Thank You for Young Life and Windy Gap!

      This is what beautiful insanity looks like--

      Windy Gap, NC.  You have to look closely, but two young women are screaming in on the zip line on the right side of the picture (in front of the majestic Weeping Willow tree).  The zip line, in addition to flying down a mountain at dizzying speeds, ends in the LAKE.  The totally unheated I-can't-even-begin-to-think-about-how-cold-it-is lake.  Good night.
      On the left side of the picture is a giant slide, which countless crazy high schoolers (including my son) have flown down...into the same lovely but freezing lake.  Us stodgy old adults have been debating how much money someone would have to pay us to do either of these.  All I know is it would require Donald Trump and Bill Gates--like big, big bucks to get me to don a bathing suit and go hurtling down a mountain and into a lake in November.
      But as I sit here writing, I hear the beautiful sounds from outside of deliriously happy kids--screaming, laughing, talking, playing.  And all I can think is, thank You, Father.  For this place.  For the vision of Young Life to introduce kids to the Source of real, true, abundant, eternal life--the Lord Jesus.  For the joy of being here with so many amazing friends.  For the glory of God's mountains.  For the wonder of sharing this with my husband and three of my children.  For these truly heroic Young Life leaders and staff who give their lives away daily in loving and sacrificing for these kids.
      So today, thank You, Abba, for Young Life, for these high schoolers, and for changed lives.

      Thank You for the astounding beauty of Your mountains

     Thank You for all Your creatures, great and small--

Thank You for the joy of sharing all this with friends and family-

(Janie, her precious roommate, May, and Peter)  And the other wonderful friends here with us enjoying this little taste of heaven--

(By the way, this picture is lacking several VIP's...like Gray Creech.  Clearly, we've got to have more pictures tomorrow.  This simply will not do!)
       I have laughed hard and cried repeatedly--all out of gratitude and love. And let me tell you something--if you ever feel discouraged about the state of our nation's youth,  pay a visit to a Young Life camp.  Boy, God's got His hand upon some remarkable young folks, and He's working and moving in so many places and in so many ways.
       So today, another simple thank You to our extravagantly generous and gracious Father.  What a reminder that life's greatest blessings and treasures come not from an abundance of possessions...nor from exotic, world-wide travel...nor from perfect, fancy homes...nor from any thing this world can offer us.  No, true  contentment, true joy comes from the One who gave up everything in order to come to this earth and give His life for us.
      He is the Gift.  He is the Giver.  And all His gifts are so, so good.
      Today, what gift has He given you?  The treasure of friendship.  Of laughter.  Of fall's beauty.  Of friends or family (like Young Life leaders) who've loved and cared for your children.  Of a bracing walk on a cool day.  Of salvation.  Would you thank Him?
      "The Lord is my strength and my song, and He has become my salvation; this is my God, and I will praise Him, my father's God, and I will exalt Him." (Ex.15:2)
      Thank You, Father.  Thank You.  To God be the glory.