Devoted Camp (My Perspective)

Just got back Friday from camp. I would be lying if I said it was all fun and games. I honestly had a great time. Enjoyed the music, the speaker, the recreation and getting to build a closer relationship with some of our students. The week started out with high hopes even though we had a few kids get sick last minute and not be able to come.

-The beginning of the week-

The first night was like the awkward first date. We were just meeting Chuck Hooten (well almost everyone, because JJ knows EVERYONE) for the first time. It was rocky but it was different and already he was introducing us to songs we had never heard. The speaker was great, but not the most energetic, so Tony took a little getting used to but he made up for it with some powerful preaching of the word. I honestly felt like something was off that first night but I just figured it was me, in combination with it being the first night. About halfway into the second day I knew it wasn’t just me. Everyone seemed somewhat downtrodden. I couldn’t have pin pointed exactly what the feeling was but there was a sort of tension in the air. On top of it all, we had several things that just were hindrances. One of them being my car all of a sudden acting as if It was not going to start every time I tried to start it. So we go into the next night of worship and preaching. Seriously great night, Chuck was amazing. One of the deepest worship leaders I have ever had the chance to join in worship with. He sang Christ is Risen which will, at the least for our youth group, become the anthem for the week. Tony brought it, great preaching about adoption. Explaining the parallels between human adoption and our spiritual adoption by Christ. The only problem was it seemed no one in our group was paying attention or even attempting to be involved in the service.It had been like that all day and the night before. So after every service at night we had “Church Group Time”. This is where we meet together to talk about how our day was, and really point out what stood out each to us. On the second night we went into that meeting with a very downtrodden feeling. JJ refused to say a word before he got in to the room and everyone paying attention. He started that meeting by saying something like..”I normally try to give grace wherever I can. Where others around me are usually considered the Law I am usually grace. Tonight I am being forced to be the Law and I don’t like it.” Like I said we had a spirit of defeat going into that room. A student earlier had mentioned he wanted to go home. We had leaders who’s kids had called begging for them to come home. We had a student who came into the camp having just attended their grandfathers funeral the same day. We had students just wandering off and other acting really immaturely. Oh yeah and the girls dorm had the fire alarm go off at 2:00 AM (Yeah AM) for a false alarm. We were already getting beat up before that day began. In that meeting JJ conveyed his disappointment. Then he did something no one expected. He told the kids. “This needs to be worked out and it is not something we leaders can do. You need to do it amongst yourselves.” Then we left, we walked down the hall and let them talk it out. We expressed our feelings of frustration and hopeless feeling. Not being people who usually look for spiritual warfare behind every rock, we all agreed we were being attacked. After about 5-10 mins we went back in. We still don’t know what was said but there were a few in tears and everyone seemed to have grasped the seriousness of our situation. I almost forgot before we left JJ asked if anyone wanted to go home to raise their home and JJ would take them home. That same student approached JJ and told him he wanted to go home. He ended up taking him home at 11:00.Which is a 3 hour ride there and back. There was a couple of other tension building moments that added to that already emotionally draining night. We ended that day bruised and broken but I still felt hope. Honestly I think one of the biggest take aways I got from camp happened that night. HE IS IN CONTROL. Even though I myself and everyone else were ready to let that painful day end. God still let me feel a sense of hope. A sense of peace that he was in control. Things looked grim but God had a plan. Honestly, he had to because I just couldn’t believe that was all camp was going to be.

Wednesday…

….began normally but there was something missing. The tension that was weaved throughout the first two days was not there. It was subtle but it was definitely gone. We went into worship that morning and there was a huge difference in us all. We began to really join into the worship. Family group times seemed more meaningful. Worship and Tony that night were engaging and spirit lead. Church group for the first time that week actually worked like church group was supposed to. Kids talking about what they learned. Uplifting each other. We had 6 kids confess that they made commitments to Christ. It was a complete 180 that only God could have produced.

Which reminds me of something Tony said this week. “Jesus likes to take a mess and turn them into a messenger” I believe that is what God did. We were broken, we were a mess that seemed so far gone there was no way we could have picked up the pieces. God did. We ended the week strong. The last day was bittersweet and over too soon. We came home completely exhausted and ready for bed. Yet we all came back closer to God, and closer to each other.

Camp was phenomenal.

Oh btw remember my car? Turned out the battery was pretty much dead. I got it completely replaced free of charge. Oh and the students who were wondering off and others causing trouble stopped. The girls dorm had the fire alarm go off a few more times, but I personally found that funny. Whether we want to believe, or want to give him the credit. God is always in control. We may  not understand these trials now but we don’t see the whole picture like he does.

Trust in the LORD with all your heart,
and do not lean on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make straight your paths.
Proverbs 3:5-6