Camping For Jesus

I had the privilege of working a high school week of camp up to Lake James last month. It was a wonderful opportunity to serve the kingdom in a different way than what I am used to. I typically steer clear of camp. I was honestly not looking forward to it at all and I made no secret of my feelings either.

Thankfully, God used me regardless of my poor attitude. I know for a fact that God’s Spirit is active and powerful at Lake James Christian Assembly, because it softened the hardest of hearts towards camp and its ministry. I don’t think I could do another week for awhile, it really still isn’t my thing, but I really felt like God was using me there.

I had an interesting experience while there. I was the leader of a group, a dorm dad and I also taught a workshop. The workshop was what I was most excited about. I enjoy teaching, and that was going to be my opportunity to reach the most kids and get to know them.

My workshop was entitled “The Importance of Daily Bible Study.” Everyone else had the really exciting topics; one guy got to burn stuff…the new guy (me) was given the daunting task of convincing kids that they should read their Bibles more then play their video games. Now that’s what I call “Fun!” I figured no one would come with more exciting choices offered. I was wrong. Over 40 kids showed up for the first offering, and 30 for the second. I was excited, and I thought the lesson went really well on Tuesday. I thought for sure the rest of the campers would show up on Thursday for the next offerings. I calculated that was enough time to get them to tell all their friends about the best workshop with the coolest title. I thought for sure there would be 50 kids for Thursday’s lesson.

There was one. His name was Kyle. I didn’t know what to do. I asked him if he wanted to go to a different group and come back when I offered it the next hour. He didn’t care. But then something came over me like I needed to share my lesson with him one on one. So, I did. And we had a wonderful conversation. I will probably see him again next year. We won’t be best buds. We didn’t have a heart wrenching moment where we will forever be united. We simply spoke about Christ, what he is doing in our life, and how we can encourage that relationship every day.

I’m really glad I didn’t pawn him off to some other group. To think I was well on my way to doing that frightens me, but also assures me that God was a part of that camp, especially that week in that very moment. Thank goodness he is, because otherwise, my ego would have prevented an opportunity to share with a young man who is contemplating a life of Christian service. I never would have met him, shared with him, or encouraged him if it weren’t for the activity of God.

I could have talked my way out of going to camp. I could have come up with something else that I much rather of done, but I would have missed an opportunity to share with students about God and encourage them, and for that, I am forever thankful that God uses us even when we are stubborn, grumpy, egotistical and think there are more important things to be done. I don’t know how many times God is going to teach me this lesson, hopefully I will learn sooner than later. At the end of the week, I believe God used me. I made some good relationships with the students and I was able to challenge them. As I think about it more now, I wonder how much more God could have used me had my heart not been as hard as it was. We are truly fortunate to have a patient God who uses us even when our actions and our thoughts can be so distant from what he expects of our life. God is truly gracious. It seems every day is a reminder that “I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God's grace given me through the working of his power.” (Ephesians 3:7)

- Jordan