Hi! I am DJ and I am 20 years old! I was born in Port Huron, Michigan, and just moved to Florida on January 1st! I love playing music, video games, and hanging out with friends! The internship program is a cool opportunity to be able to serve and grow! TEAMeffort is a mission camp/organization that hosts local youth groups to come to have fun at their camp and send young adults to their different locations to serve. I want to be a part of TEAMeffort because it would be such an amazing opportunity for me to learn and grow in my relationship with Jesus. I’m hoping to be put out of my comfort zone this summer because I believe that when you're most uncomfortable is when you grow the most. I’m a little nervous about unknown things to come. I’m more than ready to start! I was actually able to come early so I did! And I’m super excited for what God has in store for me!

We're finally here! I’m super excited for the internship to start. After going over some things and talking during our meeting, I’m so so excited to begin serving and be right in the middle of all the things God has planned for me this year. I’m expecting to be put out of my comfort zone a lot so I can grow in ways I never have before, such as public speaking! So public speaking is one of my fears, but I’m so happy to be given the opportunity to overcome that! So I drove here to Florida all the way from Michigan! It was in total around a 22-hour drive so that was fun 😅, but I took it as a cool opportunity to listen to some new music and have some fun time to worship! It was super cool to meet new people as well! I already know one of the other interns very well so it was a cool experience getting to know everyone else!

Spring break is coming! Ahhh! We got campers coming and I’m scared. But I'm also excited! I’m praying a lot and hoping that I keep a good mentality throughout. I’m super super nervous about my message, but I know that if I let God do it, I will be used. But I’m super excited to hang out with campers and lead them on worksites! The first day I had all my work gear on and I was so ready. I’ll also be playing on the worship team with another intern and it’s going to be so fun, playing worship music is always a highlight! Throughout this past month, I’ve learned how to be more selfless, and how to work harder. It’s my hope that this spring break, the campers leave changed for the better.

My week break was surprisingly busy. We had a week break and I didn’t break too much, but it was fun! We went to the beach, and it was a little cold. We went to the mall, I got paintball stuff ready, got an RC boat, and hung out with friends! I love being able to just chill and hang out with friends for a while. I definitely saw God moving a ton during spring break, by helping me do my message and bonding with the campers, and really showing me that I was being used for his glory. I did miss being in the office doing things with interns and stuff during break. During this last month we are here, I really am wanting to make sure I make the most of every moment, because we all won’t be here forever.

We went to South Carolina! It was super fun. We went and swam in Myrtle beach, we went mini golfing, we went to some gift shops, and I tried the hottest hot sauce in THE WORLD. I had a blast! I was a bit surprised at how bad I did at mini golf lol, I honestly thought I was better at it. But I still had a lot of fun playing it with everyone! On our trip, us interns bonded when we were all running through the golf course and having a good time and also when we did worship together on the last night and talked as a group. On the trip, I learned more about what we all like and enjoy when it comes to hanging out or playing games together. Overall this trip was very refreshing and I think it was very helpful for us to grow closer together. 

As we get closer and closer to the summer beginning, I get more and more excited! I feel really anxious and excited, but also a little scared to be honest. Copper hill seems pretty far away from everyone and everything I know! But I know I’m still going to have an amazing time. After we found out where we were going for the summer and who we were with, the copper hill group made a group chat and we have been talking every other day getting to know each other and planning different things out to do over the summer for fun such as disc golf or white water rafting! I’ve really been hoping and praying that during this summer, I can learn how to give more, whether that be time or sharing gifts given to me by God. Maintaining relationships with other interns might be hard as we go on this summer, but definitely texting occasionally and checking up on each other throughout the summer will be very beneficial. My prayer for this summer is to be challenged. I really don't want it to be easy. I want there to be hardships and struggles because through that, in the end there will be growth within not only campers, but staff as well. Getting through hard things together as a community is something really special that only that group of people can really share. And I pray for that type of community during this summer. 

So far this summer has been crazy! Waking up super early, prepping lunch, doing worksites with campers, and chapels overall have been super challenging, but an awesome chance to grow and learn so much. The copper hill staff is super fun. We are always having fun and making the most out of the time we have together. We’ve gotten to play disc golf multiple times together, we played paintball, do camp store together and just grow alongside one another. And hanging with campers has been super cool as well, learning their stories and bonding with them has been super fulfilling whether that be through message testimonies or having deep conversations. So far this summer has been challenging because I’ve been out for a week because of sickness and it’s taking a toll on me but I’m learning to let everything be in his hands and give him complete control, and I’ll tell you what, it’s not easy to do. But for the rest of the summer I’m going to keep on pushing forward even if it’s hard because I know it’s for gain. God is faithful!--

So getting back to camp after summer was somewhat relieving. This summer was super challenging in many different ways and the only way I was able to make it through was God himself and the people he had placed around me. But the retreat was fun! We played tons of games and hung out all together, we got to reunite with all the staff we met at the beginning of the summer, and it was super chill and relaxing. If I were to sum up this whole experience in one word, it would be challenging. But in the end it was so worth it. Going through the emotional pain and super super uncomfortable growing, helped me learn a ton about myself and my personal relationship with God, so I wouldn't trade it for anything. Relationships I built with my staff this summer were so genuine and loving and they are such an important part to who I am as a person now. They are for sure invited to my wedding one day. Honestly after this, I don't know what God has for me, I do plan to do college at some point, in God's timing of course, but for now I'm just taking it one step at a time. Finally, I learned that God is very faithful to you when you ask for things that align with his purpose. Like me, asking to be uncomfortable so I can learn to rely on him more, he was very... verryyyy, faithful. I was mentally, physically, and emotionally challenged to the top this summer, and through it all I knew I wasn't alone because I had God to rely on.  It was fun, crazy, sad, happy, and worth every minute being able to make new relationships and serve the lord along with my brothers and sisters in Christ and I'm so thankful for everything this summer has taught me.