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Yes, thankfully, Autumn and Jess are both 100% better!

The retreat was...awesome. Simply awesome. I feel extraordinarily blessed to have been a part of this, and been able to participate in the lives of the youth group, and counsel them on issues that they're facing.

Initially, I wasn't sure what my role as "chaperone" would include, but it turned into more of a "leader" role...and I couldn't have been more pleased with the outcome. It was a wonderful experience...simply wonderful.

Of the 200+ kids that were there for the weekend, from all over New England, a total of 25 were saved JUST this weekend alone. Countless others re-committed their faith to Christ (7 - including myself - of my group of 14)...I feel re-affirmed and spiritually stronger than I've ever felt before in my life. It's a wonderful feeling, and I don't ever want to lose it. It was that much of an affecting experience.

The guest speaker for the weekend did an amazing job bringing his message to the youth, and corrollating it to issues that they're currently experiencing. The main message of the weekend was God's grace amid God's wrath (Rahab in Jericho), and how contemporary culture is driving the youth of America onto the broad and wide path that leads to destruction. It was a powerful message, and I think it scared the heebies out of a lot of the kids...but it worked.

I made a promise to the youth group that I'd be a bigger part in their group, as a leader, if they wanted me to. When we got back to the church, I was speaking to the Pastor about my new-found desire to help them, and he just laughed and clapped his hands. As it turns out, he'd been praying for months that someone would come to the church and volunteer to become a more active leader for the youth group. Up until this time, it was mainly he and his wife, and although the students took to him easy enough, he was always afaid that there was a disconnect between he and they based on the age gap (40+ years). He was absolutely tickled that I had discovered my desire to be on this path, as there's only a 10 year difference between me and the students.

All the while he had been praying for a solution to this situation, I was right there. I just needed the experience of this weekend to put me on this path. He was praying for a new leader, I was praying for a new direction...so here we are at the same conclusion, by the Grace of God. Simply amazing how it works, isn't it?

Anyway, I realize I'm rambling, but I wanted to share this with you all. I'm a changed person...and I owe it all to accepting a simple proposal to chaperone a youth group retreat.

(Still no word yet on the job front or the unemploymnt benefit decision, but honestly...I'm not worried any longer. It took a lot, but I've finally put it out of my hands)