Hey There!

So I’m here, on day 5.

I don’t think I exactly realized I had signed up for spiritual boot camp—I’m realizing how sneaky God sometimes is. It is amazing for me to feel the spiritual growth I have experienced in the past 5 days—I can’t imagine what my insides will feel like in a year! Its so fun to be me, 100% crazy, fun Maria, and throwing into that mix a zeal for Jesus—I don’t think it is possible for life to get better.

The schedule is demanding—630 wake up, mass at 7, breakfast at 815, class 1 at 1015, class 2 1115, afternoon prayers 1130, lunch at noon, GLORIOUS NAPTIME! Class 3 at 215, free time until 5, sports 5-6, showers, dinner at 6:30, class 4 at 730, 815 night activity, 930 night prayers, 1030 lights out (thank God). That is typical, I guess, however, we haven’t had a typical day yet—the days have been crazier. They are long, but go by quickly if that can possibly make any sense.

Our group is AMAZING! We not only have barrels of fun together, but we all mesh—its unbelievable what loving Jesus can do for your social life. I am known as the exclamation point—the first night my team made up a song to the “YMCA” tune, but subbed the letters “COW” (a term of endearment for us CO-Workers), and we needed an extra letter or something, so I volunteered….you can bet that has gotten me a lot of publicity within the center—I am constantly throwing my arms over my head, smiling and yelling “EXCLAMATION POINT” to random things. And you can bet it has landed me many a job creating new activities—tomorrow night we are having “CO-Worker Ideal”—it’s gonna be a riot!

The Fourth was a ton of fun minus the fact that I missed my best friend’s birthday—we has an outing which included a trip to a park with a beach, a grill out there, ice cream (a rarity….there are no sweets here, so I’m sure you won’t be surprised when I tell you I stocked myself up with chocolate at Dairy Queen—chocolate blizzard with Kit-Kats, cookie dough and Reeses….yum, yum, yum!) and ended with an awesome firework show on a lawn where we learned belly dancing, salsa dancing and swing dancing from each other. Talk about a blast!

I didn’t think I was going to have any second thoughts, or that I even made any real sacrifices, but its amazing how Satan has the ability to leak into our thoughts and make us doubt ourselves, or try to convince us that the one thing really wanted to escape is really what we are desiring. I told him to go to hell…..

In these past five days, I have had some amazing insights and convos with Jesus—I would like to enlighten you with a few key lines so you know where I am….

• Listening is key to my relationship with Jesus. He has flat out told me to shut up and listen to him.
• Along those lines, he has always been with me. I just have been too loud to hear him.
• When I feel his presence/love its easy to love him back. But the most important time to love him is when I don’t feel it—it doesn’t mean he’s not there, because he always is. My passions are my gift, but also my cross.
• Right now I need to focus on Jesus’ love for me, and my love for him.
• PEERSERVERE! Don’t give up! Don’t allow your sensuality to rule you.

I feel like that it a lot. And I almost forgot—I like getting letters—my address for the summer is The Fabulous Maria (just kidding.)

Maria Lees

Co-Worker Program

751 W. Drahner Rd.

Oxford, MI 48371

I’ve been praying for all of you. I have asked Jesus to bless everyone who is praying for me in a special way—I know he will because he totally and utterly loves me…..and you too!