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~~ Summer Camp. Every student in our student ministry looks forward to summer camp. This year we went to the mountains of Georgia, to a small campsite owned by Global Youth Missions. They host a camp there during the summers that is lead by recent high school graduates and college students. My church, Cornerstone Baptist Church, loaded 85 students into two charter buses last Monday, and made the 8 and a half hour journey to the top of a mountain for this camp. 85 out of 85 students had high expectations for summer camp this year. 85 out of 85 students had their expectations crushed when we arrived. None of us left our minds open. Even the new rising 7th graders found disappointment waiting for them when it wasn't the same as us older students had promised. We went into our rooms that night, and drifted off to sleep hoping things would get better.
~~ Tuesday: 85 out of 85 students were proved wrong. Camp was absolutely amazing. Every single person agreed that it was the best camp we had ever been to as a church group. Previous camps provided many recreational relay games, an advertised professional speaker, a record labeled band with at least one CD [which could be purchased at the merchandise table after worship services], snack bars, dramas, etc. This Global Youth camp we went to boasted none of that. The camp was basically led by young people not much older then I am. The speaker didn't stand on a stage, but rather connected with the audience by being on the ground, walking down the aisle, asking peoples names and placing them in his stories, oh and also by yelling real loud after whispering.. causing many to jump out of their seats. He had great facial expressions and vocal tones, wonderful speaker overall. There were 8 teams that we were split up into along with students from other churches. That allowed us to make new friends and bond in new ways. The whole camp focused on scripture memory, which I've never done at a camp before. That really helped us get God's word in our hearts, as well as gather points for our teams. :]
~~ By Wednesday and Thursday we all loved this camp. We worked hard for our teams in the memory verses, as well as the team building sports we played. Even the food was good. However, Thursday I woke up with acid reflux.. which put a damper on the rest of my day, as well as the ride home on Friday. Every night we'd have church group time.. where all 85 of us and our leaders would meet in a room and talk with each other.. as well as share some huge things going on in our lives. We were all challenged by Mrs. Julie on day one to pray the dangerous prayer.. "Lord change me." I think many people sincerely prayed that prayer and upon returning from camp have changed many habits and lifestyles we found ourselves caught up in. It was a really powerful week.
~~ In closing on my blurb about summer camp.. we all learned that it's not the band, the speaker, the activities, or even the sermon's that are preached that make camp amazing.. and provide good "God experiences". It's God himself. Once we were stripped down of all the distracting things we take advantage of [ipods, cell phone service, big bands, our close circle of friends], we were able to focus and rely completely on God. That provided the best experience I've ever known. Our biggest goal when returning home is to keep camp here. The "camp high" we experience every year always seems to be temporary.. because we tend to think of it as the highest point in our walk with God. Really.. it's just the beginning. When you're at your highest point the only option you have is to go down. But if you think of it as the lowest point.. then we can only climb higher with the love and accountability we found at camp.
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~~ Now this is the part of the blog where I write about these few days "in between the lions". My room looks like a disaster. I have a half unpacked suitcase strewn out on my floor. Today I've been moving the clean clothes I had in there to the pool table in the bonus room down the hall. Yes folks. I am yet again.. packing. I'm making lists, gathering clothes and first aid items, and preparing myself to put them all back into a suitcase. These are the few days of recovery I have before I'm off on another trip. This time, out of the country..
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~~ Belize [June 25 - July 2]. Thursday morning at 5am another bus will leave the parking lot of our church, this time headed to an airport. After a day of flying, our team will be in Belize--two hours behind Florence. I don't have much to write about that trip right now.. as we have not yet left. But I wanted to list a few key things you can be praying for.
- Flight and traveling safety
- Good health and energy.. and HYDRATION
- Preparation for the hearts of the locals that they would respond to the gospel
- Preparation for our own hearts as we embark on this life changing trip
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~~ So those are some of the bookends in my summer. Summer camp and Belize. However, there is another huge trip. Beach Plant takes place about a week after we get back from Belize. Then the end of August provides some busy times for the Kid's Drama Camp at Cornerstone: Camp Rock at the Stone. I'm always moving. Always going somewhere. Always doing something. But that's the way [uh-huh, uh-huh] I like it. :]
