Be instant in season, out of season..

I can't believe I have one more short week at camp. I have learned so much in so many different ways. My journal is just about full ha :) Im sure I can finish it this week!
On my last day off to explore random places in Mississippi, I decided to go to bonita lakes mall in Meridian. I soon found out why it was called that. There is a beautiful lake behind the mall with a park around it. I had no idea that it was there all long! After I got some shopping done, I got a chance to go for a walk around the lake and just enjoy the atmosphere. The sun was starting to go down and the scenery was very captivating. It was kind of humorous to me that i was by myself in another state walking in a random park and felt like a local just like everybody else. It was cool to feel the Lords presence right there in an unfamiliar place. He has taught me over and over again, that no matter where I am, He truly is always there. It sounds elementary because we hear it so much, but to actually feel Him in an unfamiliar place, make the revelation so much greater. In the good times and bad, He is omnipresent. I haven't traveled that much in my life so it was neat to experience what it feels like to have Him constantly by me in different areas. Even when i have been places alone this summer, I have not felt alone. It reminds me of a day last week when i asked one of the little girls what she was learning during their Bible study, she said "That Jesus is our light and we are never alone. We do not have to be afraid, because He is always there with us." Im thankful for pure hungry hearts! Simple revelations when you need them go a LONG ways! Leaning on Him and relying on Him for strength this summer has made me trust Him so much more. It is like building that history with God and getting to watch how reliable He is. In my head, I know He is strong but when I am so weak, seeing Him make me strong, changes my whole view of His strength. I appreciate it so much more.
He is showing me that in EVERY season, I can have joy and peace. No matter whats going on inside of me, He always has what I need in His hands. All I have to do is reach out and receive. "You open Your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing." -Psalm 145:16 I love that He is constantly a giver. There is always enough with Jesus. He has a never ending cup of love that He lets me drink from whenever I am lonely, weary, and impatient. I am so incredibly greatful for his patience towards me this summer.
It reminds of the verse in 2 Timothy 4:2 -"Preach the word: Be instant in season, out of season."
The greek interpretation that the devotional, "Sparkling Gems", gives for this verse explains that it is saying, "Take a firm stand and revolve to stay at your post! Reguardless of whether times are good or bad, that is your post-your place of responsibility-so dig in, take a firm stand, and resolve that you are going to be faithful." No matter what season we may be in, God calls us to be faithful. I may not feel like staying at my post or taking my place of responsibility but He has called us to in the good times and bad. What you do while you wait, determines the outcome of the situation. He will be there in every season and be faithful til the end but it's our choice if we are going to remain consistent in every season of life.
Towards the end of my wallk, i noticed some people on another path along side the top of a hill. I couldnt see over the hill, i just saw them walking on top of it and i starting getting curious what was on the other side of them. So i decided to take a detour and follow. I found an amazing thing! This whole time i was thinking how beautiful the small lake was i was walking around, but I had no idea that just a few feet over the hill was a more beautiful river that was so much larger, more trees, less people, and no traffic around in site. I couldn't believe that just when i thought the scenery couldn't get better, it did! So i crossed over the road and spend the rest of the night on that side. It was like Jesus was saying, "Brooke, what you think is great, really is great, but I have so much more to show you. You haven't seen anything yet. I want you to cross over so i can take you to new places. You have to trust that Im always good and faithful and that I have plans to prosper you. Trust me with your hand and let me take you to higher places." Sometimes I think I can know better than Jesus and just want to stay in the place im in because It seems good. But He wants to take me deeper, to a place I can't even imagine. I feel like He is calling me to take risks with my dreams in order to get to places I can't get otherwise. He wants more for us than we want for ourselves. He was to do something big and do exceedingly abundantly above all we can ask or think!! (Eph 3:20). But that means being faithful in EVERY SEASON. Im learning though the travel may be hard, He always wants to take us from glory to glory! He has a purpose for every season, whether we can see it or not. It was a great date with Jesus! Even when I have a hard time trusting Him in every season, Im thankful He is so patient with me. He is a gentle Husband who always guides and never pushes.
Our last group of campers come Wednesday through Saturday, then the staff dinner Saturday night and home Sunday! yay!! Im excited to see friends and family very soon :)