Camp.
I don’t know if you have ever been able to experience camp and if you have you will know what I mean as this post unfolds. If you haven’t had the experience of camp before I hope that this post shows a brief glimpse into the amazing experience.
I have the amazing privilege to be able to serve with the 4th and 5th graders at my church. They are a great group of kids and I am constantly learning from them just as much (if not more) as they are learning from me. The other leaders and I are always blessed and overwhelmed with what those kids can grasp and put out of a Bible story and don’t even get me started on the questions that they ask. It is truly amazing. I am so blessed to be a part of it.
But that is only the beginning.
In May of every year, we take the 5th graders and separate them from the rest of the group and take them through a very special 3-month class. In this class, we take them through the story of God that is designed to help the understand the wonderful story that the Bible is telling. The questions and the conversation get even better over those months. But as a part of this class, the 5th graders also get to participate in some of the student ministry events that happen throughout the summer. One of those events is - CAMP!
This year, however, I got to see in a different way how camp changes the lives of these young people. This year, my girlfriend’s son got to experience camp and came home and told us all about it! One thing caught my attention over the rest. But before I get to what he said I need to say something else first.
As a part of the summer class, the 5th graders get to attend the final 3 student ministry gatherings on Sunday afternoons and get to experience what student ministry will be like in the fall when they move up and attend regularly the following fall. It is interesting to watch them during this time. They all kind of hang back and soak in what it is happening.
Now back to my girlfriend’s son. He was telling us about all the stuff that he had done and what he enjoyed the most. He told us that he enjoyed commitment night the most. Then he said something that caught my attention the most out of everything that he had said. He said “Mom, you know how people raise their hands when they are singing. I did that!”
At that moment, I realized that camp is a shell breaker. He was one of those kids that was standing the back not really engaged in the worship time. But a few days at camp - he’s experiencing God in an unbelievable way. He is not the only one either. All of those same kids that I watch just a month earlier watching worship were now participating in worship in complete awe of Almighty God. I have seen the video clips of these kids in their worship! These videos will melt your heart and bring a tear to your eyes!
Camp is a shell breaker!
Camp puts these young lives in a place where they can experience Almighty God with their peers. Camp puts these young lives in a place where they can be stripped and real about Who they are experiencing.
Camp did that for me as well and maybe even you. I have had some of the best God moments at camp and I love that God still allows me to have God moments even though I don’t attend camp anymore. I still get to experience these wonderful moments because God has allowed me to serve the next generation.
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