Still Waters Youth Camp - A Better Christian Than Before:

I recently went to the Still Waters Camp, and walked out a better Christian than before. The Lord has a purpose for my life, and that’s to serve Him. I pray this testimony will be a blessing to you, and I love you!

Saturday at four o'clock was when we spent an hour of time alone with the Lord. I was doing an activity, and got back a few minutes late. When I got my Bible and looked, I saw that everyone was near a tree already, and I didn't want to be too close to anyone, so I walked around the lake until I found the perfect spot. I sat down and approached His holy throne in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and said a prayer. After that I said,

"Lord, I'm going to open my Bible to a random place, and if it be your will, reveal it to me." God is in nature, and I knew something was in the air that day, and it was definitely Him. As soon as I opened my Bible, I could feel Him in the wind as He turned the pages of my Bible from Ezekiel all the way to Psalms twenty-six. As I read a few chapters, the words just spoke to me completely. I started thanking the Lord as tears were rolling down my cheeks. I knew He was right there with me, holding my hand, and by His grace, He still is.

After I read a couple of chapters, something came over me to start drawing. I know it sounds unusual, but I felt led to do it, so I did. Right there, sitting under a tree, I drew what was in front of me. When I was done, I looked closely at it and noticed the way the branches were, it formed a -y and an -f.
click to enlarge Instantly it came to me, Young Foundations! Though I thought it was a little strange to spend a few minutes of my hour drawing, I did what I felt led to do, and drew. It was so peaceful and serene during that hour. To know that all of the youth there were devoting a small potion of their day to the Lord.

I had my struggles before I went to the camp, but I prayed and came expecting that I wouldn’t leave the same person I was. Praise God! My walk with the Lord is stronger than it has ever been! He is so wonderful, though I am unworthy, He died for me and I love Him because He first loved me! Pray for me as I pray for you.

Lord bless you,

Your Sister in Christ.

Reflective Piece: The Lord Has Changed My Life

In this reflective writing piece, I would like to tell you how the Lord has influenced how I read and write. The impact He has made on my life has completely helped me to look at things through spiritual eyes. Trying to serve the Lord has helped me to change my life around for the better. When I read the Bible, He helps me to have a better understanding of the Word, if it be His perfect will. When I write now, there is always a way I can express myself through Him, and how He is helping me along the way. By trying to serve the Lord, reading my Bible, and writing pieces expressing my walk with the Lord, my reading and writing has changed for the better.

Throughout my life, the Lord has always made a way for me to serve Him. I have learned that without Him I can do nothing, and that I'd surely fail. Putting Him first in my life is very important, and has caused my ways to change and be more pleasing to Him. Before when I would read or write, I never knew what to read or what to say, but now I know. I am striving everyday to come out from among this world as much as I can and put Him first. That has made me stronger spiritually, and with everything I do. Though I fail along the way, He is such a merciful and gracious God. I can rise above things and thank Him for it.

By serving the Lord, He has helped me overcome temptations of this world. For instance, the other day in my class I was walking in and a girl was looking at the answers to a quiz we were about to take, and was reading off the answers to her friend. In the past, I probably would have stopped and looked also, but I just kept walking and ignored her. I ended up scoring a 100% on the quiz. I realized why not glorify the Lord, for He is bound to honor that small sacrifice I made to please Him.

Over the past year, I have noticed through school work and other writing pieces I have done, that He has affected my life completely. By setting aside time throughout my day to pray and read my Bible, I have watched my life change completely around. Devoting that time to Him is such a blessing to me. When I read His Word, it’s only by His grace and will, I can understand It. If I come across a word I don't understand, I have a dictionary at hand I can use to look up words, and it helps me also.

When I read, I try to only read what would be pleasing to Him; that also applies to advertisements and school assignments. Reading the Word of the Lord, I can apply things in my life to stuff that has happened in the Bible, and it encourages me. I went through this period in my life where I had my struggles, and just accepted that, but I went to a church camp, and my walk with the Lord is stronger that ever! Praise God!

When I was at the camp, I was off alone sitting against a tree praying, and when I was done I said, "Lord I am going to open Your Word up and read from a random place, and if it be Your will, reveal it to me." As soon as I opened my Bible up, it was Ezekiel, and a sweet wind flipped my pages back to Psalms 26, and I knew it was the Lord. It was such a blessing to me, and I began to thank Him as tears were rolling down my face.

Now when I write, it's mostly about how the Lord has changed my life. No matter what the assignment is, or who I am texting or talking to, I just try to give the Lord all the glory. I can have a writing assignment placed before me and get worried about what to write about, but when it comes to me, through a revelation, about how the Lord has done something in my life, it begins to come together. This assignment I am doing right now is an example of that. I have been so stressed out about my English work and this writing piece, to where I get sick to my stomach, but I prayed about it and it has just come together so perfectly.

The Lord makes intercessions in my life when I feel down or as if I can't do something, so that I can. This writing piece is probably the only one for school that I am really taking my time on and making as good as I can, to show you how magnificent the Lord is, and how He has touched my life.

Now you can see a small portion of how the Lord has affected my life tremendously. That when I surrender my life to Him, He makes it all better. When I read His Word, while others don't even give it a second thought, He blesses me with His Spirit and humbles me to be more like Him. He is omnipotent, almighty and forgiving, so that when I can't do it, through Him I can. When I do writing pieces, He is everything in my life, to where I can't help but to just tell how wonderful He is and it over joys my soul that I have found something worth living for, and I don't have to search anymore.