Highs, Lows, and Viva La Vida.

Wow... what a crazy week. I will do my best attempt to update ya'll on what has been going on this past week at Camp Pinerock, with Transparent, and what's been on my mind. 

Camp Pinerock has been a really cool camp for a few reasons.

1) it's located in Prescott, Arizona, which is this awesome little town an hour and a half north of Phoenix with a super tight nit community and downtown with a courthouse in the middle like in Back to the Future. 

2) the director and staff work really hard to make the best camp experience possible

3) they are real about their faith and not ashamed of the gospel 

4) they plan rad activities like service projects and solid theological seminars 

5) they use the power of prayer to work in the hearts of everyone at camp

6) they have a sweet snack shack that we got to work in. just think... rad 70's dinner and that's what it looked like. 

The band has had such a blast singing with the high schoolers this week! They sing louder than any camp I've been to.  As a family/band/group of college students, we have come closer together this week than ever before. We faced certain trials and conflicts outside of our band this week that we haven't experienced before. I won't go in depth about them but I will say that I find it ironic sometimes when I read something in the Bible that applies to my life so perfectly. I guess what I am trying to say is that I've been reading James lately and in chapter 1 verse 2 it says, "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trails of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." I think that in such a time such as this when we as a band are fighting spiritual warfare at its finest, I would stubble upon this chapter that gives hope to those who face trails in the lives we live everyday.

 

Coming into this summer, I hoped that I would grow in my understanding of what worship looks like and how we can bring honest worship to our Father. Throughout this week, my faith has really been challenged.  With the thoughts I've wrestled with and conversations I had with this week, despite times when our faith might be challenged and our beliefs might be weak, I've come to realization that at the end of the day I can tell myself that I believe in a God who loves us more than we can ever fathom and that one day... we can spend eternity with Him. I say all of this because my mind has been spinning of these things and more this week than ever and I want this blog to be a place that I can share of what's going on this summer in every capacity. 

Ok, let's lighten the mood a bit shall we? 

Who bought Coldplay's new cd Viva La Vida?? 

If you did, I want to hear what you think. I've had it for a few weeks now and we listen to it more than we breath and I've come to LOVE it. I think it is my favorite album by them but I'm not ready to make it official. For Coldplay being my favorite band, I am very satisfied in this one. So, friends... if you don't have a copy, go purchase it and support them.

Yesterday I was sitting in the chapel after the morning service and a baby bat managed to find his way on the stage and he didn't like the idea of us being up there either. You'll see what I mean... haha.

I have a some more pictures that I still need to show you but that will come at another time. For now, I'm going to bed but thanks for reading friends. 

Lastly, our Transparent Myspace looks pretty pimped out now. Take a look and listen to some garageband recorded tunes!

www.myspace.com/transparentsmt

Here's the good ol' camp picture!

 

xoxo,

garrett