Home again

So sorry for the delayed post.... I've been a bit under the weather (as they say) since I got back from camp. Camp was an amazing experience! I miss the friends I made there more than I thought I would! But it is really nice to be at home again and be able to cook for myself and take care of my husband. :)..... Just the other day I was asked "would you do it again?" I had to pause and think, I finally decided YES! Yes I would do it again! But it was quickly followed by a "If only" Denny could come with me! I don't know what God has planned for us for next summer but I would love to go back and be able to spend another summer at camp but this time with Denny at my side!..... Thank you all so very very much for your prayers throughout these past few months! There is no way I could ever accredit all that was done at camp this summer to myself! It is only by the strength, peace, patience, energy, etc. that can come from the Almighty God, my Father! We got to see 69 little ones enter into the Kingdom of God this summer! And 19 others recommitted their lives to living for Christ! I personally got to bring 3 little girls to heavens gates! And those are only the ones that we know of, we hope there were many more that came to know the Lord but just didn't tell anyone. I praise the Lord for what he did not only in the campers lives this summer but in the staff and in me! My biggest hope and prayer is that God continues to work in the lives of these children! That those who heard of Jesus and what He did just for them and still chose to live without Him will come to know Him! And those who recommitted or accepted Him for the first time will waist no time in telling others!....... Please continue to pray with me for all the lives touched at camp this summer!!!!!. . . ..... Within the next two weeks classes will start up again and I am .... nervous to say the least! Please pray that the Lord will make the transition back into classes smooth especially for Denny as he continues to work during classes. Please also pray for God's continued guidance as we start the process of applying to Moody for next fall! Please pray that God will continue to clearly open and shut doors and point us where He wants us to go next!..... Thank you again for your love, support, and prayers! ~Janelle

Oh, what a week.....

This past week was... eventful to say the least I don't even know where to begin?! I had a full cabin(10 campers) of 10 and 11 year-olds. All week we struggled with our cabin being divided. Four campers came together and were great friends (which is a good thing) but because they knew each other they didn't really let the other six campers into their little group rather they talked about them and picked on them. On top of that we had two campers that where homesick... but not in a sad "I miss my family" kind of way but in more of a rude "I hate it here I just want to go home" kind of way. Then one of our campers had a "life is unfair" attitude the whole week. Needless to say it was an eventful week and by the time it was over Amanda and I were exhausted! But wait! There is more!.... to top off all the attitudes and such. . . . ok, back up a little; I asked you to pray that the inspections on the new dinning hall would go well and that we would be able to use it for the last two weeks of camp.... God did just that! All the inspections past and we were able to get everything moved in! We had a cookies and milk grand opening Thurs night! Then we had our evening Bible story... but halfway through that story the tornado sirens started going off and we rushed all the campers and staff down into the basement. To try to keep the campers minds off the storm and the fact of being cooped up in a basement we began to sing songs and dance and whatever we could. Thank the Lord the basement of the new building is also storage and we had enough mattresses for all the campers and cabin leaders! We stayed the night in the basement until 4:30 AM Friday morning!!!! Friday we got up and God blessed us with a beautiful sunny day and we had all three meals in the new dinning hall!!!! :)...... Through all of this we think the Lord allowed us to get through to a few of the girls. We had one night where we couldn't do our activity that was planned and God provided a time for us to be able to talk to the girls about getting along with those who are different than they are. We got to explain that not only are cultures and where you grow up different but also personalities. And how those things aren't bad but just different! I hope that those girls never forget that conversation and will be more accepting of others and willing to forgive when there are misunderstandings between them.... I can't believe there is only two more weeks to go! Where has the time gone? Please continue to pray for me as I push through that God would continue to give me the energy, good attitude, strength, etc. for each day! Thank you all again for your love, support, and prayers! ~Janelle

All moved and ready for three more weeks of camp....

Camp this past week was great! For some reason we had a bus load of 30 kids decide not to come (not so great) but because of this me and three other girls got to have a week of something different (which was very refreshing and needed). We spent the week cleaning the new dinning hall in prep for last and final inspections in hopes of everything going perfectly and being able to use the new building this week. Half way through the week I got to go and work in the office to help get them caught up from under mounds of paper work and I had a lot of fun doing that! And because I wasn't in a cabin I got the opportunity to go home Thursday night instead of Friday to help Denny get our apt. all moved into our new one and our old one clean and ready for inspection. Wednesday Denny got all the big furniture moved and Friday I spent the whole day moving all the little things and then Denny and I finished moving the bed. Then yesterday (Saturday) my Momma drove two hours just to help me clean our old apt.! It was really nice to have her here and because of her help everything should be done and Denny shouldn't have to do any more cleaning or moving! . . . God sure does know what He is doing! I knew at the beginning of last week that I was just not going to be up to par if I was in a cabin but I was doing my very best to get my energy and attitude up for the kids, then my Couch came in and said that they were combining two cabins and my co and I were going to do odd jobs for the week. Then I heard from Denny that we got the keys to our new Apt. and because I didn't have a cabin I could then leave early to help him get us moved in! It is amazing to see God move!! I praise the Lord for the relaxing week last week and am excited for this next week (although I am ready to come home and just be a wife again too.) :). . . Oh, and since I got to come home early I was able to go see a Dr. about my possible sun poisoning; he said that true full sun poisoning makes you really sick so mine is a minor case or at the very least a sun reaction. I told him that Mom and I had done some research and had found the ingredient PABA in some sunscreens has been known to cause this problem so I stopped using my sunscreen. He said that is probably the cause and we did right to do that. I was told to do my best to stay out of the sun and find some SS that didn't have that in it that there wasn't much else to do about it but wait for it to go away. Please pray for me for these next three weeks; pray that God works to help heal me or at the very least make it less itchy! I have it all down my arms even on my fingers and all over my face and neck. So I've been wearing a hat and the camp has been amazing at helping anyway they can as well! Thank you so much for your prayers on this matter!. . . . Also, something else we would appreciate your prayers about; earlier I mentioned that the girls and I were working on cleaning the new dinning hall so we could possibly use it even this summer. We had our inspections on Wed. and with much much disappointment we didn't pass! The biggest disappointment was that much of the little things that kept us from passing could have been prevented if only people would have let other people know of changes that were made. They have been working really hard since then to get all these little things fixed and ready for the redo inspection on Tue. this week. This building has been in the works for 7 years and the camp is really ready to finally use it! The Chef is currently working in a kitchen the size of a bathroom and we are having to have a boys meal and a girls meal because the dinning hall is too small for the number of campers that we have. So please shower the camp in your prayers this week! That God's hand will move and we will be able to use the new dinning hall for the last two weeks of camp!!!!. . .. Thanks again for you love, support, and prayers! ~Janelle

July already.... where did the time go?!

Wow, I am super tired so I apologize but this will be brief. . . . Camp these past two weeks has been amazing it has been so encouraging to see God move in the lives of children! Week 3 we had three girls get saved!!! :) And this past week all our girls where saved so we got to work on teaching them truths. I have been so very encouraged and blessed through this summer already! I can't believe there is only 4 weeks left. Please continue to pray for me; for energy, attitude, wisdom, strength, etc. till the end! I can't thank you enough for your prayers and support!. . . Please pray for the campers that have been to camp already and yet to come; they have had a chance to hear and experiences the true Love of Christ now some of them have to go back to some rather crazy and hurting lives. My prayer for them is that they never forget that God loves them and never forget that God promises to never leave them no matter how bad life may get! Please join me in this prayer for these amazing little ones!. . . I posted some more pictures below. Thanks again for your prayers. ~Janelle

Oh, summer camp

Well I am home for the weekend and thought I'd let you know how the past two weeks have gone . . . Both weeks I have worked the day camp and have had tons of fun and yet tons of struggles. The first week I had a girl in my "cabin" that we weren't allowed to take pictures of for one reason or another so we don't have many pictures from that week. But this week I got to take more pictures and have put a few of them below. . . It is defiantly difficult working with girls from a totally different background than mine. I've had to come to realize that what I consider yelling and harsh tones aren't necessarily what they would consider them. At the beginning of this past week my CO Anna and I had quite the trouble with two of our girls really butting heads. There was a lot of "she said this to me", "she did this to me". I had a few opportunities to talk to them about getting along and how to be friends to others. At the end of the week it was so very rewarding to see them playing together!. . . One of the things I found myself stressed over was the fact of not having time to really talk or get to know my campers. Because I was working day camp the times of the day that are normally good talking times (bed time, rest period, chapel, etc.) my kids weren't there for. So I found myself getting discouraged every morning at staff meeting when all the others came in with story after story of campers getting saved and yet I couldn't tell you much of anything about my campers. I came to realize that it is not my place to save kids, that God might be using me as a milestone in those girls lives that would some day lead to their salvation! Please pray that as I start a new week I will be more in tune with their lifestyle and more aware of opportunities to speak Christ into their lives and less worried about being the one to "save them" and let God take care of that. . . . Also this week (starting 5pm today)I will be working resident camp (overnight)so I will be in a cabin and am super excited yet nervous. Being in a cabin over day camp brings a whole lot of different struggles. Also this week we start busing kids up from Chicago and I'm not to sure what these kids might be bringing with them. My heart already feels heavy for the girls I will meet knowing they have most likely been through some really tough times and seen some really horrible things. Please pray that 1 Corinthians 9:19-23 will become alive in me this summer. . . "Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible.To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law.To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God's law but am under Christ's law), so as to win those not having the law.To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some.I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.". . . . Please spend some time in prayer for me this week that I might "become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some". . . . . Thank you again for your love, prayers, and support! ~Janelle

It's June! Camp training is over. . .

I'm back home for the weekend and thought I'd give you a quick update about how camp is going so far. I don't have internet available at camp so I will do my best to update you on the weekends that I make it home. . . . Camp has been amazing! I've met so many great people and have loved their company! Training was much much more intense than I was expecting but I know it will prove to be beneficial once campers start coming. This Monday (June 14th) is the official beginning of camp! Monday through Friday we start with Day camp so we will have campers from 8am-4pm then more training in the evenings. Then next Sunday will start resident(over-night)camp. I will be working with the 8-11year old girls all summer and am super excited!. . . Please keep me in your prayers as I will be under great stress and in great need of child-like energy each and every day! Also, as you know I will be working with intercity kids and over this past two weeks have realized how much I just don't know or understand about other races and cultures. This is going to be a huge struggle for me to find ways to relate to kids from intercity Chicago when I grew up in New Era/Cedar Springs! At this point this is my biggest worry when it comes to camp and I would appreciate much prayer over this matter! Also please pray that I will have the boldness to take every opportunity to tell everyone about Christ! . . . Oh, hay interesting tid-bit there is another Jenelle at camp. It is really strange to hear me being talked about or talked to and it not really me! haha I think this is the first time since way back that I have ever been in the same room with someone with my name (same for Jenelle too). So I'm trying to figure out what would be a good nick-name to have the campers call me?! At school I go by 'Momma J' because of how I take care of those around me. Any thoughts or suggestions? :) . . . Anyway, Denny and I have been doing really well and have been enjoying our summer off of School! It has been hard to spend so much time apart but we both have been doing really well anyway. Denny is still working nearly 40hrs/wk but still finds time to come see me every weekend and call every night! :) Once resident camp starts I wont be able to have my cell phone on except for an hour a day so we will talk to each other even less. Please keep us in your prayers this summer; that although we may be apart our relationship will just grow stronger, for Denny's hours to keep up, for me at camp and all that goes with it, and God's continued provisions for next semester!. . . Thank you again for your love, support, and prayers! ~Janelle (P.S. I will try to post a few pictures next time I update. Also if there is anything you want to know about how things are going please leave me a comment! I never really know what you all want to hear.)

One week till June!

In one week from today I will be at Summer camp! I can't tell you how excited I am!!! I think I am all set I just have to get my bag out of the attic and pack all my stuff in it! Please continue to pray for Denny as he will be home alone for many weeks and for my strength, patience, etc. as I begin to face all kinds of situations at camp. Although I know it will be a very rewarding and fun summer I also know it will be all but easy!..... I had an amazing time with Katelyn in AL last week and had a really really hard time leaving her! Knowing that it will probably be over a year till I get to see her again was such a hard pill to swallow. But other than the leaving it was an amazingly fun time and I enjoyed being with her even if it was only for a few days! Thanks for your prayers for safety on my trip!...... As far as the college search goes..out of the 13+ colleges it seems only one is standing out with promise. Please pray that God will make it so very evidently clear as to His will in this matter! I hope to maybe go for a visit to the campus sometime this fall/winter, but we will see how busy this next semester will be. Please continue to keep us in your prayers over this matter!!!....... Keep checking here for updates on how camp and life is going this summer. I will do my best to update you at least once a month but am hoping for more often than that but it all depends on how often I will be able to get on the internet. Please keep us in your prayers as we figure out how to live apart, moving to another apt., paying bills (I normally do that :), etc. Thanks again for your love, prayer, and support! ~Janelle (P.S. If you are interested in supporting me financially or prayerfully this summer; I posted a copy of my support letter below (a few posts back I think) Thank you again!)

Only 8 more days.....

Only 8 more days till the semester is done!!!! I can't believe we have already finished our first year of college!!!! And praise the Lord I just made another payment towards our school bill and dropped it below $3000! We should be able to pay it off and save $ for next semester this summer. I am super, super excited the closer summer gets for summer camp!!! And in eleven days I get to go to Alabama to see my best friend that I haven't seen in about a year!!!! :) Denny and I are greatly looking forward to being able to relax this summer. Also we got news just last week that over the summer break we get to move to a bigger apartment! This is such a blessing to be able to have more space. But because I will be gone most the summer he will probably have to do all the moving and cleaning by himself! I'm not to sure what else there is to say at this time.... but please keep us in your prayers and thoughts as we spend 10 weeks apart and Denny will be working his butt off back here at home and has to move apartments as well. Please also pray that God continues to provide and bless financially as we have yet to worry about that aspect (Praise Him alone for that!). Oh, also... I don't remember if I've told you this yet or not.... I have started the search for what God has planned for our next step (Aug. '11). I've been getting countless pages of information in the mail for many, many colleges and now we just have to sift through them and decided what God may have planned for us! Please pray that in His timing His will, will be made known and very clear!!!! Thanks so much for your love, ~Janelle

Summer Camp Prayer Letter

Summer 2010 Dear Friends, Greetings from Camp Beechpoint, a ministry to urban and at-risk children from Chicago, Southwest Michigan and Detroit! I am writing to inform you of the summer mission’s outreach of Janelle Bradley and to ask you to pray for her throughout the summer. Janelle is serving on staff with Beechpoint as a cabin leader – a difficult, yet fruitful assignment. As with any ministry, prayer is the most important ingredient! So, in response to this need, each counselor is contacting at least twenty individuals to commit to pray regularly for their outreach to the children. Will you propose to uphold Janelle’s strength, spirit, attitude of service, and Christian walk before the Lord each day? Christian camping is a ministry that seeks to encourage, enrich, enlighten, teach, challenge, build, strengthen, and guide each camper in physical, social, emotional, and spiritual ways. The 24-hour learning and modeling environment is a key element to the camping ministry. It has been reported that over eighty percent of all missionaries and pastors have made important, spiritual decisions while at a Christian camp. So camp does change lives! Last summer, over 150 children put their trust in Christ while at Beechpoint! Janelle is an important part of this ministry team. Thank-you for your participation with her. In addition to prayer partners, Beechpoint has encouraged Janelle, and the other summer ministry staff, to inform others about their opportunity to raise matching missionary support. The ministry provides the summer staff $225 per week, which individuals can “match”, to increase their total compensation to a maximum of $450 per week. Any additional funds that are raised will go into our camper scholarship fund. If you would like to assist Janelle financially, you may send your tax-deductible contribution to Camp Beechpoint, 3212 -125th Avenue, Allegan, MI 49010. (Please include a note designating it to Janelle’s support fund.) Thank you for your prayers for Janelle, and the ministry of Camp Beechpoint, this summer! If you would like to know more about this outreach, feel free to call me, I would enjoy speaking with you. For the children, Mark Davidhizar Beechpoint Executive Director Thank you so much for your support throughout these ten weeks this summer! Keep up to date with what is happening and how it is going for me by going to: www.dennyjanellebradley.blogspot.com Thanks so much! Janelle Bradley

April showers....

Already nearly half way through April! Only 28 more days of classes left!!!!! :) This past week we spent on Spring break. We went to Niagara falls which was beautiful! It really makes you marvel at our wonderful God and creator!!! (I posted some pics below)We had a great time there just being able to relax and spend time together. Then we drove back into the U.S. through N.Y. then up to our parents house to visit for the weekend before we headed back here for class to start again (that was this past Mon.). I don't really have to much to say... since electives have been done it has been rather relaxing with only having two classes! But it also meant that Denny opened his availability at work and has been getting nearly 40 hours for the last few weeks! This has left very minimal time for me and homework but has really been knocking down the school bill!!! :) Denny has decided not to get another job for the summer but to work as much as possible at Meijer. His manager told him this week that she wouldn't be hiring any more help for the summer she would just be giving a lot of hours to everyone that already works there. So, it sounds like it should be a pretty busy summer for Denny too. I am really looking forward to summer camp but yet getting even more nervous as it gets closer. And I can't wait to go see Katelyn (Friend in AL) in only 32 days!!:) . . . . Not to sure what else there is to say, we have continued to learn a lot and are enjoying the book of Acts. Oh, and I will do my very very best to keep you updated about how camp is going and what to pray for me for (cause you know I will need it)while there! So keep checking here for updates. Thank you all again for your prayers and support as we follow God's plan for our lives and step out in faith each day and trust in His plan! :)Please keep us in your prayers especially as we head into this summer. ~Janelle