A Summer Home in the Forest

As many of you know I took a job this June as a photographer for Forest Home Christian Conference Center in Forest Falls, CA. Over the past few months I have learned a lot about photography and what it takes to be a great photographer. I should know I work with two of them. Enoch and Eric (Nikon... as he is known by the campers) are fantastic photographers who have taught me how to actually use the talent I have in a productive manner. Of course there is plenty of time for us to have some fun along the way. We don't work all the time. For instance, I took some time today to help out at Adventure Mountain's "Wild and Crazy Kids Games". I was given a bucket and told to soak the kids. It doesn't get much better than that. The smile on their faces was priceless. Of course, I was pushed in the pool four times in that span of two hours or less.

Forest Home has so much to offer. Each week I get to meet new people who are kind enough to share their stories with me. Last week I met a family from Arizona who was gracious enough to tell me how they had lost a son four months before. They have five children already, all under the age of five. They were able to share their story with me and I could see their strength and trust in the Lord. It was such a blessing to hear of how God had taken a tragic event and brought them closer to him through it. I have heard many stories of strength and faith over the last few months. God has blessed me with this place and it is going to be hard to say goodbye.

Did I mention the two CRAZY girls that I have become best friends with? Autumn and Jenny are two of my favorite people up here at camp. Autumn is the Marketing Intern and Jenny does video for Family Camp. We have become the best of friends. A few weeks ago Autumn, Jenny, Wes and I took a trip to Huntington Beach where we tanned, shopped, and had seafood for dinner. This past weekend Autumn and I went to Wes' house for the weekend. It was great to meet his friends and see Ericka (one of my best friends from school... also Wes' best friend). Seeing Ericka made me realize how much I missed her. I think I am ready to go back to Loma in a few weeks.

Here are some of my favorite photos from the summer. Enjoy!