Hew. 11:1 Now Faith is the substance of all things hoped for..."

Wow. Yesterday (Sunday July 25) I arrived back from Apache Creek Deaf and Youth Ranch in New Mexico. It was AMAZING!! I praise God that He gave me an opportunity to go and hear and learn about His word. I went to camp from July 21-26,2008.

We went hiking, horse riding, roller-skating(which I fell many of many of times and have bruises to prove them), we had competion against the counslers and the campers. Which were basketball, volleyball, carpetball, tetherball. There was a singing competion I particapted in. We sang Give Up. With Sanderson....There are lots more things I can tell about this trip but I am writing this blog for a whole different purpose. I am writing this blog because I want to tell everyone about my experience at Apache Creek!

I guess I need to tell you that there were at least 3 services each day. And two devotions, morning and night for a week straight. So I have alot to tell you what I want to tell you in one blog!

Before Apache C reek I felt like the world was crashing around me...(im sorta exaggerating but hopefully you get my point.) I felt like I was sooooo far away from God. And God in my life, He is the main purpose. He is who I live in and for. (And thats who you should live in and for too.) But anywho I felt like God was so faraway that I could reach Him. And I felt like I wasnt doing what He would like me to do. I didnt know how to live life for Him. And I felt that I wasnt HIS child. Did you know that once you are saved you are a CHILD OF GOD. IT IS AMAZING!!! (But of course there is alot more why it is amazing that I am not telling you.) But my family isnt AS close to God as I, so it is hard to talk to them about this questions. So when I went to camp I found out all the answers to the questions in my mind. 

But when I went to camp I made sure that I was a Child of God. The first morning service was about EXAMING YOURSELF. In 2 Corinthians 5:5 Paul writes "Examine Yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; Prove your ownselves. Know ye not your ownselves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?" In case you are wondering reprobates means worthless, unapproved, worthless. We are not worthless when we are children of God. But we can be worthless Children of God. If we dont do what God wants us to. Living in His will. We have to WANT live in God. We have to WANT to give up everything that blocks us from God.                                                               The next service after the first was about Rebellion. In  1 Samuel 15:22-23 It says, "For rebillion is as the sin of witchcraft and stubborness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, he hath also rejected thee from being king." Rebellion takes you farther away from God.

Back to the story. I examined myself for the next 2 days. And I realized that that I was not willing to give up everything that was holding me back from God, I was being stubborn and from being stubborn I was rebelling from God. And did not only realized I was being stubborn and rebelling to and from God I was to my parents and family. (You know for being a brat and being rude. etc. etc.) 

The next day and the next morning service. We were preach to about 'Where Jesus Dwells.' And they were telling us about where Jesus doesnt dwell in 'bad' music, movies, shows, friends, and how all these things will pull you away from God because they are of the World. 2 Corinthians 6:14-18 says, "14Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? 16And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 17Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you. 18And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty." And music and friends just stayed in my head through out this preaching. Because it occured to me that  music and friends are what keep me away from God. Because once I get into a good band I will obbsess over them, sadly to say. And my friends since some of them dont believe in God that pulled me away to. You become who you hang around. And during the the service after that it was Preached and asked if 'You are a Vessel of God.' And with all these things that kept me away from God is keeping me from being a 'vessel of God.'

I do have more but I dont want you to read everything in one looooooooooooooong blog so I shall post a second one.

and tell you about the rest. And how Apache Creek has changed me for the better.