Our Mission Team from Tampa, Corpus and Miami all arrived at camp Saturday and had the evening to prepare things for the kids. We had communion Sunday morning and the kids arrived at 4:30 in the afternoon; Man, what a crazy week; we deal with attitudes, homesickness, and many other "typical" problems, but then, Tuesday hit. We got pelted with a big hailstorm that scared a lot of the campers, and looking back, some of us counselors who have never experienced that! Turns out, a big tornado that knocked out power to thousands jumped over us and hit all around us...praise God that He watched over us during that. We lost power for a little less then a day, but what astounded me is the positive attitudes throughout the heat, lack of running water, bathroom conditions and just plain "annoying" situation. By Thursday, I got to study with three precious girls, and many other counselors studied with several others; we had four baptisms at camp that I recall and three more at Contact Church on Sunday, and one of our Mission Team counselors also was baptized at the Lake (I just got the text message!)
The counselors, those kids, the weather and the difficulty of camp itself tried my patience, my attitude, and my humility, but by Friday when we had to send the kids back home, I got very emotional for a few of my girls. It's very difficult to build bonds in just four and a half days, but God allows it to happen...and it rips your heart open to see them commit to Christ, to love, to laugh and to just be kids for a week at the end of it all. I am forever changed...it is all LOVE.
2 Corinthians 3:3-6 - You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts. Such confidence as this is ours through Christ before God. Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God. He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant—not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
Not only did the Spirit work in the Mission Team to give life to the kids, but, the kids gave life to us, too. I could write a short novel or fill my blog with post after post about my experience at camp, but all I can say is that I came home with the perspective that the Spirit gives life continuously. If I can make it through camp, then all of the tough life choices I have are not tough at all. I have the answer now...it doesn't matter that I don't know where I am moving, what job I will have or what will happen with my Master's Degree because the answer is the road(s) that will lead me closer to God. :) He already has the plans, I just don't know them yet. Everything around me has been transitional, but thanks to Clint's gentle reminder, Jesus is never transitional. If we are to look up to Jesus, then we never have to fear what comes next. Will we? Sure, it's human nature, but how relieving to know we don't have to fear!
We also got to see Lynn & Carol's house and it provided for me at least, some much needed closure to see that they are not as far away as it seems; they may be far in distance, but never in heart. I know that God blessed them in an incredible way with that house, and that they will use it to glorify Him even further. Their example is one that teaches me that walking in Faith allows us the freedom to believe that God will always provide for our needs. Afterwards, we headed to Lake Tenkiller for some traditional detox R&R and Big Daddy's! Being out on the boat, I opened my Bible and started reading 2 Corinthians...the first chapter tells us that He is the God of all comfort, and through Him it overflows. How comforting it was to sit and feel the sun, and hear the wind and just be still. It was beautiful there; I'll add a picture soon...God's natural creation is so incredibly peaceful and gorgeous.
I am exhausted, but ironically, so very refreshed and renewed.
This week, I had to display all of these things to those children:
Love,
Joy,
Peace,
Patience,
Kindness,
Goodness,
Faithfulness,
Gentleness,
and Self-Control.
But, in turn, I also received those blessings in my life through them, through bonding with the Mission Team and through His grace and Spirit speaking to my heart. Against these such things, there is no law -- and no end to how many blessings they bring when we allow them to work in and around us.
Next on the agenda: on the road again for Searcy, (oh I'm sorry, "Seercy")in two weeks for the CMU Workshop -- Passing the Torch and Getting Lit! Excited and looking forward to growing more in ministerial leadership and learning yet again from some very wise souls.
God is Good. :)
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