Love From Home and A Few Requests

Hello again!!

Its a great day to be in PCB, first because week 6 is kicking off as we speak! I'm hanging out in the Registration room at the moment, and almost all of our churches have already arrived...PTL for early registration days!

The second and most important reason its a great day is because I GOT MAIL!!! I receive mail on occasion, but when a letter arrives addressed to Claudia Taylor, I know its about to get good, because it probably came from my family (they're the only people who call me that, and I secretly love it. I suppose its not a secret anymore though). This one was extra special...a handwritten letter from one of my favorite men on the entire planet. Thanks, Papa. You brightened my day more than you know.

Now that I'm off to such a fabulous start, I'm really looking forward to an awesome week. Can you believe there are only three to go? Me neither. As you are doing whatever you do day to day, I hope you will lift up a few things for us down in the Panhandle:

1. Due to low numbers, our staff has begun to head home for the summer. This morning we lost two lovely ladies...they were such a huge asset to our team and will be sorely missed. Please pray that transitions will be smooth; both for us at PCB as we learn to do camp without them, and for Miriam and Brooke as they make the sometimes difficult transition back to "real life".

2. I'm tackling "Tough Questions" track again this week. In this track, students ask some of their most difficult questions about the christian faith, such as why God allows suffering and whether or not absolute truth exists. Its fun to delve into these topics, but they can get hairy. The first attempt was less than ideal on my part. Pray the Lord would bring students with good questions and teachable hearts. Please pray he would daily fill me with HIS words and HIS answers, and that I would be completely dependent on him in my teaching. Pray that I will be diligent in all my preparations.

3. Pray for joy and energy for our staff. Week 6 is when you really begin to realize how tired you are, and for many of us (namely, me), its the point when illness sets in. Ask the Lord to multiply our sleep and give us the energy to push through and give students all we have as though we were as rested as we began on Week 1.

You're prayers are so precious to me. Please let me know how I can pray for you too. I would love nothing more than to be lifting you up this week!!

A Dangerous Prayer.

About five years ago, I conned my mother into letting me travel to Koln, Germany to work on a church plant in the city. I learned many things during my few short weeks there (one being that missions in Western Europe is not my calling), and surprisingly enough, most of what the Lord did in me did not occur on the field, but rather in our times of worship and training under our IMB missionary, Jeff Simmons.

The Dom Cathedral in Koln. This has to be one of the most massive and stunning structures I've ever laid eyes on.      The Dom is wholly responsible for my obsession with Gothic architecture. 

In one particular lesson, Jeff talked about a time in which he prayed that he would learn what it meant to be desperate for the Lord. In the weeks following that prayer, his car was broken into and most of its contents were stolen. This included all of the paperwork for every team he would host that summer, making it virtually impossible to bring mission groups from the states to work along side him in 2007.

But God...

I don't recall the details and I suppose they aren't important. What mattered was that in July 2007, I was in Koln working under Jeff, despite a small logistical nightmare. The Lord did his thing without the paperwork, and he taught Jeff the lesson he asked for. That day, he challenged each of us to pray that same prayer. I chickened out.

Until five years later.

When our leadership team met for the very first time, I prayed that dangerous prayer. I asked the Lord to make me desperate for him, and oh did he deliver. In the last two months, he has completely shattered my confidence in my own abilities. I came into this summer thinking that I would be a good fit to serve as the Finance Director. Administration is my strong suit, and I was ready to rock this position. Amid the lost receipts, botched reports, and a serious lack of patience when it comes to managing the Fuge Store, Father put me in my place. My only talents are the ones he gives me. Even with the best of intentions, I can only serve him if I'm allowing him to work through me. I'm learning to beg for his help every step of the way...every second of every day. I know what it feels like to be desperate for him.

I seemed to be on a roll with these dangerous prayers, so why not pray one more? This prayer easily scared me the most; I laid a friend in the Lord's hands, promising I would let go of the relationship if that is what he asked. I don't know if he wants to take this friendship away or allow it to remain, and though I hope he allows it to continue, I'm relinquishing the power to make that choice. Losing this friendship is scary, but what terrifies me all the more is stepping outside of Father's will for even a moment.

If you haven't heard, I had the opportunity to co-teach college bible study this week. Totally intimidating on the surface, but totally awesome in real life. During rec on Friday, our group was assigned to conquer the wall. Basically, there is a 12 ft wall on the rec field, and the object of the initiative is to lift your entire team up and over the wall safely. Its a powerful exercise, and though I have yet to experience this myself, many leaders have seen salvations in their students at the top of the wall. Anyway, as I debriefed with my group, I came to a revelation of sorts. Its shocking how willing I am to put my life in the hands of 14 near strangers and trust that they won't let me fall. The wall is reserved for 11th graders and older because it is extremely dangerous if not done properly. If my team were to drop me, I could easily break my back. But that didn't stop me for a second. In fact, the idea never really crossed my mind.

This is my rear being pulled over the wall. Sweet Forrest tried to lift me over by himself, which turned out to be horribly unsuccessful. Kudos to Katie and the student who has me in what appears to be a headlock.

Why am I so quick to place my trust in these total strangers, yet I struggle so much to lay my life in the hands of the Almighty?

Trusting the Father is a choice. I'm choosing to trust that he loves me. I'm choosing to trust his word is good. I'm choosing to trust he never goes back on a promise, and I'm choosing to trust that he is for me and not against me.

Dangerous prayers shouldn't be so scary. The cutting is painful, but the surgery brings health to our souls. I want Lord to do the hard work that needs to be done on my heart, and if that means approaching him boldly with seemingly dangerous requests, than that is what I will continue to do.

Oh, how I want to look more like Jesus...

Approaching Boldly

Bold prayers are dangerous. When we're willing to make bold, difficult requests, I think the Lord honors those. I think we're the ones who don't always know exactly what were asking for. Then we get an answer that isn't quite like we planned.

So much on my heart tonight, yet so little energy to share it. Maybe I'll find sims tins tomorrow to catch you up.

Goodnight my sweet friends.

I'M BACK!!!

You know that phenomenal feeling you get when you come home after an unbelievably stressful day and put on your very favorite sweatpants? You know, the ones that are 3 shades lighter than when you first bought them and probably have a couple of holes in the hem because they're just a little too long (or is that just my problem??) Its that feeling of being comfortable...at ease...totally and completely at peace. That is how I feel right now.

I didn't just put on my worn out Fuge sweats though. Instead, I have a fresh cup of coffee and I've just sunk myself into my favorite booth at Panera Bread in Panama City. I'm FINALLY back. Goodness gracious, there have been times in the last few months that I thought this moment would never arrive. I feel so content to be in a familiar place where the Lord and I convened over hot coffee so many times last summer.

This morning, I said goodbye to my precious family. They are on vacation in Clearwater this week, and I got to spend a couple days relaxing with them before it was time to make my way to PCB. Before I hit the road about 9 this morning, my whole family gathered in the living room of the condo to pray over me. I wish I could have snapped a photo to share with you...what a precious sight it was! I'm continually reminded how crazy blessed I am to have a family that wholeheartedly supports this ministry. They're my own little army of prayer warriors.

As I made the 7 hour trip to the panhandle in the silence of my little jeep (silence is painful for me, as I'm sure you know), I couldn't help but wonder...Would you like to join them?

I once heard it said that not all of us are called to full-time ministry, but we are ALL called to ministry in some kind. There's a good chance most of you aren't able to drop everything and do camp for a summer (though I SO wish you could). You may be a nurse, an accountant, or a McDonald's drive-thru worker. Whatever you do, you are so very necessary (especially you McDonald's guys...I can't live without my $1 sweet tea), and while you do whatever Father has called you too, you are still very much able to be involved in ministry. I have a simple request of those who desire to come aboard: Join the army of those interceding on behalf of the PCB Fuge team this summer. We desperately, desperately covet your prayers as Father stretches us beyond belief while we love on camp babies (who are actually teenagers) and testify to the gospel of the grace of which we are all partakers.

I'll do my best to update you frequently. For now, here are a few requests you can take to our Father:

1. JOY. The 6 members of our leadership staff are arriving today, along with our coordinator, Mark, and we will be setting up camp for the rest of the staff to arrive. Its a mundane task, but one that must be done. Over the next few days, pray that God will give us joy as we prepare to get down to the good stuff.

2. Quick Friendships. Its scary walking into a group of strangers, and though there is comfort in knowing we share the same passion for the gospel, the "newness" can be awkward and intimidating (again, that could just be my own weirdness). Pray our team will bond quickly as we prepare to serve in unity.

3. Teachable hearts. Most of us are coming to camp to teach. Being teachers, we often forget to that we too are still learning. Pray our hearts would be mailable; that we would willingly serve as student teachers this summer. Our ministry will certainly suffer if we aren't growing daily ourselves.

Its time for me to run. I have 6 minutes until I'm officially late:) I'm so, so grateful you are joining me in this. I'll keep you posted on what Father is up to down here. I can't wait to see!!

Love you all!!!