The background...

Last year (07-08) Molly, one of my roommates, and I were sitting around brainstorming on things that could be done as a summer job. The idea of working at a National Park came up. Through my many adventures I've heard that the best rafting is in the Grand Canyon so I thought that if I worked there I would get great rafting for FREE! Well I looked into it and did some investigating for a couple of days on this idea. Then in the JinxTale (the school's electronic newsletter) was a message about this guy whose coming to Southwestern to recruit for ACMNP, A Christian Ministry in the National Parks. I was floored! I wanted to work in a National Park for the summer and now here's an opportunity to talk to a guy about also doing ministry and having a support group while working, I knew the desire must have been from God! I went up to the Jinx and talked to this guy, collecting all the information I could get, and getting more excited about a summer job. I applied on-line at the acmnp webpage and picked The Grand Canyon, Crater Lake, and Acadia (in Maine) as my choices. I got my location back, THE GRAND CANYON! I was so excited. Living in the canyon, rafting in the canyon, riding donkeys in the canyon, I knew for sure this summer would be a blast! As the semester progressed and things started happening I decided to decline my offer because of student teaching and school starting so early. I thought for sure I needed to be there the first day of school (now I look back and I kinda wished I would have waited). But through those experiences building up the possibility for working at a National Park and another summer at the Big Pool building up the possibility that I would never work there again (alas never say never), I have decided to apply at ACMNP again. When I applied this year for one of my choices I clicked the "place where needed" button to see where God would put me hoping I would get my other choices but I thought this would be a step of trust knowing that God would know where I am needed (Esther 4:14). That's just what happened. I am now preparing to work in the Grand Tetons National Park in Wyoming (just 30 minutes from Yellowstone). I have gone through training for ACMNP (in Castle Rock, CO) and realized that this whole "being in charge of worship thing" is going to be quite tougher then first expected. But I have trust that God will support me, encourage me, and fill me this summer using the people and creation in my life. That's why I am thankful for all of you in my life, God-sent! So you may be asking yourself "what is she even doing and what is AChristianMinistryintheNationalParks?" Well I am hired by Signal Mountain Lodge as housekeeping staff through the National Park Service. That's one responsibility. My second responsibility (as a missionary through ACMNP) is to be in charge of worship services Sunday mornings and evenings for the people who are in the park. I will be a part of a group of people through ACMNP that will work together and give the people in the park a chance for corporate worship on their vacation within the Tetons. So the ACMNP part is just a form of missions but the Signal Mountain Housekeeping part is where I get paid to make it through the summer having to pay for student loans, gas, and other responsibilities. I do not have to raise support for this "mission-trip" and I don't have to pay to be apart of it. I am just volunteering my time and efforts when I am not making beds! I will be doing my ACMNP responsibilities from Memorial Day to Labor Day and my SML responsibilities from May 22nd til October 22nd. If you have any questions, comments, or concerns please let me know! Keep me in your prayers as I begin my physical journey May 21st and as I keep trunking along on my spiritual/emotional journeys! Websites for A Christian Ministry in the National Parks and Signal Mountain Lodge http://acmnp.com/ http://www.signalmountainlodge.com/