Update in Pics...

 My roomie Maria got married. So we all dressed up and wore mustaches out for her  bachelorette party. Good times in Breckenridge.

Family Dinner in May. I have great friends here!

Family dinner 2 weeks ago. We sure have grown. And there were a few missing from this pic.

My YL girl Taylor and I after my talk this monday. She is hilarious.

Headed "home"

Headed back to my third home (1-Bradenton, 2-Earlville). The place where my heart feels the most home: Crooked Creek Ranch! YoungLife is in the midst of snow camp season, meaning high school & middle school kids from the Front Range go to camp for the weekend. The Front Range YoungLife staff work these weekends. Monday morning I received an email from the region saying they needed to fill the empty spot of Head Leader because the couple who were suppose to do it had a family emergency. So of course, I responded right away saying I would love to do it! So this weekend I will be a head leader at camp. This will be a new side of camp for me to experience but I am very excited. And added plus is that 3 of my girls will be there as WyldLife leaders so i will get to see them interact and lead their middle schoolers. These girls are amazing. I hope they know that.

White stuff started falling from the sky yesterday. First time in Denver this season. And to make matters worse, the sunsets by 4:45 everyday. Seasonal depression here I come... but first, I'm off to my happy place.

JNJ

Falling in love...

I am so grateful for this amazing season in my life. If you read the title and thought, "Julie's got a man in her life!" I say to you, "do you know me at all?" Hahaha!

No, this season has been about restoring a love for God's word, scripture. I so easily replace the Bible with christian books (ie my fave - Nouwen). Lately, I have had a deep hunger for reading and rereading God's word. I have never had a longing in this way. I have been reading gospel stories, that I have read a thousand times in the past, with a new wanting to be taught by Jesus. I have enjoyed coming to sit a the feet of my Father, knowing he has something he wants me to teach me or remind me.

Life Update: Colorado is still awesome, even though most of the interns have left me for adventures in other states. YL is ramping up again for the Fall. I really love the girls I get to hang out with. They keep me on my toes and remind me of God's grace and unconditional love. There have been so many weddings and babies, which is incredibly joyous and yet so hard on the heart.

LC Update

I am finally get around to an update. Yes we left camp 2 weeks ago, after having one of the best weeks ever. The whole trip was incredible. Kids got to be kids, and experience a loving God in a new and exciting way.

Thank you all so much for your encouragement and prayers. Our cabin was super cohesive. Although they didn't walk away super close, they all got along and loved each other well (which is HUGE for girls!). It was fun to see girls let go and be silly. During cabin clean-up every girl sang at the top of their lungs the entire time. There were multiple songs going on usually. It was so fun! We played crazy games and got messy and girls got to dig deeper into who Jesus is and what it means to have a relationship with Him.

Tonight we have our first summer campaigners (bible study). After spending a week with those girls I am so excited to see what God has in store for the next year! They are each so precious. I hope they know and feel that they are a beautiful daughter of the King!

Thank you for praying for us and loving me so well,

Julie

Paitra, Jamie and Brittany on the swing. 

Brittany and Alexa on the climbing wall. 

All the Littleton girls after the muddy obstacle course. The area code here is 303, which is the hand sign we are doing. 

Me in the dunk tank at Carnival. 

After the dunk tank with Paitra, Jamie and Kenzi. 

Cole, Zack and I after dunk tank and pie in the face. Yes I am really that short and they are really that tall

After the carnival and square dance everyone at camp jumps in the pool fully clothed!

Our cabin all dressed up for last dinner at camp. 

This are the incredible people I get to lead with. And this is what a week of camp does to us. 

LOST CANYON... best week of your LIFE or your money back!

This is an email I sent out to my friends and family to pray for camp. Lord knows I can't do it alone. I need all the support I can get!

In less than 12 hours, 55 kids and leaders from the Littleton YoungLife area (Heritage and Arapahoe High Schools) will be boarding a charter bus to Arizona. We have been gearing up for this for a while now and I am excited to spend a week with these girls.

This is where you come in.... If you would please commit to praying for me and Littleton YL daily. Here are a few specifics to pray for during our time at camp:

1. Our cabin of girls is very eclectic. Only 2 of the girls actually know each other already. Pray that we would be a cohesive and unified cabin. That God would blossom great bonds and friendships during the week.

2. Pray for me personally that I would not be overwhelmed by having too many leaders per kid. I have made it known that I am not a fan of taking 3 leaders for only 6 girls. Now, I can only trust and be faithful to what God has in store.

3. Pray that kids would feel so out of their element that they see God in a new and exciting way. That camp would be a place to spur them on to intentional and personal relationships with the God who created them and loves them as they are.

4. Pray that we would all (kids and leaders) be healthy physically, spiritually and emotionally this week. I am well aware that the devil uses these pains and illness to distract people from the work God is doing around them.

5. Pray for safe travels to and from Arizona. We will be traveling through the night both ways. Pray for sharpness of mind and energy for the bus drivers.

6. Pray for me spiritually... That I would be prepared to battle for kids. Pray that I would feel God's love for me and that I would cling to Him for my strength to get me through the week.


I will upload a few pics when I get home next week.

much love, JJ

Vacay!

In 48 hours I will be landing in Tampa! I couldn't be more excited to go on vacation. My first vacation from my "real job". Florida will be a crazy whirlwind adventure, and sadly too short. I will be there until early early Monday morning. My Florida adventures include: Rachel's graduation from USF, Mother's day and Kayla's 7th birthday; all on Sunday! Most of the days leading up to Sunday will be spent in preparation for the festivities. I am so proud of my sister for finish college, and finishing well. She is graduating with honors which is a hug accomplishment.

Monday morning I will be leaving bright and early with my grandparents to ride with them to Earlville, IL. It will be a long drive, but entertaining. I will be in the Chicago-land area until the next Sunday! I am excited for the actual vacation part of my vacation... no errands to run, to expectation. I can simply be and enjoy all my family up there. Megan and I have big plans! We are taking Addie & Kristi to the Brookfield Zoo. This brings back great childhood memories for me. And I am sure we will do some shopping in Chicago and whatnot, its what we are good at!

I will try update with pictures and whatnot. I haven't been good at that because I usually write updates at work and all of my pics are on my laptop.

Love. J

Life & Liturgy

Gillian and I have been taking a class at church called Life and Liturgy. Father Rob teaches this class and it has been so so good for my heart. It is not easy for me to explain why I love liturgical worship and the Anglican Church. I just know my soul thrives there. I am slowly understanding why this is. It is such a joy to be surrounded by people who have the same heart as I do. People who understand and appreciate liturgy. I still may not be able to eloquently explain why I am drawn to worship God in this way, but I know I am not alone. I want to share more about the class but I need to journal and process more on to collect my thoughts and feelings.

I have been in a pretty dark place for a few months and my YL team leader Zack encouraged me to be active in my walk with Christ instead of giving in to apathy. One night, sitting in a Starbucks, Zack and I made a checklist of steps to take to be active in the wilderness God was leading me through. Two of the items on the list were to go to church and to ask someone to be my mentor. I knew both things would be absolutely life giving but I was stuck in a stalled pattern of apathy and self-centered hate. I have been attending Wellspring Anglican (with Gillian, thankfully!!) for about 2 months now. I officially asked someone to be my mentor and she said yes without hesitating. Life is looking up. God is sovereign.

There is so much more to say but I should probably get back to work.

I'm making a comeback!

I am working on rearranging and making this thing pretty! Hopefully, I will be back at this sometime soon.