The latest...(this will be long)

edit first...I passed my Texas teacher test at the first of May...so that allowed me to "play" this summer.  :)  It only took me a year...but you know God is still FAITHFUL!

So I started the summer off just as I do every summer...just praying...God use me, change me, and let it be a summer that I can remember.  One the schedule: 3 camps, RESTING, 2 weddings, RESTING, atleast 4 visits home, RESTING, 1 week of PreAP math course for school, RESTING, moving my classroom, RESTING, finding a home group at the Village (thevillagechurch.net), RESTING, lunches with friends that I can't ever have because I am a teacher, and whatever else pops in the schedule.  (That makes me tired just reading it.)  Not ever realizing the challenges that would come, the fears that I would face, the possibilities I would have, the changes that would be made, and God most of all continuing to show me His will in my life.

I began my first week of summer moving  my classroom.  Mom came over to Dallas and helped me box up the classroom to which we completed in about 3 hours.  KB was a hause...I was so proud and was proven to how weak I was and how the double my age lady put me to shame!  The next weekend I went home for several days to see the family for Father's Day and spend time with the men love me the most in my life.  I went to my dad's for two days to hang out with him and then to Papa Red's and Papaw's for three days to come back to do my first camp.

The next week I volunteered with our Wyldlife 8th grade camp.  (younglife.org)  This is the week that God really just started the prep work as I wasn't sure what to think.  I had not done a camp with Wyldlife before but Sally Purdy just knew I had to do it with her.  So that week we stayed here in Dallas area and did camp.  We served here in Dallas, played, and had club.  So this is the week that I quit being "Ms. Scharf" but the fun adult by just playing with the kids.  I also realized I don't follow directions well nor do I understand directions well!...such as driving directions!  HA!  But what stuck out the most of this week is the fear that I conquered and really just doing it.  I rode the rollar coasters at 6 flags with the girls and they just loved it.  Then we rode it about 7 more times! I ended up loving it!  But I realized even more here...that I have to meet the students where they are before I can get deep with them.  It proved worthy as I got to share with these students what a quiet time meant to me...but most of all LOVE BIG and just play with these incoming freshman.  God here broke ground on my caloused heart to ministry this week.  (After this camp Sally and I met up to chat and realized that she really didn't need me to go to the 2nd camp as we didn't have many girls going.  I said that is ok as I had so much going on and I could rest.)

The next week I completed the PreAP course that I had to take for my district.  It was long but fun.  I did learn somethings and I was the class clown of the group...everyone was so on edge at times.  I threw a piece of paper at a friend of mine across the room to which I hit the teacher..oops!  I said I learned it from my principal.  But the last day is when I grew up and taught all of these on edge math teachers something from my class.  I learned this week that no matter my age I can still make a difference to old stoogesand LOVE BIG the adults around me and even the teacher!  (During that week I got to go see Hairspray on Broadway downtown with a good friend of mine!  It was so fun to dress up and play.  We had dinner first then conquered downtown.  This is one blessing being in Dallas...Broadway shows!)

To which the next week I came home to spend time with my family and with the Heatherly family as Emma was getting married that Saturday.  This week I was able to hang out with my parents and just celebrate time with them.  It means so much that I can just be with them and they love me the way I am.  At the end of the week I spent with Sarah to help with the wedding extravanganza!  It was a happening needless to say and we were all so TIRED! 

I came home that Monday to spend the week in Dallas and hang out.  Well I met up with Sally and her son, Jack that Thursday for lunch.  (I taught Jack last year.  He is Sally's baby that she cried over the first day of school when I met her and told her to Suck it up...we woudl take care of him.  He became my Jackman and I became his safety at school.)  So during lunch Jack asked if I was packed for camp yet to which they were leaving on Saturday.  Well Sally and I forgot to tell him that I wasn't going now because they didn't need me.  Well that didn't set well with him...after trying to talk him into me not going...He jsut would not have it...so I went to Wyldlife camp II at Carolina Creek.  I had NO clue what I was getting myself into...didn't even know where I was going!  I just knew to show up at Sally's 11 am on Saturday morning!  HA!  She kept sending me texts on what to pack!  Never knew what God would teach me that week and use my Jackman to push me...

So we show up on Saturday and Sally tells me we will only be on the road for about 3.5 hours.  HA!  So we load the bus and I realize I have 4 of my students whom I taught this last year on this trip.  I introduce myself to the girls and just hang out the entire ride down.  It was fun for those guys to see me not as "Ms. Scharf" but as just Amy.  Needless to say that liked me much better that way....is that a good thing?  Durign the week each day was a new day and we didn't know what we would be doing  until right before it happened....so I was left in anticipation.  Well as soon as we got there we were handed our schedule for that day that told us we were doing the ropes course that day.  So we immediately got to the cabin changed and went to the course.  Ok so keep in mind I am terrified of heights!  So all of the girls went and conquered their fear and I was still yet to go.  Well none the less does Sally get in my face and told me I am doing this because the kids are watching.  Woah...that hit me like a ton of bricks!  So a long story short...I did do it...we quoted scripture, i cried, we sang, i yelled, Jackman cried, He yelled, then we swang and it was over!.  It took me an hour and half to complete the course that was 40 feet in the air...but what was so cool about that was how it bonded us girls.  Did I mention we only had 4 girls to go then Sally and I as girl leaders along with Kelli who came 2 days late?  Well that night though during cabin time...it was so cool to talk about our fears and how we conquered them! I will NEVER forget that night as we talked about fears and how God has conquered them...then we talked about what GOD CAN DO!  It was a very very sweet time each night with these girls as they were so hungry to know about faith that is theirs and noone elses.  The highlight of the trip for me is when I talked with one of the girls one on one and when I asked her where she was in her faith...she wasn't sure.  I told her we could nail it down there..so I answered her questions and quoted scripture...then we prayed.  IT WAS AWESOME!  We just cried and hugged.  So the rest of the week we played, we played, we got dirty, we played, we got wet....we just bonded...and you know once again...met the students where they were at, conquered another fear, and LOVED BIG in an amazing way.  Once again the caloused was breaking but noone knew this.  Well atleast I didnt' think so.  On my way home I called Mm to tell her about the week to which she said "Amy, that is why you moved to Dallas." I had never thought of it that way and even more overjoyed at what God was doing in my life.

During the next two weeks I continue to pray about what God was doing in my life and also started going to home group with The Village Church.  These girls are nothing like me but yet we have common ground as to just to do life together.  It is really sweet how God fearing and accepting these girls are...how they love our GOD and how real they are.  I rested this week and just loved life out here in Dallas.  I went home at the end of the week with a very heavy heart about YOUniversity (high school camp at my home church)...This was the 16th year of camp and my 14th time to go...it is like it is in my blood to go.  So I left asking people to pray that my fears of not being able to be used when I don't know the kids anymore...I am not there...oh I had tons of excuses!

So I had to be at church 5 am that Monday morning!  AGH!  As soon as I got there it was like all of the fears went away because of the students that were there...my girls who I had shared a room with last year and then my first group of 6th grade students who I dearly love!  So much happened this week but the one night I remember the most was the Wednesday night when I was able to pray with a little girl that I was at the hospital when she was born 15 years ago...but the exciting part was to talk to 4 other girls that night about their faith.  They had questions, too, and we nailed it down!  I was so amazed because God is so good and so there when you need strength...because I was tired, empty, and dry.  But taht night was so sweet as I got to share parts of my life to help with these girls...but just LOVE them BIG in ways I never imagined...then the next night to be there when 3 of them were baptized and to show their peers they were not ashamed anymore!  Ofcourse I cried...but after this night I was completely broken and couldn't fight it anymore.  There were other moments of that week that were memorable to me also but this is long enough already.  But I asked my pastor at home (http://web.mac.com/kmwlht/iWeb/portico.com/PORTICO.html) to pray with me because I did not understand fully what God was up to and needed some guidance.  He and his wife are very dear to me so I was ok with him knowing what is going on.  So we prayed and I just knew it was right with my surrender to the ministry....but another question came up...do I move home to do this?  So once again this is a week that changed my life again...I was able to meet the students where they were...play with them...get wet, get nasty, LOVE them BIG! and just to PRAISE GOD from the incredible week!

I am home with many questions and needed much prayer.  I talked with Mom about it and a few others about the ministry thing and the move.  I left Louisiana with a very, very heavy heart and tears.  In the year that I have been gone I haven't ever left like that.  My dear friend sent me a text that said, There are students in Texas that need ministered to, also.   I came back to Texas...just needed guidance...almost a clear sign of what was going on here in Texas and why I was here.  How could God use me over here?  Well Dumb Amy...should have no doubt...cause God is sovereign and will show me.  Another great brother of mine told me Amy, you need to realize where ministry happens?  Is it only in the church or can you do it in your school too?  When I walked into my school last week I just knew it was right as I was happy to be there and loved seeing everyone with open arms hugging...it is such a family where I work...just being able to LOVE them BIG.  On Sunday night...Matt Chandler said something to the effect of always give praise and glory to God of what He was doing in my life...I was just blown away with that as this summer the work that was done in my life could only be credit to God and noone nor nothing else.  I got in the car and was driving home when a song came on that said...though I can't see, I still believe.  Well I didnt lose it coming home as that is all I could think of...I am in a fog...I can't see a darn thing...but Yes, God I still believe.  So I just prayed earnestly that night God what is it...clear my head...I need to be used today.

Well Monday...I had dinner with some friends who I serve with in Wyldlife and we were talking about the camps this summer and such.  To which one of them looked at me and said Amy, you are great...I am so glad you are in my life and the lives of the girls' around us.  You have so much to offer.  I was floored with this as I don't see it here and definitely in just every day life.  Then that night I got a phone call from a friend from home who was struggling with life and was able to listen, encourage, and pray for her.  To which God knocked me upside the head to say...it doesn't matter how far you are away or where you are...the most important thing you can do for someone is pray and it doens't matter if you are 4.5 hours away.  When they need you they will call and you will pray.  So once again I was thank you JEsus...so that night I come home to read and pray...seek HIM...cause so much had gone on that day to which when I open my devotion that night it talked about just one step is all we need to see.  It hit me pretty hard because right now I want to see the big picture...but all God wants me to see is the next step and He will show me the rest.  Well I kept reading and I read about how Abraham had to leave everything he knew to pursue God and God's blessings in his life...That was my answer and it hit me like a ton of bricks!  I knew without a doubt then I was right where I need to be here in Texas serving in my school being the 6th grade math teacher, serving my students when they hurt, serving my friends whereever they are...most of all LOVING BIG and PRAISING HIM!

So there you have it, my update of where I am in life and what God has been doing.  It has been a wild ride, but I give GOD all glory and honor!

I start my 4th year of teaching on Monday.  I start my 4th year of serving in the public school system on Monday.  I start the membership class of The Village Church in October.  I start living in Dallas another year.  I start seizing the opportunities God puts before me whereever I am.  I start being nice to someone today.

So this is me, being real, being open, serving, LOVING BIG...most of all having FAITH!  Though I can't see...I still believe.