Another Quick Update

Hello all!

I again apologize for my long absence in the blogging world.  Life has been hectic to say the least...

So much has happened in the past month that I don't even know where to begin.  I'll try to give you the highlights until I have enough time to write more. 

In my last entry I mentioned being sick.  Well, I still am.  Turns out I have Giardia.  Giardia is a parasite that is transmitted through beaver, deer, and human fecal matter.  I'm not entirely sure how or when I got it but I must have drank some water with the parasite in it at some point in time since I've been here.  If you'd like to know more about it here's a link (http://www.bing.com/health/article/mayo-126419/Giardia-infection-giardiasis?q=giardiasis).  Right now the doctors in Lake City have me on a steady diet of Metamucil and the drug Metronidazole (aka: Flagyl).  Hopefully I will be back to normal this time next week because, to put it quite frankly, I'm sick and tired of being sick and tired. 

However, God is definitely teaching me that I cannot do this out of my own strength.  I am starting in on my fourth strait week with campers this week.  June 26th-July 5th I was with a rambunctious group for rock climbing camp and last Sunday I started in with Advanced Base Camp which will run until next Friday.  We just got back from a three day backpack trip and will be going rock climbing, rafting, and hiking up Uncompahgre in the week to come.  The group is a lot of fun and they all have a hunger for knowing truth and growing closer to God, but we are having issues with snarky sarcasm. 

I have been stretched, served, taught, and loved these past weeks.  I am being stretched out of my comfort zone into a level of challenge that has brought me to tears several times.  I have been served by my fellow guides through these challenges and taught that the only reason I am able to keep going is that God's grace, strength, love, and patience is bringing me through.  I have also been loved tremendously by my co-workers in this past week.  I love the community and honesty among our group and I love that I have been able to get to know their hearts and hear how God has and is working in their lives. 

Overall, I just wanted to let y'all know that I'm not dead.  I am quite the opposite actually.  Life has been wonderful and exciting yet challenging, and I will hopefully be able to write more come next weekend.  Until then, thanks for reading and praying!