Week 10

I have been dreading the last week all summer.  This has by far been the best summer of my life and I have not been looking forward to going back home.

The last week was full of packing, watching the Olympics (Go Christa!), last trips to Banzai bowl and frozen yogurt, last teaching talks,workouts, and saying our goodbyes/ see ya laters.  It was definitely a very emotional week for me and I wasn't ready to leave.  I have never been in a community that was so loving and so accepting and was so intentional of knowing God more.  I had the fear that I was never going to have anything like that again. 

Through out the week, I had received so much affirmation from FCAV and from God that something great was going to happen back at home and that this time, God was going back with me.  As Meghan would say, "You don't have to go back, you get to go back."  After my meeting with the staff, I was beginning to get excited about going home. 

The night before we all left was one of the best nights of the summer. After eating dinner at BJs and enjoying our last pizzookie, we went back to the house for a surprise.  When we walked into the house, all the lights were off and candles were lit.  We began the night by walking around the house and allowing God to remind us of all of the memories and conversations that took place.  That alone put me in tears but that was just the beginning of it.  After walking around the house, we sat and prayed/ journaled about what God revealed to us this summer and had a time of worship. During all of this we got to write down our thoughts on a big poster board and paint a big canvas.  So many powerful words and images were painted. Lastly, all of the interns had our feet washed by the FCAV staff.  During one of our prayer/ journal sessions we were given a piece of paper with all of our teammates names on it from back home.  As soon as I saw the names I started crying... again.  I new God had something big planned for these girls! 

I think one of the biggest verses that hit me this summer was actually the first one I read on my flight to California.  Jesus says in Luke 17:20-21, "The kingdom of God does not come with your careful observation, nor will people say, 'here it is, or there it is, because the kingdom of God is within you." No matter if I am in California, back in Arkansas, on or off the volleyball court, God is WITH me wherever I go. :)