moving in early next week. Who would have thought that even in Georgia I'm getting sick of the snow?

Well it's a pretty good bet in three weeks the last thing I'll be thinking about is snow. Our intern class will be heading to Nicaragua to help work at an international Young Life camp. Most likely we'll be placed on work teams to improve conditions around the camp including buildings, landscape, etc. I'm not sure really what to expect, but I'm excited to go on my first ever international mission trip.

Also, ahead is our next rotation of our internship. I'll be heading to the kitchen for three months. I'm definitely excited after really enjoying my week-long return during winter training. It looks look I'll at least be starting with the AM shift for February and then it is possible I'll get a taste of PM in March or April.

Before I go, here's an intern photo from Christmas. From left to right are: Luke (Illinois), Dani (Connecticut), me, Octavia (Florida), Patrick (Colorado), Lee Ann (South Carolina), Joseph (Virginia), Erin (Michigan), and Mike (New York). Thanks for your prayers for the nine of us as we prepare for our new rotations and trip to Nicaragua.

Blessings!

Winter Training and Storming...

Hey everyone! Well Winter Training is wrapping up here at SharpTop. Well I should say we're in the process of wrapping it up. The winter weather of snow, ice, sleet, and rain over the past couple of days has hindered the departure process for field staff. We're hoping everyone will be able to head back home safely soon.

Over the past week or so I have been working in the kitchen as an AM Cook. It was really fun being able to work with 6 of the other interns in the kitchen as well and we had a great group of cooks and pits crew (dishwashers) from Murfreesboro, TN. I also really enjoyed being able to translate my kitchen knowledge from last summer to SharpTop's kitchen. Although there are some differences in how things are prepared in this kitchen, as opposed to Timber Wolf, I found that I felt extremely comfortable jumping right in with the cooking, serving, and supervising throughout the week.

Alongside enjoying being back in the kitchen, I really loved the connections made with so many good people here. I was able to reconnect with many staff who were on assigned team at Timber Wolf last summer, talk to people who I led with in Eastern Ottawa and student staff, and met many other amazing staff from around the country. Relationships are a big part of this ministry, so it was no surprise that this was one of the biggest highlights for me.

Now we (the interns) are taking care of the remaining field staff who are still at camp and gearing up for the post-winter training clean up process. Then, it's back to our departments (maintenance for me) for a couple of weeks before beginning new rotations at the beginning of February. Finally, before we know it, our mission trip to Nicaragua will be here in just over a month. Many things to look forward to, but for now trying to take advantage of living each day in the here and now to the fullest. Thanks for your continued prayers for this internship. Blessings!