Malloree D.: 2 weeks of camping in the outback!

Wow. I haven't written an in depth blog post in a LONG time. I started to work on my newsletter this week and my computer shut off and it didn't save any of the work :( so it's taken me awhile to get back to writing everything.

SO... 2.5 weeks ago, we left as a DTS to go camping at this place called Hidden Valley, about an hour and a half-2 hours away from the base. Me and my motion sickness hated the drive up there, but it was worth it once we arrived. Most of you know that I am NOT a camper. I've liked camping a lot the previous times I've gone, but there's always been fresh running water and a clean bathroom and such if we needed it.... So the first day, mine and Liz's 2 man tent BROKE. I'm talking.... poles split in 4 different places. So we were a little peeved... we are both city girls and SUPER girly girls. A few hours later, we received a new tent surprisingly from one of the staff, and the tent was HUGE! We could stand up in it... it was a 4 man tent for just the 2 of us! so we were overjoyed and like little kids at Christmas.

the first week of lectures was Lordship week. We had a guy named Mark Parker from New Zealand, and the first couple days I was thinking, "get me out of here." I just was NOT feeling up to anything that we were doing and was really closed off... but by the 3rd day, the Lord was still at work in my heart, and I was able to really get into what we were doing. the whole week was about giving EVERYTHING to Christ, letting Him be Lord of your life, surrendering everything, trusting in His provision... etc. We learned all about the old testament and the tabernacle and how people used to come to the tabernacle and bring burnt offerings and sin offerings, etc etc. so our ministry time was just INCREDIBLE. every week we have a ministry time where we really try to tangibly display the things that are going on in our hearts every week... Lordship week time was that we bring a burnt offering (could be anything really) and also a sin offering (things we needed to confess: unbelief, pride, etc. or things against others, ridding ourselves of shame, guilt, etc.) and then a commitment (if you wanted to) to follow and go wherever the Lord leads you, to let Him be the Lord of your life... all your decisions, all your thoughts, all your dreams and we do this in front of everyone in the DTS. the day that I knew I had to do this, I literally cried ALL day long because I knew the things I was going to have to release to the Lord...

I'm older, I have considered my options, I have counted the costs... and I knew I was going to have to give up my rights to a job, to money, to food, etc... if the Lord asked me to. that I was going to have to give up my desire to be married (not that He won't give me that, because He gave me the desire, but if He decided that I won't, then I would have to be okay with that), to have a family, to have financial stability, etc. Please don't misunderstand me, I am not saying that I can't have those things or that the Lord is going to take those things away from me, but I had to come to the point in my heart where I could say to myself, if none of these things happen for me, STILL I will praise the Lord, STILL I will see Him as a good God. He might ask me to move somewhere really far away from my family and friends, may ask me to do things I don't want to do and go places I don't want to go... but if I commit my life, I commit to doing those things, no matter the cost because He is worth it.

That day though, I wasn't thinking like that. I was literally thinking that the Lord was just going to take everything away from me that I wanted. I was mad that I had to go up there... But I went up there, gave my offerings, committed my life, and just wept. then, JoAnne, one of our leaders, pulled me aside and gave me the verse from Jeremiah 29:11... which I never read because it's been read SO many times by everyone and I often times overlook it. but there's SO much truth in what it says and so much peace that comes from it. I LOVE my version in one of my bible's, the ESV.

"For I know the plans I have for you declares the LORD, plans for WHOLENESS and not for evil, to give you a FUTURE and a HOPE. Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to me and I will hear you. You will seek Me and you will find Me. When you seek Me with all of your heart, I will be found by you, declares the LORD, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, declares the LORD." Jer. 29:11-13 ESV

I love that it says, "plans for WHOLENESS." The Lord's plans for me include wholeness, never lacking in anything. I will never feel in need or in want when I am resting in the Lord's provision and in His faithfulness. the problem for me is just staying there once I get there and truly trusting in His goodness. there are some days I really struggle with Him being a good God. today is one of those days... but choosing to trust, love, and worship Him anyway... that warms His heart.

along with Lordship we also talked about fear of the Lord... which really coincides with Lordship, just having a healthy fear of the Lord. not worrying He's going to strike you down or whatever, but really just walking under His protection and doing what He asks you to do.

that 2nd week we had numerous staff speak for lectures. the first couple days were about hearing from the Lord... pretty good. not too much there. the last few were hearing our staff's stories and getting a background on them which was super encouraging. We had an entire day of "love," where we started the day off with one of our "good morning God" groups (these were student groups that lead some sort of creative worship in the morning, and we did love languages... so we all wrote on our arms what our primary and secondary love languages were and your challenge for the day was to love the other people with their love languages. it was cute and fun... and we all spent some time just encouraging and affirming one another, which always is good for the heart and soul. then Naomi, our school leader, talked about the Father's love, and just love in general...no, not romantic love :) and then that night, we had a "love feast," where we ate yummy food, all sat around together in the circle, and then had a mega dance party. it was so much fun...

we also had a talent show the last night of camping which was a RIOT. my flat performed a skit and it was hilarious. hopefully I'll have a video up of that eventually. everyone's was awesome.

speaking of videos: here's the link to my hip hop team performing at youth street a couple of weeks ago... the day before camping. the kids worked SO hard and it was AWESOME. I'm on the left in the yellow tank top if you're curious, haha.

Highlights of camping:

sitting by the campfire every single night talking. I got to know so many people so much better.
quiet times in the morning were actually quiet... such precious time with Jesus!
no distractions... no internet.
the community. it was such a small place and everyone was always together, LOVED it.
no frills, no makeup, no worrying about what you looked like.
talent show
going to the gorge and floating down the creeks
baptisms in the creek... getting to be a part of 2 of my friend's baptisms!
being humbled IMMENSELY.

BOO- the things I hated:

it rained EVERYDAY. my tent leaked into my bed and into my suitcase, so all my clothes were wet and stayed wet for days. I ended up borrowing clothes from Liz. sucked.
bugs. I hate bugs and I'm not still sure why they exist.

but, I can safely say, I am a small town girls who loves the big city who is now a camping girl. I just loved it. It was the best 2 weeks of my life. the bathroom and shower were crappy, but at the end of the first couple days, I barely noticed anymore... it was such a simple way to live and I absolutely just loved it. I can't wait to go camping again!

here are some fun pictures!