Midland – January 13th

Lubbock – January 14th

Austin – January 20th & 21st; February 9th

College Station – January 25th& 26th; February 10th & 11th

Houston – January 27th & 28th

Corpus Christi – January 27th

Belton – February 1st

Waco – February 1st

San Angelo – February 1st

Dallas – February 2nd

Fort Worth – February 3rd

San Antonio – February 2nd & 3rd

If you would like to schedule an interview, if you have not been contacted by a Director, or if you live far away from the above locations, please call Diane Henry at 830-792-1215 to set up an interview time.  We look forward to visiting with you soon.

Isaiah 43:2-3
(New International Version)

When you pass through the waters,
I will be with you;
and when you pass through the rivers,
they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire,
you will not be burned;
the flames will not set you ablaze.

Have you ever experienced something in your life so drastic and impacting that you thought you would never be the same? Did it make you feel so hopeless and alone that you didn’t know who to turn to? These feelings could be caused by the death of a loved one, a health issue, problems with friends, or even losing your favorite stuffed animal.

For me, it happened my freshman year of high school. I went in for a regular doctor’s appointment and found out something that would change my whole freshman year. I had scoliosis, which means my spine is curved, and I would have to wear a back brace for the entire school year. Maybe it doesn’t seem like the end of the world, and it wasn’t, but it felt like it at the time. I was a 15-year-old girl going to a new school with a whole new group of people; it felt like my picture perfect world was crashing down on me. I threw fits about wearing it, worried about what people would think as they saw “back brace girl” walking down the halls. My mind went crazy and my self-confidence went down. However, I wore it for a year and no one cared. Now my back is fixed, and I learned a very important lesson. Only with the help of God was I able to get the courage to put that brace on every morning. At a time when I thought I couldn’t get through, God dissolved all of my fears. That’s what he does… because he’s God.

You will pass through rough waters and will experience the flames of the world, but the Lord God will not let you drown nor get burned. Everything you go through, he will be with you, protecting you. Our Lord does not place things in your life to beat you down, but does it to strengthen you so you realize the need for his hand in your life. My struggle came in the form of a simple back brace, but what have your struggles been? What waters are you passing through right now? Just remember, Jesus has his swimming suit on right next to you, wading in the waters with you.

By Bethany Prewett

Jeremiah 29:10-14
(New International Version)

This is what the LORD says: “When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my gracious promise to bring you back to this place. For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,” declares the LORD, “and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,” declares the LORD, “and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.”
This passage is about the great plans that the Lord has for all of us; plans that will bring us joy no matter how difficult or impossible the situation seems. My mom was unable to have children naturally due to a heart condition. Since both of my parents wanted children, they decided to adopt. They had an adoption all planned. Everything was going smoothly, and it seemed that they would soon have a new baby. However, at the last moment the mother decided to keep her child, and my parents were devastated.

Keeping faith in God, my parents trusted in his plan. Before they knew it, they found out about another baby in need of adoption, me. This time the adoption went through. My parents had their baby, and I had my family. I grew up in an amazing Christian home that was a blessing beyond anything I could have ever imagined.

You see, my brothers and sisters, God’s plans are always going to bless you if you just continue to have faith and praise him, even during the most difficult times. No problem is too big for our God, as long as we are willing to let go of it.

1.  What are some things in your life now that you need to let go of and give to God?
2.  What stops us from letting God take our problems?

By Matt Eadie

We hope you are having a wonderful holiday season!  With the advent of winter, it seems odd to be thinking about summer camp, but we are deep into the registration process for next summer.  The great news is we still have availability for campers in several sessions, especially for Echo Valley age campers.  The difficult news is that Jam Session at Singing Hills is completely jammed including the wait list.  If you have questions about where there are current openings, please call Diane Henry or Emily McRae at 830-792-1220.

Romans 8:14-17

Luke 15:20
He got up and went to his father. “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.

Galatians 2:20
I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Psalm 139:14
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
       your works are wonderful,
       I know that full well.

Jesus Christ loves you indescribably so; the Creator of the universe has laid down His life for you personally because He loves you so much. His blood has cleansed each of us and we have been adopted from out of Adam’s lineage and have been placed into God’s royal family (Romans 8:14-17). Our spirits have a new identity now because God’s Holy Spirit dwells in us: lives, breathes, loves, worships, gives, sacrifices (Galatians 2:20). Even though we continue to fall short of the glory of God because of our old patterns and ways of thinking, we have the ability to overcome because God forgives us, washes our feet humbly, and he loves us recklessly. His love is on display through our friends, family, nature and His Son. Genesis 1:1 states, “In the beginning God created…” The first action recorded in the Holy, inerrant Scripture is one of creativity and generosity. His nature cannot help but bless us with a beautiful and breathtaking environment. God created the earth, then placed humans on it and in turn placed Adam as the overseer of the Garden of Eden. Even though Adam sinned against God and generations since have turned farther and farther away from Him, God persists in pursuing each one of us on a personal level. He continues to breathe life into our lungs every second of every day, even when we reject His sovereignty, God does it because He loves us and wants us to join Him in Heaven for eternity (Luke 15:20).

Nature has always been a beautiful place for me to rest amongst and feel God’s presence and peace. The universe is so intricate; every component of it has been wonderfully made and delicately molded into perfect existence. Not only the nature around us but each one of us has been hand-crafted and as Christians the Holy Spirit has been injected, if you will, into our spirits and is sanctifying them to become more like Christ (Psalm 139). That being said we can look to each other for evidence of God’s existence. Therefore, even though Satan rules over earth for the time being, God’s power, beauty, presence, and love can be seen and witnessed about in many ways including nature, Jesus and the living Holy Spirit invested in fellow brothers and sister in Christ.

Amen.

By Molly Rodgers

God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
though its waters roar and foam
and the mountains quake with their surging.
     Selah

There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
the holy place where the Most High dwells.
God is within her, she will not fall;
God will help her at break of day.
Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall;
he lifts his voice, the earth melts.
The LORD Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.
     Selah

Come and see the works of the LORD,
the desolations he has brought on the earth.
He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth;
he breaks the bow and shatters the spear,
he burns the shields with fire.
“Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth.”
The LORD Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.
     Selah

 
I am a big worrier. I worry about being liked, what people think of me, about relationships, about lack of relationships, and about my family and friends. I worry about my dog, what I’ll have for lunch, what my clothes look like, what I should say and do. I worry about spending time with God when I am in the middle of a busy day, but no matter how much I worry, it doesn’t help anything. My worry doesn’t make anything easier for me.

When God completely and complexly made us, he didn’t want us ever to worry. He wants us to have trust and faith in him. When we worry and are anxious, our mind is separated from God. We believe we have the power and control to change the situation we are worrying about. When we are anxious, we tend to run around aimlessly trying to fix everything, so when night comes, we are too tired to turn to God. Have you ever felt like that? We need to remember that God knows us so intimately that he will always take care of us.

When we put our trust in Jesus and know that he will take care of us, we will experience a peace better than anything we know. Peace is God’s answer to anxiety. Psalm 46:10 says, “Be still and know that I am God.” Stillness is peacefulness… it is not jittery; it is not full of worry. God understands our worries and our needs, and he cares for us because we are his precious children. The same God who created you can be trusted with the details and fears in your life, and he wants to take care of them for you. In 1 Peter 5:7, Peter says “cast all your worries on him because he cares for you.” God is in control; he is awesome, strong and able!

Ask yourself…
• What are you worried about today?
• How can you give your fears to God?

By Paige Perry

From all of us at the LLYC office in Kerrville, we hope life is sweet for you!  We really miss you!  While we are still reflecting on the amazing memories of the summer,  it is already time to jump into the future.

If you have a passion or desire for leadership…if you are sensing a call to ministry through LLYC… if you have a yearning to join what is happening in the Canyon and beyond…we need to hear from you.  Now is the time to declare your desire to be considered for Central Staff Leadership for the summer of 2010.

What does it mean to be considered?  First, it simply means conversation.  We want to talk to you about it.

Later comes a formal application and an interview process.  Right now, we simply want to invite you into prayer and conversation about leadership and listen to your hopes and dreams for camp in 2010.

Please respond with an inquiry or a declaration of intent to Kevin Mayne as soon as possible or before December 1, 2009.  Please let us know what position you are interested in pursuing.  Our online application is now available under our Employment Section.

With all the incredible opportunities for ministry near and far, thank you for your investment in kids through LLYC, and for praying through this specific leadership possibility.

With great anticipation,

Kevin (for the team)

kmayne@llyc.org

Thinking about working at camp next summer?   We invite you to visit our Employment section and begin the process of applying to work  at camp for the summer of 2010!  When you submit your application, we will contact you about an interview.  Thanks for your interest in working at LLYC!

Mark 10:13-16
(New International Version)

The Little Children and Jesus
People were bringing little children to Jesus to have him touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” And he took the children in his arms, put his hands on them and blessed them.
 

I remember when I used to fight with my little sister over things like the last oatmeal cream pie or the last scoop of ice cream. We fought and competed with each other a lot. Sometimes, even the smallest argument could turn into a big one because we are both stubborn and unwilling to give in. So, when it came to the bigger things, like our parents’ attention, we would get really upset and that would separate us from one another. 

However, we need to remember that in the same way that Jesus loves all children, our parents love us, and we shouldn’t fight over their love. The disciples were spoiled because they got to spend a lot of time with Jesus, and they were reluctant to share his attention with anyone, even the small children. They would fight with others and with each other, just as we read in this passage from Mark. The good news is that no one can keep us from the love of Jesus… or our parents! So rejoice in that and remember to rejoice with everyone, especially your brothers and sisters.

By Will LeNoir