Lost Canyon 2012: 6

Day Thirteen

July 20th, 2012

It's day 5 already of Young Lives week.  Last night, Lee Ann shared the greatest news ever told. She shared how the answer to our greatest NEED is that Jesus' sacrifices himself in our place.  He exchanged His life for ours through willingly laying down His own for ours.

This week has flown by... It's been busy and slow at the same time.  The flow is so different than a typical Young Life week because there is time for girls to drop babies off at nurseries in between every event.  This makes the energy throughout camp like a roller coaster... Even though the schedule is more flexible, it feels just as draining and exhausting.

You can pray for my family up here... Laura is transitioning back to being a mommy and primarily hanging with Ellie, I am going to be just as busy if not more as we hit weeks 3 and 4.  It'll also be their last week here... Laura needs to head home for work at the end of the week.

We are trying to be intentional with our time up here.  I am trying to put Ellie to bed as much as possible and those have been some really sweet times... 

If you could pray for there to be space to keep doing that, that would be awesome!

Here are a few shots from the last few days at camp...

 We got the chance to coordinate pony rides for the moms and their babies.  It was so sweet to watch these little ones get to ride a horse around camp...

This little guy got tuckered out after riding the ponies for about 30 minutes...

We used an 8 foot beach ball for a game in Club one night this week and I thought it would be fun to take it to some of the nurseries and let the kiddos play with it.  Here is one little boy trying to push it!

 Then I got it stuck trying to get it through the doors... 

Here is Lee Ann bringing the truth of Jesus' love for us last night at Club.

Lost Canyon 2012: 5

Day Ten

July 17th, 2012

This week is all about Young Lives.  It is a holy week.  There are 130 teen mommies and their babies here this week.  These girls, who rarely get to be kids, will get a chance to laugh, play and be a teenager this week!  There are 93 nannies who will take care of the babies while girls play around through the week.

Lee Ann Allman, who is on staff with Young Life at Arizona State, is speaking this week.  She is engaging, compelling and is clearly sharing the truth of the Gospel with these gals.

Pray with us for these gals, their babies, their leaders, the nannies and above all... Pray that Jesus would be glorified by the countless hours dedicated to serving these mommies this week.

Teen moms and babies arriving to camp on Sunday from Crown Point, New Mexico.

Mikey, Becky Jo and Laura "doing program" during dinner night one.

Lee Ann's daughter Azania (4) and Ellie chillin in Club night 1.  

Tonight in Club, we blew up a 6 foot balloon.  Kids had to shave the balloon as fast as possible with disposable razors.  The result was EPIC!  The balloon explodes...

Deadmau5, Mikey's club program character, was a little close to the balloon explosion...

Lost Canyon 2012: 4

Day Nine

July 16th, 2012

I have been reading "The Lion, Witch and the Wardrobe" when I am have free time.  It is the first book I have read for fun... in probably 3 years.  I am enjoying the crap out of it!  
It helps that C.S Lewis is one of my favorite authors too.


Today, I read a portion that hit me deeply as I saw the connection what I am investing my time into here at Lost Canyon this month.  Let me share...


This part of the story occurs after Lucy, the littlest sister continues to plead with her siblings that Narnia is real and that you get there through a magical wardrobe.  Peter and Susan don't believe her - so they speak with the Professor whom they are living with...


Through 4 pages of dialogue, the Professor essentially logically argues that unless there is reason to disbelieve Lucy then they should assume that in fact there is a country called Narnia that is only reachable through the wardrobe.  Peter and Susan can't fathom this is true...

Then... finally... Peter says it plainly.  "Do you really mean, Sir... that there could actually be other worlds?  All around us and just around the corner - like this place?"  The calm answer defies logic... The Professor said, "Nothing is more probable."

This is it!  This is what I get to do.  YOUNG LIFE is calling attention the "other world" that is all around us.  We are Lucy!  We have experienced the Kingdom of God and we are trying - with all of our might - to speak the truth to others who are blind to it.  Our world says that what you can see, touch, feel and perceive is real.  That which you cannot is not real.  This is not truth.


The truth is that the Kingdom of God is at hand all around us - RIGHT NOW!  

My prayer for my sweet daughter is that she would see as soon as possible.  I pray YOU, whoever you are, reading this right now that you would see as soon as possible.  God's Kingdom is all around.  His "world" as it were... is accessible to us.

Lord, let me be a LUCY.

Lost Canyon 2012: 3

Day Eight

July 15th, 2012

Yesterday was the day that 406 kids and leaders who were here for the first week of camp went home.  It was a busy, chaotic week.  It was full.  Jesus says in John 10 that "I have come to give life and life to the full..."  That is exactly what the week was about.

I met a 16 year old dude from Colorado Springs named Buddy C.  His week was packed.  He rode horses, square danced, rode a zip line, played frisbee golf... he engaged in deep dialogue about who God is with his friends and leaders... and finally, yesterday around 1:45pm, Buddy stood and proclaimed that "Jesus is my Lord and I am now with Him."

Please pray for Buddy from Colorado Springs.  Pray also for Angela from Denver, who is leaving camp with new life ahead of her.  Pray for Daisy from Yuma, who burst into tears of joy before calmly and definitively declaring "I'm now a Christian."

Eternity changed.  That is what we are doing up here.  We are cultivating and creating the environment in which teenagers will encounter the living God - many for the first time ever.

 My view behind the soundboard of our Work Crew.  We have 45 high school students serving (VOLUNTEERING) for free for the entire month!  They are my heroes!

Tank, our speaker, giving some final words to campers before heading out.  

"This about sums up what we've been talking about all week..." - Tank

 This is when Buddy, Angela, Daisy and roughly another 80 students stood up to share their new faith!

A shot of my beautiful bride and me after the week finished up.  We are tired, but so thankful for what God is doing in our midst.  Thank you for praying... Keep it up!

Lost Canyon 2012: 2

Day Four

July 11th, 2012

We just left the club room where our high school friends heard that we are all STUCK.  We are stuck and lost.  We are concerned with ourselves more than anyone else (even God).  This is called SIN.  We all think this means things like stealing, lying, cheating, etc... But it actually is more of a status of being separated than anything we do - it is where we are.


It is sobering news, but when hearing the truth, we must hear it all.

I am thankful to be apart of a mission like Young Life that shares the WHOLE truth.

Tonight, leaders and kids will dress like Western Rebels (part of our Program), eat a great dinner, sing some Country tunes and dance into the night!  

Pray for clarity in understanding the Gospel.  Pray for "Tank", the speaker, who has the privilege and challenge of sharing the Gospel.  I've gotten a few moments here and there to play and hang with my girls, but I would selfishly love prayer for more time with them!

Here are a few shots from the last few days...

Ellie and her new friends, Eliza from Wyoming (3-yesterday) and Moriah from Sedona (3) 

Another shot with Ellie and friends, Moriah (3) and Kara from Surprise (3).

 "Tank" speaking at CLUB to over 400 high school students and leaders!

 Me with 4 college YL leaders serving on Summer Staff (and 2 others) at the Carnival!