Summer Stories                           Home       Contest winner:  Amy P.!

 

See story #2 – winner!        See story #3

 

Special thanks to Jennifer R. and Timmy D. for sending in their stories!!!

 

Story #1

I have a friend that I've been praying for, for about a

year. She has a lot of family problems, and she's made

a lot of bad choices in her life, but I've always felt

that deep down she's a good person. I could see

flashes of it when I least expected it- she would give

a friend a place to stay when they needed it, she

would stand up for someone who couldn't stand up for

himself. On the other hand, as soon as I started

thinking she might be getting her life straightened

out, she would start shoplifting, or stealing money

from her dad. She would go to parties where there were

a lot of drinking and drugs, even though she said she

didn't get into that kind of stuff. I'd been praying

that she would come to know Christ, but every time I

tried to tell her about Him, she would twist what I

was saying or change the subject. She never criticized

me for being a Christian, but I never felt like she

was hearing what I was saying. I began to pray that

someone would get through to her, whether it was me or

someone else. A couple weeks ago, she went to stay

with one of her old friends in Houston, where she used

to live, for two weeks, and I didn't hear from her the

whole time. Then I got a phone call, and she told me

that her friend had talked her into going to Bible

camp, and she had gotten saved. She said that she

finally understood everything I had been trying to

tell her. When I least expected it, God stepped in and

answered my prayers. Her old friend has now moved down

here to live with her, and they both plan on attending

my church. Even now, she has a long way to go, and a

lot of problems to sort out, but I know that now she

has Christ to help her through it all. I have faith

that He will continue to work in her life and give her

the strength to deal with anything she needs to.

 

-         Jennifer R.

 

STORY #2

 

Last year, I had a summer full of amazing opportunities. I went to three different camps- two as a camper and one as a junior sponsor. I went to Florida twice, once just to relax at Destin and once to get closer with the leaders in my youth group in Orlando. One would think that after all that activity that I was broke, but in reality, all the trips combined only cost a few hundred dollars. God had truly worked, so that I could experience these amazing opportunities. 

 

     This summer, I had a couple of plans, but definitely nothing as great as last year. Regardless, I decided to pray and ask God to shake me up this summer. I knew I wasn’t doing much, but I knew that God was in control of my summer. The last day of school went very well, and I wrote down my excitement and the fun of the day down in my journal. Somehow I went from talking about eating chocolate covered peanuts and going to the movies with two of my friends to watch Daddy Day Care, to more spiritual matters.

 

     5-22-03~ You know, I’ve seen God always work out everything in my life. He’s always moved in mighty ways. And he’s never failed me… but it feels like He’s forgotten us.

 

     Now let me explain my feelings. About two and a half years ago, my dad was laid off from his job as a computer programmer. Since that time, he hasn’t been able to get a good, stable job- nothing like he had before. Living in Houston, Texas, even just a suburb of it, is expensive. With my parents’ combined salaries, we still had to dig out money that was saved in our bank account to pay the bills. Thankfully, my parents have always been good with saving money. 

 

     Well you know how our worries are- they come and go. Sometimes I was worried about our situation, and sometimes I wasn’t. Summer and life went on as usual, pretty boring, but at least I wasn’t in school.

 

     Before I set off for church high school camp in July, my mom told me that there was a possibility of us moving. Actually, it was a HIGH possibility. My Aunt Janet was telling us how much better the economy was in Tennessee, that my dad should be able to find a job here, and that until he did we could move in with her. But since I didn’t really know if we were leaving, I didn’t want to tell very many people. I told a few close church friends and my “family” group at camp.

 

     7-4-03~ This morning Mom said that if the Murfreesboro manager says she can take the job at LifeWay, then she’s taking that as God’s sign for us to move. It would be next month.

 

     Well, camp was awesome, and I went home fired up and excited. I get into the car and ask my mom what happened while I was gone. She announces, “Well, we’re moving.”

 

     I knew she might say that. I nodded. “Okay,” I replied, putting on a brave face. I knew it would be for the best. Camp was awesome and I grew so close to some people, but I knew that God had plans for me even beyond my comfort zone.

 

     7-12-02~ I am excited, but distraught at the same time. I’m really excited about what God is going to do in my life, I’m nervous about making non-Christian friends and witnessing, and I’m upset about telling my friends I’m moving…

 

     …for so long God was so quiet and silent. We were wondering if He was out there. Now it’s like boom, boom, boom! He’s answering prayers right and left… It’s been incredible. So even though sometimes I don’t like it, I know that this is a God thing.

 

     Over the weekend I had managed to become worn out and pretty stressed, and so not ready to head back to San Marcos for junior high camp. But it was a commitment I had made and had to stick to. I prayed that God would change my heart and that things would be better when I got there. I was so nervous about praying with the kids and reaching out to them in ways that I never had before.

 

     Junior high camp was even more amazing than high school camp the previous week. I met a young girl who reminded me of myself in junior high. I loved being with her so much, and I did everything I could to reach out and encourage her. It was awesome and amazing to see her growing as a leader that week. Sometimes I would eat lunch with her and some of her sweet friends, and they all just totally rocked. I was reminded of why I was there.

 

     Also while I was there, a friend of mine, who was also a junior sponsor, asked me to pray for a guy in his family group who wasn’t a Christian. You know how it goes when someone asks you to pray for something or someone… I prayed for him like… twice. That is, until the Thursday night service, when I felt an overwhelming burden to pray for him. I believe with all of my heart that there was spiritual warfare happening in that auditorium that night. I could feel it. I believe that there were angels and demons fighting for souls. So I prayed for this boy without ceasing. I could not stop. After the service I had to know… did he get saved?

 

     7-17-03~ Seriously, I have never, ever, in all of my born days felt so burdened and compelled to pray for a person or people! I could not stop praying for Jason… I was amazed. It was seriously insane.

 

     Well Michael said that he [Jason] gave his heart to Christ tonight! And I really hope that Jason is for real about his commitment, and I know that Michael, Jack, and Neil will definitely be keeping him accountable. But you know, I felt as if maybe I had a wee, teeny, tiny part in his salvation…

 

     …this week, I rediscovered how extremely important prayer is, and how it is an essential tool in the battles of spiritual warfare. Satan wanted Jason to remain as his slave, but Jack and I, and maybe a few others, just could not stop praying for him…

 

 

     That day, I also came to find out that the band that played at the camp, lived where I would be moving. It made it seem not so bad. At least, until the move drew closer and closer…

 

     I was fortunate enough to get to spend my last few weeks with friends. I got to go to AstroWorld, church, putt-putt, and some friends even threw a going-away party for me! But that didn’t make things any easier for me. All the hugs were nice, and I even got a couple of threats from friends who said they were going to kidnap me! And despite the feeling of being loved and instantly popular, I felt sad and alone, because I was about to leave all these people that I knew and loved behind.

 

     7-30-03~ Wow… tomorrow is the day… I can’t believe it. My life will now never be the same!

 

     Now, moving is just plain stinky enough, without having to leave some things behind. Well, because of our very sudden decision to move, we didn’t have enough time to get our house up on the market or anything. So, my dad was going to have to stay behind and get the house ready to sale, while my mom and I went ahead and moved up, so I could be there to start the new school year. We drove from Houston to Jackson, where we visited my grandparents for a couple of days and left our dog. (Yes, we did have to leave our dog!) And then we drove from Jackson to Murfreesboro.

 

     I was upset about leaving, but excited too. I felt that this was a true answer to prayer, and that God would be with us in Tennessee. However, for the past few weeks I’ve been here, I’ve failed to see it several times. I have felt so alone since I’ve gotten here. I’m upset that I don’t have 50 great, new friends already, but I have met a few really nice people and would consider myself good friends with one girl here. Even though I’ve been somewhat depressed and cried a lot since I’ve been here, every once in a while, God reveals Himself in small ways to show that He’s still around.

 

     I had the chance to go to a concert with Nate Sallie and Everman and let me tell you, the guys from Everman are the most awesome guys in the universe! I had a chance to talk with three out of the four of them, and they all just totally rocked. Brad, the lead singer, is from Texas, and right now his wife and daughter living in Texas while he’s in Nashville, so he could totally relate with my mom and me.

 

     In my drama class, God revealed to me a couple of Christians. I hope I’ll be able to continue building a relationship with them.

 

     Right now, I honestly do not see what good it is for me to be here. But I’ve only been here for a few weeks, and there still is time for me to discover my reason for being here. Once I get plugged into a church, get some more friends at school, and that sort of thing, maybe then God will show me why He moved it here. If someone handed me a ticket to Houston, boy, I’d be ready to snatch it up in a heartbeat. But even though I don’t understand it now, I know that one day I’ll be able to look back and say, “I’m so glad that in my junior year I moved to Tennessee, because it changed my life and rocked my world.” I know I wouldn’t be here if God wasn’t preparing something for me. So that’s how God worked in my life this summer… He moved me- literally- away from my comfort zone. I don’t know how He’ll use me here in Tennessee, and I don’t see how anything here could be better than Texas (with the exception of the weather and meeting Christian artists,) but God’s not done with me yet… He’s just beginning a new chapter in my life. I know this because of what He promised me in Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the plans I have for you… plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.”

 

-         Amy P.

 

 

“Beautiful Life”

 

In rocks and trees, in brooks and streams,

In life of all kinds, life flows through,

A river of life that flows in each.

A spark of hope, new life creates.

In soundless wonder, in speechless awe,

I praise my God, Who made it all.

His arms are strong, His love is great,

I find in me, His un-surpassing grace.

The life He has to offer, at the price of His own Son,

Is beautiful life, everlasting, how He could love me,

After I killed His only Son.  He accepts me unto His own.

His love endures, it breaks my heart.

My heart of stone He shatters, my uncaring heart is no more.

A heart of love He gave me, and only He could save me.

Each new day is a day to serve, to serve others just like me.

To serve them with God’s love and grace is my command,

And for this I will be judged when before God I stand.

I begin to slip, I begin to fall, I’m failing Christ,

I’m failing my task, I begin to lose hope.

He catches me in His arms, He holds me to His breast.

He shows me His love, it penetrates my soul.

I can do my task, my task to share

The love of Christ. The grace of God,

I help try to show to all.

Those who accept are forever His,

And He is forever mine.

- Timothy D.