So I'll catch you up a little.. I have been back in La Crosse from Milwaukee for 5 weeks now. I have been working on the weekends and relaxing during the week, waiting to be hired at another job (which I finally am! Now I'm just waiting to actually start). Although I was kind of anxious/impatient/frustrated with not having a job during the week because I need to be making money, I have been thankful for the rest I have gotten because I know this semester will be suuuuuper busy.
Anyway, Milwaukee was great. I won't write a ton, but I'll give a short synopsis. It was different from my summer in Milwaukee 2 years ago because this summer I was on the staff side of things - which included a lot of behind the scenes planning and preparation.. a lot more responsibility. I definitely missed being at the ministry sites all day interacting with the kids, but we were still able to visit. It was awesome to see the students in action though!
My responsibilities as student staff included 3 main things: 1) coaching the weekly meeting team, 2) co-leading an action group, and 3) discipling 3 women. Leading the weekly meeting team was something I was unfamiliar with, but was excited to learn more about. I love to plan things, so it was a good fit for me. (A weekly meeting is what goes on every week at campuses that have a Campus Crusade movement on them. The main parts include a worship band that plays music, a speaker that gives a message, and an MC that keeps the flow of things.) I had a group of 5 students on my team, so we worked together to plan what the weekly meeting would look like every week. Honestly though, I really didn't do much but delegate to the students. They were wonderful, great servants, and had awesome ideas! I was so so proud of them for stepping up and working together. I loved seeing them own the team and their project. We had a lot of fun and I love and appreciate them all!
Co-leading an action group (Bible Study) was wonderful too - and more challenging than the weekly
meeting team. The other leader was my discipler from 2 summers ago (Kara)! So it was pretty awesome. =] We had 6 girls in our study from all over the US and who all had very different stories. I loved seeing them grow closer together, be real with one another, and be genuine encouragements to each other. One of my favorite nights with them was when we made T-shirts to represent what we were learning in Colossians. The theme verse for the shirts was Colossians 3:12 "Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience." It was a fun bonding time! =]
meeting team. The other leader was my discipler from 2 summers ago (Kara)! So it was pretty awesome. =] We had 6 girls in our study from all over the US and who all had very different stories. I loved seeing them grow closer together, be real with one another, and be genuine encouragements to each other. One of my favorite nights with them was when we made T-shirts to represent what we were learning in Colossians. The theme verse for the shirts was Colossians 3:12 "Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience." It was a fun bonding time! =] Finally, the area I was stretched the most in and therefore grew the most in was discipleship. I discipled 3 lovely women from Ohio, Kentucky, and North Carolina. I only had 3 weeks with these girls, and I wanted to help them grow the best I could in that short time. Part of the reason this responsibility was more challenging for me is because I wanted to pour into these girls, but felt like I had nothing to give them. Thoughts would go through my head like "I'm not mature enough in my faith to help these girls grow." or "I haven't experienced what they have, so how am I going to relate?" I want to give them what they need to help them heal and grow, but I have no idea how to do that. It was very humbling and made me depend on the Lord for wisdom and trust that He would grow them. Their growth wasn't dependent on me.. it was dependent on the Lord. Once I realized that, the pressure was off. My only responsibility was to be empowered by the spirit and trust that the Lord would speak through me.
We had our end-of-project retreat last week in the Dells. (Staff left half way through the summer and then passed on leadership roles to the students for the second half of the summer.) It was so great to see the students again and to see how they had grown together as a family. During a debriefing time they shared stories from the summer about how God had worked in their and others' lives. This time was so impactful and such a testimony to the Lord's faithfulness; I was very encouraged and blessed by their stories. The rest of the retreat we played in the waterpark at the Kalahari enjoyed each others' company. It was sad to say goodbye, but it was also hopeful and exciting because I know that God will use these students on their campuses. And I can't wait to hear all about it! =]
Here is a picture of the entire group! 
