"Here am I. Send me." Isaiah 6:8
For months I had been praying this verse. I was desperately waiting for The Lord to use me in ways I could never imagine. And this past July, that is exactly what He did.
This past summer, I was blessed with the opportunity to lead a wonderful group of junior high girls for a week at Butler Springs Christian Camp. I was overwhelmed with joy and could not wait for this week.
Through all the excitement, it didn't hit me that this was a huge responsibility until the first night I was there. The leaders were scheduled to be there a night before the campers had arrived. Out of the 20+ leaders present, I only knew three. Being in a group of people I don't know very well is very challenging for me, and He knows that. I had to come out of my shell and get to know the other leaders.
That night, all the female leaders stayed in a cabin together. They all go to the same church and were extremely close, so they did their best to get to know me. Most of us leaders(males and females) were around the same age, so this wasn't difficult. Throughout this bonding experience, I learned that these ladies had been preparing themselves emotionally for this week. They had spent weeks praying over the girls they were going to get and how they were going to impact them. It was this moment when it hit me... I was going to lead a group of girls and help them through their walk with Christ. It's a scary thought. I reminisced on the time I was at this camp as a junior high student and what my leader meant to me. She was and still is one of my role models. And I was about to be this to girls I have never met before.
I sat down in my bunk and read the book of Ephesians. I took notes and wrote down questions the girls might ask throughout the week. After that, I prayed. I prayed that I would let Him use me in amazing ways so I could work with these girls. I prayed that I would show an example to them about what it looks like to walk with Jesus. I prayed that I would grow as person throughout the entire week.
Needless to say, this was an exciting, exhausting, and challenging week for me. He used me in ways I never thought possible. I saw the Holy Spirit work through my girls and even myself, as well as the other students and leaders. I built friendships with the leaders that I know will last for a lifetime. Seeing the way they live their lives through Christ is inspiring. They are people I talk to when I need someone to keep me in check, people I go to for advice, or just to have a causal conversation with. I keep in touch with my girls as well. They have changed me. Seeing and hearing about their daily struggles moved me to tears. It was an honor to get to know them.
The Lord most definitely answered my prayers. I told Him I was ready for Him to use me in His Kingdom, and that is exactly what happened. I did things that week that I never imagined myself ever doing. I am now connected to some of the most amazing people who are the best friends and leaders I could ever ask for. I am so incredibly blessed that I was able to be apart of such an amazing week.
Here's a little preview of my week. There's more on my instagram!
http://instagram.com/gabriellegiglio
