June 8th

Hey ya'll...

I have been out here in Estes Park for almost three weeks. The weather hasn't been too great, but that's alright. Housekeeping has been busy and fun. Here are some pictures of what I've been up to...



I am leading a project group this summer, here's a picture of our group on our first project day!




The girls of our project group!




Group of us who hiked Eagle Cliff!

end of the summer

this is my last post on this blog, i'm going to start posting on my other blog since i am now back at college. it was an awesome summer, and i love jesus a lot.

end of the summer

I sit here at my laptop in Champaign, IL waiting for Monday to approach when classes to begin. Since leaving Colorado on August 9th, I have had about two weeks to reflect on my summer. It was amazing.

God did so much in my heart this summer. He showed me that he does not only want to be my Lord, and I His servant, but He wants to be my Father and He wants me to love Him and get to know Him as His daughter. My relationship with God has changed drastically to one of servanthood, to one of childhood.

My Father has stretched my faith this summer, teaching me to ask for things of Him, and He has given them to me. Looking back at this summer I can see that He has answered every prayer I have cried out to Him.

I have experienced grace for the first time in my life. All my life I have been pretty straight-laced, I have never really done anything morally wrong and never felt grace. From that I have been very self-righteous and felt that I deserved grace. When God showed me that this summer I asked Him to show me grace, and to let me experience grace. He sure did let me experience grace this summer. I have never felt so broken in my life, yet so completely redeemed.

God has shown me the true hidden power of the Spirit, and what it really means to live by the Spirit. We as believers are not supposed to simply follow the rules and try and be righteous. We will fail, for there is no one who is righteous. As believers we are to live by the Spirit. How the heck do you live by the Spirit? It's nothing you can really DO, it's more of praying for the Spirit to live through you and to dwell in your heart.

I have come to a point in my relationship with the Father that is sooo deep and intimate. I would not trade anything for it. He is stretching my faith, refining my heart, and drawing near to me. I cannot wait to see what He reveals next in my heart.

Videos from Sky Pond

Here are a bunch of videos from my hike to Sky Pond...

last photo album of the summer

here is the link to the last photo album from my summer in colorado...there are also pictures from Kaylin's wedding too!

Click here!

videos from FHO

On the way down Andrew's Glacier, we ran into a fellow that took video of us sliding down the glacier. He also took a few pictures too!

Banana Jam

Our project group created a video for LT closing ceremonies, which we happened to win 2nd place with our 3 minute video. There are two videos, the Director's Cut version which is 6 1/2 minutes and the version shown at the closing ceremonies which was edited to 3 minutes. There are two links below for the two different videos we made:



Director's Cut Version



3 Minute Version



Below are two videos I actually took while we were filming the video:

Videos of Baptisms!

Here are a bunch of videos of people getting baptized. Six people were baptized this evening, four of those people were from our project group. After those six people were baptized, our whole project group jumped in the pool!

Danny getting baptized by Mike



Paul getting baptized by Rollin

Jeff getting baptized by Roman, Brian, & Tyler

Danielle getting baptized by Sarah & Megan

Victoria getting baptized by Rob

two more photo albums!

The first link below is a photo album from baptisms, hiking Twin sisters, and driving up Trail Ridge Road for the sunset...

Click here for the first album!

The second link below here is the photo album from my hike to Sky Pond!

Click here for pictures from Sky Pond!

New Footage from Long's Peak

Here is more footage from our Long's Peak hike on July 24th...



Video coming up the trough



Video footage summitting Long's



Danny's panorama of the Long's summit



My panorama of the summit of Long's

video on the Summit

Footage from Playing In the Worship Band

Here are a few clips of me playing in the worship band here at LT!

Project Day Dinner!

For project day, the guys cooked dinner for the girls and served us. It was so sweet and quite impressive! They served us salad, home-made mashed potatoes, chicken pot-pie, a special delicacy of cooked ground squirrel (YUP it was very fresh, alive 2 hours prior!), and a dessert selection of pumpkin pie and oreo balls. It was delicious! Here are some videos from the dinner...



Bryan recited a poem the boys wrote for us!



Our version of "I Want It That Way"



Singing away



Dancing away

Another photo album!

Here is a link to another photo album!

Click here!

Random Videos

Here are some random videos from the last couple weeks...



Here is one of two videos from when Michelle and I were driving down Trail Ridge Road after dropping people off to hike Mummy Marathon on Fall River Road.



Here's the second video from Trail Ridge Road



One of our team members of the Rednecks giving a few comments on the upcoming volleyball tournament.



A video as our group summits Long's Peak!



This is what the summit of Long's Peak looks like!

Photos from Odessa Lake

Here are pictures from Odessa Lake:

Click here!

Video Documentary of Long's Peak Summit Climb

Here are a few video clips from the Long's Peak adventure!



At Chasm Junction



Waiting for the sunrise at the Boulderfield



Taking a break at the bottom of the Trough



Eating lunch at the Boulderfield



Last video at Chasm Junction

Photos from Chasm Lake & Long's Peak Summit

Here is a link to a photo album from hiking to Chasm Lake with friends and hiking the Long's Peak Summit!

Click here!

video footage from hiking mills & black lake

Here are some videos of footage caught today while hiking mills & black lake!



Up close and personal with Alberta Falls!



Documentary at Black Lake!



Here's some footage of the storm we got caught in!

A few Hikes with Mom & Dad

Here is a link to a facebook photo album of hikes to Lake Isabelle, Mills Lake, & Black Lake with mom and dad!

Click here!

Videos From my Birthday!

Here are a few random videos from my birthday!



The car ride to the Wild Basin



More car ride commentary




Rob's "How To Rock Climb" documentary



Video looking down Ouzel Falls



Commentary of the fireworks!

Pictures from my birthday festivities!

Here is a link to a photo album of pictures from my birthday!!!

Click here!

Pictures from FHO!

Here is the link to pictures from our FHO hike...

Click here!

Videos from FHO

Here are some videos from sliding down Andrew's Glacier during our FHO hike.

Pictures from Bluebird Lake

Here is the complete photo album from our venture to Bluebird Lake this past Thursday.

Click here!

Videos from the Bluebird Lake Adventure

Here are some videos from our hike to Bluebird Lake on Thursday June 19th!



My demonstration of how zip-off pants work!



Here's my commentary up on Bluebird Lake



This is how you "shoe ski" down snow!



Check out Ouzel Falls...it looks so deadly!

Photo Album from Emerald Lake

Here is a link to the photo album of the complete pictures from the hike to Emerald Lake!

Click here to see the pictures!

A Hike to Emerald Lake with the Project Group

Friday June 13th our Project Group hiked to Emerald Lake. It was a beautiful day, a bit chilly at first, but awesome. At Emerald Lake we spent 45 minutes in solitude. It was really good to just be still and lay on a rock and talk to my Father and pray to Him. Here's a few pictures and videos of the day!











A group of us of the project group!



Danielle & I



Calvin skiing down a little snowfield.

Trail Ridge Documentary

Here are a few video clips of our documentary of our adventures on Trail Ridge Road!


Here's a video of the group




Here's me!




Here's some footage of the drive up!

Pictures from Trail Ridge Road

Go to the link below to see my photo album of pictures from Trail Ridge Road!

Pictures from Trail Ridge Road!

Trail Ridge Adventure

A few of us decided to drive up Trail Ridge road this evening to catch the sunset. And boy was it beautiful! But along with that majestic beauty came fierce winds and utter coldness, but it was worth it. Check out these cool pictures...



See the Never-Summer Mountain Range?




See Long's in the background?










the Sunset!!









Aren't these pictures amazing! God is soo amazing!

Grace

I like this picture. It looks like the same picture I have in my previous post, but it's dramatically different. This pictures has a cross in it. See it? I love it. It's so beautiful.

So for the past two days I have not worked because I have been sick, so I sit here in my room waiting to go to the doctor to see if I have strep. It's actually been quite boring, but I have been able to get a lot of things done: writing letters to people, paying a credit card bill, and reading. I finished reading "Desiring God" by John Piper yesterday. I really enjoyed reading that book, and although some people have trouble getting through it, it wasn't difficult for me, it made a lot of sense. And now I've been reading "What's So Amazing About Grace?" by Philip Yancey. The first few chapters were a little slow, but by chapter 4 I started loving this book. I think God really opened my eyes to what grace really means. Grace is unfair. It isn't just at all! Think about it?! And forgiveness is not fair either, it is so unnatural to our human nature.

Philip Yancey says that "forgiveness is an act of faith. By forgiving another, I am trusting that God is a better justice-maker than I am. By forgiving, I release my own right to get even and leave all the issues of fairness for God to work out. I leave in God's hands the scales that must balance justice and mercy" (93). No wonder! Forgiving someone means that justice won't be served at that time and that things won't feel fair. We live in a world dominated by ungrace and justice and so our defaulted human nature says that if we are wronged the person that wronged us must pay. But God does not want that from us, He wants us to forgive and trust Him in being the just God that He is.

Grace is such a beautiful thing. It is a precious gift.

Another photo album!

Here is another photo album of pictures I have taken out here. The pictures include a hike in snowshoes around the Bear Lake area, Eagle cliff shots, and a sunrise at the Mountainside Chapel. Follow the link and enjoy the pictures!

Rach

Click here to see the photo album!

Lifehouse "Everything" Video

A group of us at Colorado LT 2008 worked together to perform this amazing skit to the song "Everything" by Lifehouse. The skit represents our relationship with God and our struggle to remain close to him, being distracted by many worldly and demonic enemies, but how through the triumph of Jesus we can have that close relationship with our Father. Check out the link to see the movie broadcasted through YouTube.

Lifehouse's "Everything" Skit

Video Tour on Eagle Cliff

Check out this awesome video tour of the view on Eagle Cliff, narrated by my roommate Michelle!

Hiking Bear Lake And Other Places

A few weeks ago a few of us grabbed some snowshoes and hiked around the Bear Lake area. Also, on my day off on Thursday a few of us hiked Eagle Cliff again.


Nymph Lake all snow-covered



The group at bear lake


Michelle & I on Eagle Cliff

Snowshoe Documentary

Today we went hiking at Bear Lake. We got to Nymph Lake but decided to turn around. Walking in snowshoes is not easy at all! Here is a four part documentary movie on how to put on and walk in snowshoes.

Part 1:




Part 2:




Part 3:




Part 4:

Photo Album

Here's a link to my first photo album I put up of pictures of what I've been up to in Colorado. I may be adding more pictures to it so continually check the photo album to see if I have added more pictures. Enjoy!

Click here to see my first photo album!

Rach

can't believe it

When I got back to the YMCA of the Rockies, it felt like I never left. I kept staring at the mountains because I could not believe I was back here again...and so soon! When I started work I did not need to be re-trained, I could clean a bathroom and make a bed like I had been for the past several months. Here are some pictures of what I've been up to!


We saw these on our drive from Loveland to Estes!


On Eagle Cliff!




At bear lake, completely snow-covered!




Who's more tan?


Gabe, Emily, Megan, and I at Horseshoe Park

one week

in one week, on may 15th 2008 i will arrive in estes park, colorado to spend another summer in the rocky mountains. i am very excited.

Rachel

one more thing

i'm back to my old blog, blogging away about college life at http://www.ctuagentforgod.blogspot.com/ see you there.
oh, and comment on my blog, i love getting comments :-)

the end

i think my previous post was kind of conclusive for my summer but i wanted to officially close out this summer and close up this blog. my summer was amazing, it was incredible and life-changing. it's been hard transitioning back to illinois but this is where God wants me and it's time to move on. yes, i am definitely going to hold onto the amazing memories i've made, but now it's time to move forward and build the kingdom of God here at the U of I campus. we'll see--i may be back in colorado next summer :-)

run

So today I went for a run, and then I kept on running, and running...to the point where I ran for an hour. I just kept on going because I didn't feel tired. I realized that when I run, I burn away all my emotions and everything in me to the point where I have nothing left of myself. At that point, I am most in tune with God, and I can hear His voice most clearly. It's amazing.

The past few days have been difficult watching friends I am really close with leave, but it's been a time to reflect upon my summer. I am so changed from when I came out here, and I hope that people see that change in me when I return home. God has revealed so much to me about myself--I have learned a lot about myself and how God created my heart. God has instilled a passion for evangelism, reaching out to people, and discipling women. I want to pour my heart and life into relationships with other girls, and struggle with them in being godly women. I'm excited to go back and begin the task that my Jesus has set before me.

I have become so free spirited this summer and more adventurous. I am so fulfilled and satisfied with the adventures I had this summer. I climbed eleven mountains!!!!! Not many girls do that--it's amazing! I started running a lot and have gotten in the best shape of my life! I have adapted to sleeping at any hour of the day. If I get up at 4:30 in the morning to drive up to trail ridge road for the sunrise...I can come back and take a nap from 7:00am until 7:45am. Or I can go to bed at 7:00 in the evening and wake up at 12:30 in the morning to hike mountains in the middle of the night! Although it's bittersweet to leave this amazing place, I am excited to go home and build the kingdom of God. I am a strong woman of my Lord, and nothing is going to stop me from living solely and passionately for Him.

Breaking the Record

The Dream Team Sunday July 29th, 2007, I was part of the super crew in Housekeeping that broke the all-time record of the number of cabins cleaned in an 8 hour day. We had a late start, 8:30, but still were able to clean 27 cabins by 4:30 that afternoon. The previous record was 25 cabins cleaned in one day, and we broke it! It was a pretty cool and big accomplishment! Here's the dream team:

Toasting to the accomplishment with sparkling apple juice found in a cabin!


The group in front of the van that made it possible!

Long's Peak Summit Climb

It's been a while since I posted. I have been having a blast here in Colorado, it's kind of sad that it's almost over with. The most recent adventure is I climbed Long's Peak yesterday morning! I didn't reallly get any sleep the night before, we left the trailhead at 2 in the morning. And let me tell you, we hiked so fast! We were passing people left and right, we would have been the first people on the summit but three really fast hikers passed us right before the summit. Therefore I was the 6th person to summit Long's that morning. We hiked the 7.1 miles and 1 mile ascent in 5 hours and 15 minutes, making it to the summit by 7:15 in the morning. We made incredible timing and had a lot of fun! We made it to the Keyhole to watch the sunrise, and at the summit we hung out there for an hour and a half. My legs are really sore right now but it was sooooooooooooooooooo worth it! Check out some pictures!


We made it to the Keyhole by sunrise!


The trough--the hardest part of the climb


The narrows--the steep drop-off wasn't that scary


The homestretch--my legs felt like jello at this point

The group at the summit

What a huge sense of accomplishment I felt

early july happenings

That picture, is the view from the hike to Teddy's Teeth (a foothill/mountain by the YMCA). We hiked it the night of my birthday to watch the fireworks. A storm blew through and created some amazing views of the storm. Last evening I was on a volleyball tournament with some people. We didn't win the championship, the Ukrainian team won. But we were definitely the coolest team and the best dressed. Check out the picture of our team!


Dan, Chris, David, Hannah, Me, Calvin, and Christopher

a wedding and FHOT

hey y'all
i was gone for a week for my brother's wedding but now i'm back and it feels great to be back in estes park, colorado being daring and adventurous. my brother's wedding was so much fun and so beautiful--i cried! here's a picture:


so i got back to colorado monday evening, and wednesday i hiked four mountain peaks called FHOT (flattop, hallett, otis, taylor). i was a little worried about getting altitude sickness from not being totally acclamated to the altitude but i was fine. although it's friday and my body is still recovering, i'm a bit sore. the hike was amazing. the morning sky was so clear and once we got on top we were looking out onto a blanket of clouds. we had a bit of a scared, one of my friends Jessica when she was hiking up to the top of Otis stipped on the rocks and cut her mouth--it was a scare but she was alright. the clouds started looking a little scary before we climbed taylor. after taylor we slid down Andrew's Glacier which was really really really fun! but then the thunder came. i got scared and hence freaked out irrationally but i had some great friends to calm me down and keep me composed :-) we made it down alive to tell the tale too!! here are some pictures!


the clouds to the east of us

the whole gang on top of hallett peak


that's me on top of hallett!!!

that's the glacier we slid down--can you see the scary storm cloud? that's why i got scared!


hope y'all enjoyed the post!

Rach