The “Week”

As I look back on the years my husband and I have been in the ministry, a certain week sticks out in my mind.

The week I cannot, for the life of me, remember. I think it was so bad that God chose to erase it from my memory. 

You see, I have an excellent memory; I just cannot find it. {Truly, my memory only began failing me when I became a mom we began ministry work.}

Now I cannot remember anything. Ha!

The week that stands out in my mind is the last full week of July 2004. Church camp week.

The year before, Shane and I had gone to Falls Creek (church camp) as sponsors. Life was good. We hung out and bonded with the students, acted like kids and grew in our own relationships with the Lord. In fact, that was the first year I had ever even attended Falls Creek… I had not gone as a student.

Fast-forward one year, and I’m part of a mindless two-person team leading the students. In charge of 100 students.

Did I mention, we had no clue?

What I do remember is the two of us quite possibly running around like chickens with our heads cut off in the midst of 100 sympathetic teenagers. They knew we had no clue, and I’m pretty sure they were all really really good for us that week.

They really felt sorry for us, I suppose! Ha!

I also remember struggling to nurse my 2-month-old daughter with zero privacy. {Remember, I was a new mom, and I didn’t have a clue there either!}

I thank God {seriously} for the wonderful ladies who cooked for us that year. I’m quite certain all heck would have broken loose had they not been there.

I remember Shane, trying his very best to make the week fun and cool and awesome for the students. From their reactions during and afterward (the ones I can remember, that is), he succeeded.

We now lovingly refer to that week as, the “Train Wreck,” because anyone on the outside looking in would have seen just that.

I may not remember much, but I do know this: God was so good to us that week. We left that week on a huge, albeit, exhausted high.

It was not long before we realized that ministry isn’t always happy, easy, carefree, and a high.

We found out that “brain freeze” was blissful in it’s own way; and that sometimes the unknown was much easier than the known.

It was not long before we both – especially me – wondered what on earth have we gotten ourselves in too?

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “Plans to prosper you, and not to harm you. Plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11

Photo credit: Owen Blacker