the last few weeks

Hey everyone

Sorry it has been so long since I've updated last. The last few weeks have been incredibly busy, but a really great time as well. The last two weeks at work ( a children's day camp at a local resort) have been a whole lot of fun. I am really enjoying my co-workers; they are all really outgoing and really make me feel welcome. Going to work is something I find myself looking forward to, which makes for fun days of hiking and hanging out with the children. We haven't had many children thus far, but this week should pick up a lot and from here on out we should have somewhere around 20 children a day.
The last two weekends have been really refreshing as well. Two weekends ago our group went on an incredible hike to an area called Hanging Lake. While the hike was somewhat intensive, there was a beautiful waterfall and lake at the top of the mountain that were completely worth the trek. The next day we spent the afternoon trekking through the woods with an activity called "The Great Rescue." Everyone was split into our family groups (which is like our small group/Bible Study) and we had to find the four lost people in the woods. It was a great activity which really helped us to meeting people's physical and spiritual needs. It was a great time for us to refocus on what our purpose is in the Vail valley this summer and an excellent reminder of what it means to get to know and love on those who do not know the Lord. The Lord has placed some great coworkers in my life thus far who I really have been called to love on and get to know. Please pray that I would be intentional in those relationships and continue to remember that it is the Lord who is working through me to meet these people and their needs.
This past weekend was also a great refreshment as we had a women's retreat. We spent Friday evening around a campfire in the mountains, sharing about the areas we were struggling and even more importantly about the areas that we are seeing God show up in our lives. It was a great time of community and fellowship, as well as a great encouragement to see all that God is doing in and through His children. We also spent Saturday afternoon and evening talking with one another and being real about the things which we were experiencing this summer. I left the weekend feeling very refreshing and reconnected with the Lord who has called me to serve the valley this summer. It was a great time of solid community with the women and also some great time just meeting with the Lord and praying through the coming weeks here in Vail.
The Lord is moving in incredible ways already in the valley. Many of my friends on project are having great conversations with their coworkers, simply about life and even about spiritual things. I am so excited to see how those relationships continue to develop and how the Lord will continue to move those conversations into sharing the Gospel and all that Christ has done in our lives. Please pray for big things in the valley this summer. All too often I have such a small view of the Lord and do not believe that what seems impossible can actually be done. I am expecting amazing things from the Lord this summer, and I want to invite each of you to pray with me for that. I hope everyone is doing well and that summer is treating you well.

By His grace alone,
Lauren