IFAL: a life changing week

It is impossible to compose something that will magnify the beauty and power that was experienced this past week serving as a counselor for the Institute for Future Agricultural Leaders (IFAL).
I walked into camp with an extremely limited amount of knowledge about agriculture and I walked out with an understanding that I had imagined would've taken years for myself to develop. Every question that I had was answered with eagerness and excitement because of the passion that was possessed by every person I interacted with.

Additionally, the relationships and bonds that were formed this past week are insurmountable. Each individual has helped to mold me into a better person and for that I am beyond thankful. You never realize the impact that something so small can have on others until you are able to experience it for yourself.

Sunday started out with a brief counselor meeting that quickly developed into check-in for the campers. Familiar faces of siblings of friends and students from tours and other CAFE events blended evenly into the mix of unfamiliar and nervous faces. In a few short moments, students were given binders and room keys that would soon unlock a week of hardships, tears, laughs, memories, and life-long friendships.

The first moment my whole animal group, the Sea Dragons, was gathered together was a little frightening and extremely quiet. Little did I know that each of these 12 ladies and gentlemen would touch and enhance my life in wondrous ways. I spent endless hours watching these students overcome masses of struggles, whether it be conquering the high ropes course or talking to a new person or getting that last detail needed for discussion meet.

The Sea Dragons used Dragon Tales as our mantra and even went so far as finding a rock to deem as our dragon scale. That rock, hand-picked and signed by each student, was a signal of unification and development. For the first time, the Sea Dragons had something that tied each of them together and made them unique. Although our rock went missing on the third day and wasn't returned until the final day of camp, I was able to see a bond grow within the group much deeper than I ever imagined. All 12 campers searched tirelessly to find the inanimate object that developed the beginning of their friendships. In the end, we had a handful of false accusations and a plethora of good laughs.

My brief week at IFAL was nothing short of amazing. I watched a quiet and timid group of 12 Sea Dragons develop into strong, people-oriented, faithful leaders. Each of my 12 campers grew in ways that I would have never deemed possible. As a whole, 47 students grew into outstanding individuals this past week and I was so blessed to have had a hand in that growth. The future of agriculture is extremely bright because of these students. I wouldn't trade the short nights and sweaty days for anything in the world because without them, there wouldn't have been growth and development in youth.


As with all things, there is many thanks that need to be firmly given.

To the University of Kentucky- thank you. Your support, willingness and flexibility allowed a seamless and stress-free week.

To the parents and guardians of the 47 wonderful students from across Kentucky that I was blessed with the honor of working with- thank you. Your lives have molded each of these students into the amazing people that they are today. Each of them is talented, gifted and unique. They are well-behaved, polite and have an unwavering faith. Be proud of who they are and what they will accomplish.

To Kentucky Farm Bureau- thank you. You have created and developed a program that has allowed students from across Kentucky to not only showcase their talents and network with others, but to discover and enhance themselves. Without your funding and support, this program would not be- and its presence is vital to the future of agriculture.

To Jackson and Michael- thank you. You two are a perfect duo. You have worked long hours to give everything you have to a group of high-schoolers. The early mornings, late nights and tiny details did not go unnoticed. Your hard work, planning and preparation allowed for a perfect week.

To my wonderful counselors: Will, Jonathan, Anna and Rachel- thank you. Each of you worked hard to enhance and develop the lives of each student we had the opportunity of working with. Your guidance, constant support and friendship allowed for a smooth flowing, memorable week. You guys are amazing.

To the amazing 47 campers- thank you. Each and every one of you are phenomenal individuals with an amazing future ahead of you. Thank you for being an amazing group of students to work with. I have never seen such a large number of students be so supportive and encouraging of others. Be proud of the individual that you are and never forget where you came from. Amazing things are in store for your lives.

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Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever. -Psalms 107:1

In every way and everywhere we accept this with all gratitude. -Acts 24:3

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. -Matthew 6:21 

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Chosen

I always hear that God has a plan for me (Jeremiah 29:11) and everything that is happening is happening for a reason (Ecclesiastes 3:1-15, Romans 8:28), but I continually struggle to feel as if I am noticed by God. One thing that I am really working on is developing into a person who feels surrounded and loved by God at all times. I find that, for myself, the easiest way of trying to establish this is by making sure everyone I am in contact with feels as if they are surrounded and loved by God. You'll often find me sending verses to friends when they are having a rough week or reassuring the truth of Jeremiah 29:11 when I notice the doubts people are having. By spreading the love and message of God and his works, I am forcing myself to also see his wonders and power.

Still, I feel as if I am lacking God in my life.

I find that to mostly be because I am so focused on making sure others see the good of God, that I simply forget to let myself see it.

When I was doing my devotional the other night, John 15:1-13 was given as the reading. When I am completing my devotional I always make an effort to read an entire passage, so I found myself continuing my reading through verse 17, thus completing the Vine and the Branches. 

The Vine and the Branches

1“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. 3You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.

5“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

         9“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. 11I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 12My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14You are my friends if you do what I command. 15I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. 16You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. 17This is my command: Love each other.

The overall message of the devotional was that in order to change, we must allow Jesus to change our hearts. The message itself was impactful, but it was not what stood out the most to me. While majority of the verses in this passage were verses I already had highlighted in my Bible and I had read multiple times, I found that verse 16 stood blank. 
Why? I have no idea. 
Take a moment to read that verse again, maybe multiple times, like I did.

You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. -John 15:16

If you were able to catch what I caught: you were chosen. Even more so, we did not choose Jesus.
We were hand-picked by our Heavenly Father. He chose us to bear his fruit. In addition to that, He states that we will be bearing fruit that will last. It's something that I just can't get over. God chose me for a specific reason to fulfill specific roles and tasks in my time here on earth. 
How wonderful is that?
I feel so honored and cherished when I read that verse.
Whenever you are doubting God's presence in your life, be reminded that He chose you. You are in this world for a specific reason- one that was specifically chosen by God. It was not your choice, but rather he has handcrafted your life and your story so that you can be a mold to others. 

Feel loved. 

Feel cherished. 

Feel honored. 

God chose you.