Camp Otyokwah 101...

Well, here I am sitting in the "office trailer" of Camp Otyokwah finishing up on some things and am so ready to meet the staff for the 2012 summer session. I was telling Mark (my boss) earlier that my time hear so far has been good but has been crazy at times. I am the type of person that does love to get away at points of time to seek out Christ and what not but then there are those times where I feel like I need someone around and the only people that are at camp at the moment are myself, my boss, and his family. I have had a neat opportunity to spend time with him and his family whether it is joining them for dinner, playing games, or helping with their dog. This experience has been different in the least of words but in a good way. As the Program Manager I have had the opportunity to plan for various activities in the staff training, see what parts of staff training I can help lead or lead myself, and educate myself on what parts of the camp are where. This camp is neat in terms of where everything is located and Vespers was breath-taking. For those of that do not know vespers is a place where people can get personal with Christ whether one on one or in a group setting.

I personally took a hike to vesper's point and this place really spoke out to me in a way that helped me know that I was at the right place at the right time. This camp is a brand new experience to me and the position itself is even a new experience but I know that through Christ that this will BE POSSIBLE!!

"Jesus looked at them and said, With man this is impossible, but with God ALL THINGS are possible."
(Matthew 19:26)


This verse automatically came to my head when I was thinking of a link with that thought and this is totally true. Anything that man feels that they cannot do is limited because of our own anxieties, emotions, etc. With Christ He is limitless and He has the ability to do anything that is even far beyond our own intellectual lifestyles. As I sit here finishing up on this blog all I can say is I am ready for staff training (which starts tomorrow evening) and to witness the direction that the staff is going into. Be blessed everyone and I look forward to the next time I can catch you all up!!

And the show goes on...

I look at this picture that I took on a recent Journey Fellowship retreat and am always encouraged to look at this. This picture was taken at a youth and fitness agency on the east side of Indianapolis called the Chase Legacy Center. This facility has been improved dramatically to show positive growth and upbringing to the environment. I was traveling through this facility and came across adequate amounts of professional and personal growth, especially in terms of positive youth development. The Legacy Center had a particular section in their facility called the Youth Education Town. I was personally amazed to see this part of the facility as there was a lot of advancement in working with youth and having an amazing programming strategy at the same time of

Wanting to be the best youth facility in the area that provides the best programming needs!


It encouraged me to hear this mindset as it shows faith and a great amount of trust to the community. I continue to write this message and look at this picture. The outside part of this Youth Education Town had an outdoor garden that had a lot of vegetation marked off in different sections. The youth had the responsibility of making this garden happen with much needed guidance and it turned out to be a great improvement to the facility at large. I also look at the text in this picture, especially the heading of the description: Growing Places Indy. I look at this in the context of the upcoming summer that is ahead in my life. I will be leaving for Butler, OH tomorrow morning to start my summer job as the Program Manager for Camp Otyokwah. I just got done looking over my devotional and there was a verse that stuck out (and continues to stick out in various times)...


Be strong and courageous. Do not be dismayed or give up hope because the Lord God will be with you wherever you go (Joshua 1:9)


We as the creation of Christ have the ability to stand strong and be courageous. I go back to this picture and it says Growing Places Indy. This will definitely be a summer to grow in different places both geographically and in life. Be blessed everyone and enjoy the summer months ahead!

How Great!

Well, I just got done with a workout over at Snap Fitness here in my hometown. I have now been out of school since last Thursday night and so far it has been a good transition from being at school to being back at home for the time being. I am sitting around at the moment and listening to Chris Tomlin's "How Great is Our God- World Edition" and it just continues to strike me as it does every time. I heard this song last week as well and still had the same reaction. How amazing is our God? Really, how great is our God? I am just amazed, mesmerized, and completely awestruck by how much power Christ really has. It does not have to be realized by much of anything... I could be sitting around and looking at the sunset, or talking with different people about different issues, and the same thing continues to come about: God truly is in control.

We, as people, need to become a passionate and compassionate people. This may seem like a difficult process but it does not take a lot of energy to accomplish something of this nature. I remember hearing about a story of a monkey who found a box full of a treat and he went in to grab the treat but could not take his hand out. All the monkey had to do was to let go of the treat that he found but instead he insisted on keeping a strong grip on what he found and not let go of the treat. I feel like we are like that as people. There are times we are wanting to do something to change or make ourselves a better people but as we do this we continue to hang onto what made us the complete opposite of what we desire to become. This could be from eating unhealthy while trying to loose weight, driving a car that needs to be fixed due to a lack of money, or not getting enough sleep but sleep is needed to function in a more productive manner.

The thing is Jesus wants our entire lives, and that does not mean a chunk or portion of what we have or can accomplish. John 13:14-15 has been a key passage that has been on my heart over the last couple of weeks after reading it on a devotion series. The verse goes into detail about Jesus sitting with his friends and sharing a meal with each other. This brings a scene that shows true love for one another as well as a true sense of fellowship and friendship. Even before the meal begins Jesus takes off a portion of his clothes and wraps a cloth around Him. He fills a bowl full of water and begins to wash the feet of the disciples. Peter, a close friend of Jesus, does not want Him to wash his feet because he feels that He is unworthy to have that type of attention. This particular verse in John 13 shows Jesus saying that as He washed our feet as an example that we should be an example to others. Jesus laid down a groundwork for us to follow after and He also laid down a great detail of resources that we can use to follow out His work.

As I am sitting around and looking into what is ahead I know that Christ is more powerful and wonderful than I can ever imagine but at the same time I still want to strive toward Him. Be blessed my friends and may we all continue to follow in His presence. We are His example, and He has shown us already how to do this effectively.

The Summer of 2012...

Well, cannot hardly believe  what is currently taking place these days. It is now summer break from college and the weather is definitely showing it also! A couple of nights before I left Indiana State for the summer I was sitting around a room that I had occupied since the 2008 school year. I still remember getting into that room for my first time.. I was thinking about roommates that I would enjoy having and was able to come up with a group of amazing guys that made the "original Quad 94 setup." These guys: Jeff, Ray, and myself all came together to occupy a room that was once housed by a big group of seniors that eventually moved on. We stayed with an individual that had occupied the room but was on his last semester before he left. After he left I was able to work out an offer with Caleb to occupy the room and he happily obliged to stay in Quad 94. Myself, Caleb, Jeff, and Ray made up an amazing group in Quad 94 that were really close to one another. Eventually some of the guys graduated and some also moved on to other ventures when I was also able to see other good friends come and go from the quad. Fast forward to 2012... I am sitting in Quad 94 after it had all been packed and I am one day away from leaving for summer break. The time had come, as of the Fall of 2012 semester I will not be returning to Quad 94. I will be moving on to another quad with another group of guys for one semester. Yes, you read this right, ONE SEMESTER! After the Fall of 2012 semester I will be graduating from Indiana State after a good amount of time at the university (six years of my services to be exact)!

Now, onto this summer... I will be serving as the Program Manager for Camp Otyokwah, which is located in a small town around the Cleveland, Ohio area. I will be at the camp setting from May 25th till around August 10th, which will be a long summer session. Even though this is a long summer this will also be an awesome summer of ministry. Having the opportunity to serve at camp is a blessing and enjoy it every summer that I get the chance to do something. This will be the 4th camp that I have served with and am enjoying for the new experience and opportunity. I was sitting just a week prior to the summer break session where I was sitting in a seat with my family getting ready to receive a scholarship for an interest in outdoor leadership. One of my professors that I consider a huge asset to my professional career stood up at the podium to introduce me and started his speech in the strongest and most inspirational way than I could imagine...

Very rarely does someone come around that challenges our emotions, and that also comes to be a man of faith. (in summary)


Hearing my professor introduce me in that manner showed me that I was at the right place and that God was using this opportunity to gear up for the summer and beyond. A scripture just came to my mind today that relates to this opening and all other opportunities to share faith...

^{11 "}Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing." (1 Thessalonians 5:11)


This scripture really opened my eyes to know that there is a motivation to live like Christ did. We have a command to encourage each other and to be a building block to the people around us. We, as people, need to be a true example to Christ and His love around us. We cannot just limit ourselves to just merely talking about Him as if He was a selling point or some type of fad that will come and go. This is our life that Christ gave and He has full control. Whether our lives are full of working with people or sitting around in an office building (or even a combination of both) we should strive to be in the image of Christ and His example everyday of our lives. Be blessed everyone through Christ, and continue to strive to be in Him!