This is Really Happening!

Ever since leaving Trail West in 2009 (the camp Zach and I met at), we have both felt a very strong calling to work in Christian Camping ministry. Over the last two and a half years, we have applied to a handful of camps around the country, and have gotten rejected from almost every one.

This spring, Zach was offered a position in Oregon at a Young Life camp, but not working for Young Life, it would have been a separate ministry being run at that camp. He felt it was the right job, so I drove down with him the following weekend to see the place, meet the people, etc. As soon as we arrived on camp property, something felt off. I just knew it wasn't the right place for us, but didn't have the heart to tell Zach. I went through the whole weekend pretending to be ok. Once we got home, and went to church the next morning, Zach asked one of our pastors what he thought, and he said "I always say, 'Go until God says no.'" Well, I immediately felt this was the time to speak up so I told Zach that I just knew that this wasn't God's best for us. He was heartbroken, he finally felt he had a job at a camp and I had taken that away from him. He knew we needed to trust the Lord that He had something better for us, but that isn't always easy to do!!

Time moved along, we got married, we settled into our home and our new life together. Zach had still been applying for other camp jobs and was getting rejection letter after rejection letter. That is so not easy to deal with. I was sad for him, I just wanted someone to give him a call, talk to him on the phone, before simply saying, "Sorry, you don't look as good on paper as these other applicants. God Bless." All along I have had so much respect for my husband getting up every day and going to a job he does not enjoy at all. It has given me so much faith in him, knowing that no matter what happens he will always take care of me. We continually prayed for the right job to come along. We love our friends and community in Washington, but neither of us felt that we had to stay here forever, and so we were not limiting his job applications to this state.

Last week (yup, just last Tuesday) Zach sent an application to a camp just outside of San Diego, CA. At 10:30 pm. I have to admit, I was just dreading the email I expected to receive from them, the same one we had been getting from all the other camps. Boy was I wrong! The very next morning Zach recieved a phone call that they wanted to get to know him. He called back and spoke to the camp director for a few minutes, and when he realized how far away we live, he asked Zach to do a Skype interview. That interview only last 15 minutes, and they called back that afternoon to ask Zach when they could meet me! Ahh!! Well, Saturday morning we plugged into Skype and had an amazing half hour conversation with the three men on leadership at this camp. When we hung up with them, we both noticed that the most important principle was so apparent through these men, that their lives and the mission of the camp is incredibly Christ centered. How refreshing.

Yesterday (only one week after Zach's initial interview) they offered us both a full time position at the camp!! Maintenance for Zach, and Accomodations for me. As soon as this became a real possibility, naturally I freaked out. All the peace I had been feeling all week immediately turned into fear, nerves, and anxiety. I kept praying for it to go away but it wasn't! I decided to send an email to our family and a couple close friends, asking for prayer over our decision. I went to bed last night and told Zach I knew in the morning I would feel better, and then I would tell him that I felt 100% confident to move.

I woke up this morning with more nerves. Not what I wanted. Now I was afraid that all these nerves might be the same thing as the Oregon feelings, and I wanted to make sure if they were that I knew for sure. I called three people on my way to work and no one picked up. So I said outloud "Jesus if these nerves are really you saying no, then make that clear.. I need you to take this. If you want us to go, tell me loudly so I can't deny it!!" Two minutes later, my dad called back. He said he was not going to make the decision for me but that Zach and I have thrown our anchor down here, and it is now time to cut it loose. He said, "you can't try to set sail and still have that anchor dragging behind your boat, just let it go, and be on your next adventure!" Of course my dad would relate it to boating :) I felt this was such a good analogy because of my previous post and how this would mean starting over, yet again. When we hung up I felt pretty encouraged about it. Then I arrived at work and I had an email from my auntie Michelle, ending with this:

You and Zach are being offered a JOB to SERVE the LORD.  GO.  SERVE. BE HAPPY.   We support you in every way. Jesus is so happy with you. I know this.

At this point, I am definitely not able to deny that Jesus is indeed telling us to go. Just incase I didn't believe Him enough, I received a text message from my dear friend Breanna literally five minutes after reading the email, that read:

Take the leap of faith!!! :-)

So guess what?!

We are going!!

In THREE WEEKS!!!! And I am beyond excited knowing that we are definitely doing exactly what God wants us to.

This ain't half bad either.