Hey Yall!!

Sorry it's been so long. We've been so busy closing down camp and packing everything up.

So it's coming down to the end of the summer. Saturday our friends and family will be at Pines for closing and Sunday morning we'll be doing our closing circle and then packing up to leave. I have a feeling this is going to be an extreme "hug/cry time". This summer has just been so amazing and I can't believe it's almost over.

I'll be leaving this place after gaining many bug bites, bruises, truck parts, secret sleeping places, greater knowledge of mountain roads, many inside jokes, new sayings, and life long friends. Along with many more things. I'm going to miss it so much. I have a feeling that when I return to the valley that no one is going to be able to fully comprehend my experience this summer, even if they have been to moutain t.o.p. before. I'm scared to go back to the valley.

It's going to be so weird to go back to Ohio and not see my staff/sister staff everyday. To return to the "real world". Up here everything is just better, it's so surreal. My Faith has grown so much these past couple months and I'm loving it. If I could live on this mountain all year round I would. I want to so badly. But I can't. I have to find a way to take the mountain home with me. To keep my spiritual growth active back in Ohio.

The song that we play during Fish hook service is going to be my theme when I return. It's called "The Mountain" by Steven Curtis Chapman. My favorite part is this:

I said I'd go, Lord, wherever You lead
For where You are is where I most want to be
And I can tell we're headed for the valley
My faith is strengthened by all that I've seen
So Lord help me remember what
You've shown me
Up on the mountain

That describes my summer. God called me here, CALLED. I wasn't planning on coming up here this summer at all. It was all him. Mountain T.O.P. was part of his plan for me that I didn't see planned for myself. And now that I've experienced the closeness up here I never want to be distant from him. I'm scared to go back to Ohio. Scared that I'll feel alone, that no one will understand, that I'll forget what I've seen and experienced this summer. But as long as I remember this summer the Lord has blessed me with I will remain stronger than ever. And that's where I want to be.

Tennesse has become my home. The people of the community, my staff/sister staff, the staff at pines, support staff, ALL the people I've come in contact with have become my family. And I'm going to miss it terribly until I return. Which will hopefully be soon.

Thank you all for supporting me in this decision that I made. I can never thank you enough for all you're prayers and that you've done.

- Chelsea♥