I was talking to a friend of mine tonight, one that I did summer staff with this summer. And we were discussing how even though we know the truth and know God intimately, we still doubt his power and majesty. How we often love him conditionally while he always loves us unconditionally. And then when he comes through for us in the clutch we praise and worship him and then we wait for the next time he comes though big. When in reality he is always coming through big for us. We need to put our selfishness aside and simple trust and love in him.
After that conversation I spent some time listening to a song that really speaks to how desperate I often am for the Lord, whether or not I live like it or not. The song is "Set a Fire" and on youtube a great version is the one by Will Reagan & united Pursuit Band. At Summer staff we sang this song several times and it was awesome. It's simplicity but yet it's powerful lyrics. I believe the lyrics speak to how we all feel, whether or not we realize it. And if we just lived this desperate for the Lord, I can only imagine how much more Godly our lives would look.
Listen to it here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7NlJr6TE7b4
Love y'all,
Opher
Friday, July 29, 2011
Friday, July 22, 2011
The Dance Party that is YL Capernaum
What up y'all? This past week I attended a Young Life Capernaum camp trip at North Bay with a group from Columbus, Ohio. I wanted to share this trip with all of my awesome readers. Anyone who knows anything about me knows that I have a passion to work with kids with disabilities and I have a passion to share Christ with them. I have been trying to get involved with Capernaum for well over 3 years now and my prayer and networking has finally paid off. I got hooked up with the group from Columbus through a few friends of mine. And boy oh boy am I glad I did.
I went as a leader but was paired up with a young man we will call J. He is a very energetic 23 year old, but one that has not been away from his family for more than a day or two at a time. That made camp a little bit of a struggle for him. At the beginning of the week J did not want to do any of the activities, he always had an excuse ready and available. The only thing he wanted to do was talk to the Summer Staff girls and some of the High school girls who went as buddies. From day 1 I knew I had my hands full but was constantly praying the God could give me the patience I would need to survive the week.
As the week went on I learned that J could be talked into about anything if I bribed him. Also, he really liked the attention of the two guys doing program for the week so he would do things when they were around which greatly helped. He had a go to move however, if he didn't get his way he would call his mom and say he was sick. She would then ask that we take him to the camp EMT. I only complied with this request once, the other times I was able, with a lot of patience to avoid this. My tough love and the help of the program guys allowed J to really open up and by the end he was doing everything and even dancing!! The dude also is a beast at basketball, beat me legitimately twice.
Now I mentioned the dancing. Capernaum can pretty much be defined as a dance party or DP if you will. These kids would dance anytime a hint of music came on and I loved it!! It got my heart racing to see the joy the kids found in dancing. The simple things made them so happy. At a normal YL camp you would not see a majority of the campers thoroughly enjoying dance parties like 2 times every day of camp. Also, the pool was packed the entire time. Again, I have been to YL camps now 5 times, 2 as a camper and 3 as a leader and never have I seen a pool be so consistently packed. The simple things gave the campers so much joy. Jesus tells us in Mark 10:15 that we must have faith like a child to get into heaven. And watching these campers, I saw what that meant.
The camp speaker did an amazing job presenting the Gospel and Jesus to these campers. And no matter their developmental level or disability, I knew that God was speaking in the lives of these kids. I teared up so many times when I was simply watching these campers be themselves. They had a safe environment where they were not being stared at or being told what to do. They could be themselves, who they were created to be, without the judgemental eyes of society upon them. It was a sight to behold and one that will be even grander in Heaven.
Now, I could go on and on about this experience. This trip again confirmed what God has put on my heart, that I want to and need to be doing ministry and living my life with individuals with disabilities. I encourage everyone to not be freaked out by these individuals but to take the time to get to know them. Jesus never cared what was "wrong" with anyone, he just loved and I believe we need to do the same. Be comfortable being uncomfortable. And simply, dance in joy with these kids.
Capernaum is named after the story in Luke 5:17-26. This past week I was a friend carrying the mat, and just like the guys in the story, Jesus showed up and rewarded my faith and tough me a lot.
Lots of love y'all
Opher
I went as a leader but was paired up with a young man we will call J. He is a very energetic 23 year old, but one that has not been away from his family for more than a day or two at a time. That made camp a little bit of a struggle for him. At the beginning of the week J did not want to do any of the activities, he always had an excuse ready and available. The only thing he wanted to do was talk to the Summer Staff girls and some of the High school girls who went as buddies. From day 1 I knew I had my hands full but was constantly praying the God could give me the patience I would need to survive the week.
As the week went on I learned that J could be talked into about anything if I bribed him. Also, he really liked the attention of the two guys doing program for the week so he would do things when they were around which greatly helped. He had a go to move however, if he didn't get his way he would call his mom and say he was sick. She would then ask that we take him to the camp EMT. I only complied with this request once, the other times I was able, with a lot of patience to avoid this. My tough love and the help of the program guys allowed J to really open up and by the end he was doing everything and even dancing!! The dude also is a beast at basketball, beat me legitimately twice.
Now I mentioned the dancing. Capernaum can pretty much be defined as a dance party or DP if you will. These kids would dance anytime a hint of music came on and I loved it!! It got my heart racing to see the joy the kids found in dancing. The simple things made them so happy. At a normal YL camp you would not see a majority of the campers thoroughly enjoying dance parties like 2 times every day of camp. Also, the pool was packed the entire time. Again, I have been to YL camps now 5 times, 2 as a camper and 3 as a leader and never have I seen a pool be so consistently packed. The simple things gave the campers so much joy. Jesus tells us in Mark 10:15 that we must have faith like a child to get into heaven. And watching these campers, I saw what that meant.
The camp speaker did an amazing job presenting the Gospel and Jesus to these campers. And no matter their developmental level or disability, I knew that God was speaking in the lives of these kids. I teared up so many times when I was simply watching these campers be themselves. They had a safe environment where they were not being stared at or being told what to do. They could be themselves, who they were created to be, without the judgemental eyes of society upon them. It was a sight to behold and one that will be even grander in Heaven.
Now, I could go on and on about this experience. This trip again confirmed what God has put on my heart, that I want to and need to be doing ministry and living my life with individuals with disabilities. I encourage everyone to not be freaked out by these individuals but to take the time to get to know them. Jesus never cared what was "wrong" with anyone, he just loved and I believe we need to do the same. Be comfortable being uncomfortable. And simply, dance in joy with these kids.
Capernaum is named after the story in Luke 5:17-26. This past week I was a friend carrying the mat, and just like the guys in the story, Jesus showed up and rewarded my faith and tough me a lot.
Lots of love y'all
Opher
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Wisdom From a Friend
What up peeps!? I just wanted to share with you all (if anyone actually reads this) a story that a friend of mine just shared. My dude Jack did Summer Staff with me at Saranac Village this summer and he just posted this on our facebook group. I hope he does not mind me sharing this I just found it awesome.
"Hey everybody, the coolest thing happened today and I felt the need to share it here. Right now I'm at a secular leadership building camp in Utah with 47 other guys my age and I'm in a small group with 7 other guys. This evening, after the days events, we were given a pamphlet to read that would guide us to search ourselves and think about our traits and how we can become better leaders and that sort of thing, and we were given an hour an a half to go off by ourselves and have basically a "20 minutes" type of experience, but a secular kind. Well, afterwards we met back up in our small groups for "cabin time" and talked about what we discovered and experienced. This one kid who has been kinda quiet (yes I'M calling someone else quiet) so far opens up and tells us that he started thinking through himself and what he wanted to become and as he thought more and more he felt the urge to take his socks and shoes off and wade out into this mountain river next to him. He said that he had never been baptized but that he had considered himself a christian at one point in his life. After he was standing out in the water he said he just dunked his head completely underwater and prayed out loud to God for the first time in years and in that moment recommitted his life to God. Keep in mind that nothing we have been studying at camp has been related back to God, nor have we even so much as mentioned gospel or the bible. But, through all of this soul-searching, the one thing he saw in it all was his need for God. I got chill bumps as he was telling us this and it pumped me up so much to see God work through something that wasnt even intended to further His kingdom. Anyways, I hope those of you who read this enjoyed it. His name is Nick and I'm sure he would really appreciate your prayers."
I just think it is a really awesome story. It shows how God uses every opportunity possible to further his Kingdom and that he does not need me or you to do so. It is humbling to think that but remember that he does use us in the most unique ways so we simply need to open our lives to him and be a light. You never know what he will do!
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Writing from the 'Nac
I wrote this one night while I was at Saranac on Summer Staff. I believe it was the same night as one of the "Cross Talks" where kids hear that Jesus died for our sins. Not sure though. Just found it in my journal and it got me pumped and excited so I figured I would share it!
A battle is raging
A fire is burning
Hearts are turning
Lives are changing
Eyes gaze upon He
Searching for answers
Longing for love
Seeds being planted
The unsalty becoming salty
Lamps shining brightly
Lost becoming found
The unloved are loved
Satan is cringing
Angels are rejoicing
For a battle is raging
Victory by victory
The kingdom growing
Soul by soul
He welcomes home
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Go-4-Opher: What a Month!
What up friends!!!? I hope all is well. I hope you did not miss my obsessive blogging this past month. I was volunteering on Summer Staff at Young Life's Saranac Village. I was a landscaper for the month, well that was my day job, in the evenings all the SS folks helped out with the various activities that were going down. It was an amazing month and I wanted to share some highlights with y'all. (I am now almost an official southern boy.) I could go on and on about my experience but I will try to keep it under 10 pages.
1. Lake Saranac is one of the most beautiful places I have ever been. It is in the Adirondack Mountains near Lake Placid, NY. Simply beautiful. Looking out on the lake each day reminded me how great of an artist our God is.
2. I met some amazing folks. I have heard stories from other friends that not all of the Summer Staffers that they served with on various different experiences seemed to love the Lord. So I was cautious with my expectations of the folks. But all 42 of us or how ever many there was, were simply awesome. We seemed to all be there for the same reason, to serve God. We were a very energetic and goofy group as well. I have never laughed so much in my life. And although we enjoyed to goof around and have fun we knew when it was time to do work and be serious. We would often choose to spend time in deep prayer or worship instead of goofing around in free time. That, I feel, is unusual for a group of college kids. But it was not uncommon to find a group of us praying in the Granite room on any given night. The people I served alongside with have become dear friends of mine. I can honestly say that I love each and everyone of them and each and everyone of them helped me grow in some aspect. I cannot wait to figure out how to see them all again because I desperately miss them. :(
3. Work can be fun. I pretty much worked from 8 am to sometimes 10 at night if not later. 8-5 I was landscaping which is quite a bit of work. But Walker and I (the other SS on landscaping) made it fun. We got our work done but made it entertaining. Our intern Eric was amazing and allowed us to be our goofy selves. We drove the Kubota (Gretchen) around, often checked the water temp of the lake and the carbonation levels of the pop machine at the snack bar. (we did do some legit work as well) As a SS group in the evenings we made our work fun. We would literally sprint while cleaning up the county fair on Tuesdays, got it all cleaned up in 5 minutes and 51 seconds. LIKE A BOSS
4. God is GREAT. The Lord did work this month. He is the only reason that we kept working and enjoying the month. Without Him we would not have been able to keep our bodies going. To see about 250 kids or something like that stand up this month and say they accepting Jesus into their lives... AWESOME! He gives life! To see how he impacted my life this month... AWESOME! I have never cried so much but that month the Lord just was heavy on my heart. Everything from the landscape to the small miracles he did in lives. He was everywhere.
I could go on and on and on but I will stop there. Feel free to ask me more about the month, I am itching to share. I have some great "Opher" stories as well as some great "God being God" stories. So hit me up. But I leave you with our memory passage for the month. It is reminder of how we should live our lives.
John 15:1-13
Love Y'all!
Opher
1. Lake Saranac is one of the most beautiful places I have ever been. It is in the Adirondack Mountains near Lake Placid, NY. Simply beautiful. Looking out on the lake each day reminded me how great of an artist our God is.
2. I met some amazing folks. I have heard stories from other friends that not all of the Summer Staffers that they served with on various different experiences seemed to love the Lord. So I was cautious with my expectations of the folks. But all 42 of us or how ever many there was, were simply awesome. We seemed to all be there for the same reason, to serve God. We were a very energetic and goofy group as well. I have never laughed so much in my life. And although we enjoyed to goof around and have fun we knew when it was time to do work and be serious. We would often choose to spend time in deep prayer or worship instead of goofing around in free time. That, I feel, is unusual for a group of college kids. But it was not uncommon to find a group of us praying in the Granite room on any given night. The people I served alongside with have become dear friends of mine. I can honestly say that I love each and everyone of them and each and everyone of them helped me grow in some aspect. I cannot wait to figure out how to see them all again because I desperately miss them. :(
3. Work can be fun. I pretty much worked from 8 am to sometimes 10 at night if not later. 8-5 I was landscaping which is quite a bit of work. But Walker and I (the other SS on landscaping) made it fun. We got our work done but made it entertaining. Our intern Eric was amazing and allowed us to be our goofy selves. We drove the Kubota (Gretchen) around, often checked the water temp of the lake and the carbonation levels of the pop machine at the snack bar. (we did do some legit work as well) As a SS group in the evenings we made our work fun. We would literally sprint while cleaning up the county fair on Tuesdays, got it all cleaned up in 5 minutes and 51 seconds. LIKE A BOSS
4. God is GREAT. The Lord did work this month. He is the only reason that we kept working and enjoying the month. Without Him we would not have been able to keep our bodies going. To see about 250 kids or something like that stand up this month and say they accepting Jesus into their lives... AWESOME! He gives life! To see how he impacted my life this month... AWESOME! I have never cried so much but that month the Lord just was heavy on my heart. Everything from the landscape to the small miracles he did in lives. He was everywhere.
I could go on and on and on but I will stop there. Feel free to ask me more about the month, I am itching to share. I have some great "Opher" stories as well as some great "God being God" stories. So hit me up. But I leave you with our memory passage for the month. It is reminder of how we should live our lives.
John 15:1-13
Love Y'all!
Opher
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