Stone by Stone- Scott Cash

Stone by Stone- Scott Cash (youtube)

Two weekends ago Pitt County went to Windy Gap for our fall weekend.  It was unreal.  The beautiful valley that holds Windy Gap was bursting with color and hope.  I was nervous; I had never taken girls to camp that I already knew and somewhat had relationships with.  I felt like I was going on a first date with someone I really liked...a strange reference, I know.  But here these girls have been coming to Bible study every week, I was beginning the scratch the surface of who they are, what they're going through, what they're desires are and then to see their excitement for camp, I was just anxious!  My hopes were so high, I prayed and prayed and prayed constantly the week before.  I prayed that the Lord would show them their brokenness, their desperate need for His saving grace, for them to be Real with me and each other, for them to experience the joy that only He is able to bring, for them to realize that only He can fill that place inside of us that we are always trying to fill.  My hope was in the Lord, I knew I would not be put to shame (Romans 5:3) Oh goodness, the Lord is so faithful.

Twelve junior girls from Conley came, most of them I knew well, others I hardly knew at all.  I cannot say how life-giving it was to lead them that weekend, to see their hearts and to see Christ working in their lives.  We heard Jesus' Gospel together, we saw Truth together, we froze playing field games together (it snowed!!), we danced and sang at club together, we ate famous YL camp food together, we laughed (a lot!) together, we cried and were Real together, we were even silent together, literally speechless at Jesus' grace on the cross.  Together.  I shared my testimony with them, the story of how my empty, broken life has been redeemed and I have been given a new heart by our Creator.  Our stories cross in so many ways.  We all knew that the Lord did that on purpose.  It's funny how I went there to lead them and speak life into them and this and that, but I have never been so affirmed in my life.  For these sweet girls to explain how they see Christ in me was the most life-giving thing. I could go on and on...I absolutely fell in love with these girls that weekend.  And so much more in love with Christ.

Conley Country...knock outs (our teeth I mean)

Oh goodness I love this girl

Wesley, Taylor, Jordan, Emily, Linsay, Allie, Lucy, Katelyn, Molly, Lydia, Kristin, and Alex

Let's do this, I love you girls

Sweet Conley family, old and new

I know that the grace and the freedom we found that weekend was one of the sweetest gifts I have ever received, all from our Lord Jesus who loves us.  My prayer is that we continue to live life together here in Greenville, I pray that they're hearts are drawn to Jesus through His Word, through each other, through church, through me.  I try to be authentic and genuine with them, I try to cast vision for them, I pray for them, I do things with them, I talk to them, I think about them.  But the most humbling and freeing thing I realized at camp was that they are His, not mine.  I can be the best leader ever, but all my efforts are in vain if Jesus did not die on the cross for His children and if He does not call them Himself.  My hope and my energy is found in that, in His sovereignty, in the hopes that they would not rely on me or themselves or anyone else, only Him.  I pray that they go to Him to uncover their new hearts...stone by stone.