I'm in Awe of Young Women Like This...

"Dear Ashley, You have no idea how encouraging it has been to receive your e-mails each month. I have been meaning to respond but it seems like I hardly have time to breath during the day. I miss Kamp so much at times. The other day I got to thinking though...what is it that I miss so much? Was it the food, or the outdoors, the freedom from the stresses of everyday life or the worship? But I came to the conclusion that it was the people. The feeling I had as I went to bed, as though I had just spent a day in Heaven and feeling like, with every second, I was growing closer with God. Why is it not like this at home? Why do we not get that feeling EVERY time we are fellowshipping with other believers? (I always think of the song called More Than You'll Ever Know by Watermark) This was one of the hardest parts of coming back. I was so disappointed with my church and with my Christian friends. One day I was complaining about this disappointment to my parents and my Dad simply replied, "Nat, we are not called to find the perfect church, we are called to BE the church." (It is so amazing to see how their faith and our whole family dynamic has changed incredibly in the past four months.) Since then my Dad and I have started getting up at four every Thursday morning to serve breakfast at our local homeless shelter. I have never enjoyed breakfast so much!!! We sit and listen to these incredible stories of where these people have been and are awed by their boundless faith, and our own lack of it at times. (Of course not all of the people who come in believe in God, yet.) Also, God instantly began bringing amazing people into my life. The friends and mentors I had been pleading for. What a blessing the past month has been. I am busy out of my mind with school work and extracurriculars, but I have found the truth in the saying, "you discover time you didn't think you had when you make time to spend with God." I hope that you will pray for strength for me as I endeavor to thirst and yearn for God and as I hope to become "the church" for my family, friends, and hopefully eventually influence my church as well.

Love,

Nat"