The summer shutdown.

This is the time of summer where I begin to ask myself, WHERE DID IT GO??? An even more appropriate question to ask would be, What have I done with it?

I'm realizing it's been awhile since I've posted anything on here, so I'll just do a crash-course recap on what I've been up to. Deep breath, here we go.

The past full week I spent at the beach with my family and my dad's parents. We had a blast, but it's good to be back at home, too. Also, I've had a sinus cold for - get this - the past three weeks, and I'm still going strong. Earlier this summer, for those of you who haven't read about my plans, I spent four straight weeks as a day camp counselor at a local Christian camp. That was probably the best part of my summer. Despite my parents' urging that I find a job and the fact that, even though I applied somewhere, I was not able to get one, God still had big plans for my summer. Four of the girls I had this summer ended up dedicating their lives to Christ for the first time! I still miss all of my kids so much, as well as my fellow counselors and the other people on staff. As we all head our separate ways after camp, I continue to look forward to the ways that God will use us.

That got me thinking this past week. I'm really a nobody. I mean, I have my talents and abilities like everyone else - or maybe not? This isn't me boasting at all, but I'm known as the brain and perfectionist of my class, my youth group, you name it. To a lot of people I seem like a great person, but I'm really not. I make just as many mistake as anyone else. I trip, walk into walls, and let my thoughts spill out at the most embarrassing times. I'm not always the greatest role model to my younger brother and the other younger - and older - people around me. I'm not a supermodel, rock star, politician, or even class officer - this year. I'm just a teenage girl of no account, living out in the middle of relative-nowhere, but God has still chosen to use ME. He can use anyone. I think that's incredible!

My favorite person in the Bible, for that same reason, is Gideon.
Judges 6:14-16
The LORD turned to him and said, "Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian's hand. Am I not sending you?"
"But Lord, " Gideon asked, "how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family."
The LORD answered, "I will be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianites together."

I once heard someone say, "God can use any vessel except a dirty one." In other words, it doesn't matter if you're a glass, teacup, coffee mug, paper cup, or porcelain vase. God can still use you, with all of your chips, cracks, and rips, after He's cleaned you out on the inside. And He plans on using you for the job that He designed you to handle. You don't put coffee in a vase or ice tea in a coffee mug.

I'm eager to see how God is going to use me this year in my school and my youth group, and I want to be ready for when He calls me to action.

~ Jane