When I Am Weak, Then I Am Strong-Counseling through the Eyes of Erin

Hi! My name is Erin, and this is my second summer counseling at Cross Bar X. After spending last summer in beautiful Durango, CO, the thought of returning was always in the back of my mind, but as time went on, I saw God opening the doors to allow me to do so. I am excited to be returning this year as the Head Female Counselor of a ministry through which I have seen God work wonders, and I can’t imagine a better place to do ministry, even if just for the summer.

We are currently in the middle of our second Falcon camp from Phoenix, AZ, and I am counseling a cabin of four girls, ages ten and eleven. They are a pretty quiet group of girls which was somewhat frustrating at first, but God has really shown me His faithfulness this week through that. As we study Philippians, we talk a lot about Paul’s humility, a lesson which I am learning right along with the campers. God is teaching me that no matter how much preparation I have or how confident I feel in my position, everything that happens ultimately comes down to His will. It is by God’s grace alone that I am seeing growth in my girls, and it is in His power that I am able to love them like I do. Just as my cabin read this morning in our devotion time, I am learning, slowly but surely, to boast in my weaknesses so that Christ’s power may rest on me. Please pray that I continue to hand the reins over to Him each and every day so that He can do His good work.

Through the Eyes of Keith

Hey everyone! My name is Keith and I'm one of the male counselors here. We're halfway through our first full day of camp with the Phoenix falcon camp, and I love how well it's going. The Lord blessed me with a cabin of really easygoing guys who get along quite well for the most part. Some of them are already diving into memorizing passages from the Bible, and it's really encouraging to see. My guys are Arron, Edgar, Christian, Devon and Mamoud. They're all 11 and 12 years old, but they've seen a lot more than most people my age have seen. Pray for their hearts to be open to the gospel this week and for them to desire the good things God has in store for them.

This week has a lot of promise in it. I love counseling these guys, but sometimes it seems too much to wake up in the morning because I feel I have nothing left for them. Pray that I remember to trust in the Lord every day and that I receive the peace He promises to every believer. I also have trouble being patient with the guys sometimes, especially when they start antagonizing each other on purpose. Pray that I can keep my patience when they start picking on each other for no good reason. Also, keep the bible teacher for the week (our very own Jenny Walker) in your prayers as she teaches these kids about the love that Jesus has for them.

That's it for now! Thanks for your continued support!

Week 2... A Week of Challenge and Hope

Late last night one of our most favorite camp groups arrived...

Mentor Kids USA

This group is from inner city Phoenix, AZ.
All of these children are amazing, special and works of God. And all of them are in need in some way or another. Many live in areas that are gang infiltrated, older siblings are often pulled into crime and violence. Some come from single parent homes or foster care. Some of them live in poverty and bounce from home to home. All of them need people to look up to in life.

Please pray for a few specific things for these children:


1. That they feel SAFE and LOVED this week at CBX.
2. That they learn one piece of TRUTH about God, themselves and life this week.
3. That they leave CBX with HOPE and a correct PERSPECTIVE on life and God.

Dakota's Thoughts

Howdy all, Dakota here! So today is the fourth day since the first camp started and let me tell you something, I am loving every single moment of it. I have 4 campers in my cabin—cabin Kind! Cabin Kind has all the younglings; the youngest is seven years old and his name is Thaddeus, awesome name right?! The next oldest are both eight years old and their names’ are Tristan and Grant and the oldest camper in cabin Kind is Zach at age nine. It has been such a long time since I have been that old and it is crazy to see and watch them think and act. And to be honest I probably act like I am eight or nine sometimes, but only if the time is in need of silliness. All of my campers are a bit on the quiet side, for the exception of s’mores. Learned that the hard way, but I am just so thankful to even be a part of Cross Bar X and thank God for giving me this amazing opportunity to serve Him this summer. He is already moving mountains and its only day four! God is so good!

Cross Bar X is such an amazing place to serve God and have lots and lots of fun, but that does not mean it is always easy. Spending all day with the kids tires me out and I know the only way I am going to get through every day is to rely on nothing but God. He is my strength and thought,  sometimes I think I am not cut out for the whole counselor thing. I think of… In my weakness His power is made perfect. I love that so much and so blessed God has everything under control. One thing I would ask for is prayer. Prayer is so powerful and it’s a thing of beauty when we, as God’s children, can just talk to Him. There are some specific prayers I would like to request:

1.       When I came to Cross Bar X a lot of things were happening back home, especially with my family. I left home and things were still not good and in way I felt like I was just leaving that problem behind and I couldn’t do anything about it, but I have realized something…  I left them in the most caring and loving hands anyone could be in—God’s hands. I still don’t know what’s going to happen but one verse that’s been on my heart for a long time is Proverbs 3:5-6, “Love the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him and he will make you paths straight.” Trusting God is all I have to do because I know whatever happens God is going to make it amazing because his plan is perfect!

2.       Prayers for my walk here at Cross Bar X are for the campers God has put into my life. All of my campers know God, but not much, so I want them to know so much more about God. It is not an easy task to sit down and try to talk to four distracted, elementary boys about Jesus. So pray for discernment and for God to give me the words to speak to these kids. I am so stoked God has given me the opportunity to serve Him in this way—counsel to kids.

Thank you so much for your time and it feels so awesome to get to share how God is working in my life at Cross Bar X! 

God Bless!

Dakota

A First Day of Camp... Hillary's Perspective

Hey all! This is our first day-and-a-half of our first week of camp. I have 5 girls in my cabin; all of which are eight years old. It’s crazy how much personality an eight year-old girl can have. It's really awesome. I think they like me, so that's cool—I know I like them a lot too. I have three full more days with them, and I’m stoked about it. I’m so glad God gave me these girls for the week. They are all really active, and for the most part they are all willing to try anything, so it’s been really fun.

Hillary, front and center. 

She is surrounded by some of our other crazy, yet qualified in Christ staff.

Challenges and ways to pray: It has been thirteen years since I’ve been eight, thus I’ve forgotten how to speak eight-year old lingo. Pray for me as I try to share the truth of our Savior with these girls. When I try to explain the unexplainable love of our Lord, my mind starts reeling because I’m overwhelmed with all these truths I want them to grasp. The result: I sit there staring at their cute little faces with my mouth open—I’m dumbfounded because I’m at a loss for words. How do I explain our Savior? Praise God that He is adequate in all of my inadequacies. Again I ask for your prayers. I need our God to speak through me because just a day and a half into camp, I’ve already been at a loss for words. Though I’ve been a believer for thirteen years, I’m still stumped by an eight year-old girl’s question about God. So please, pray that I stay in the Word daily, that I do not get my priorities mixed up, and that our Lord would give me words to speak.

 My cabin girls are all so hungry for attention; it easy to see that this is something they rarely get at home. They are eager to please, eager to stand out, and eager to be loved and favored. Pray that I love these girls as Jesus does. All five are emotional and a bit moody; I don’t ever remember being that temperamental as a young girl, so I’ve found myself lacking in empathy when one of them starts complaining about only getting peaches for desert. So, yeah. Pray that I have patience, godly discernment, and compassion throughout this summer.

Most of all, pray for these kids. All of them. My girls shared that they all struggle with a lack of friends; I think that’s the case for most of the kids at camp. I can relate, so that’s good, and I’m super eager to show them the friend they can have in Jesus—the friend that will never ever leave them. Please go through this summer praying with me for the kids that are here at camp, and the kids and teens that will be here. Pray for my heart, that it daily, continuously freed from the crippling hand of selfishness. 

Thanks so much! 

Hillary