Who would have ever thought that a smaller Christian camp located in the northern section of Ohio would show me the biggest challenges of life. I personally did not look at this camp in that manner before I arrived through the camp pillars. I remember how I talked to family, friends, and other staff members that I had this plan on what I would write about because of my approach to the summer. I felt that this camp was going to grow me in my experiences in working with youth and also being a part of a team setting for a good amount of time. The interviews went well prior the summer, the business cards were polished up, and the resume looked as if nothing could be any better. I drove from Indianapolis to an area between Columbus and Cleveland, Ohio and had my world turned upside down (but for the better).
There are only two camp groups left before I return home from my summer of ministry. Last week we had our first of two CYSC groups (which are the two Catholic groups that rent out the camp property). This group is definitely loud, crazy, full of life, and ready to take on new challenges. This past week I had some of the biggest challenges that I faced this summer. I can already see, just from this past weeks experience, that what the Catholic group believes is different from the Christian environment that I have been involved with. Through the week I had some of the most interesting discussions with people about what they believed, their prayer life, etc. and at the same time was challenged with some things that were brought up through the week. My week actually got to a point where I became very negative in my own personal mind and that the Bible meant nothing to me because I could not follow it (my own words). I had one of the biggest downfalls at the midpoint of the week because of some things taking place in the group and at the same time I found some of the staff that I work with (the other guys) came up to me and offered prayer, support, and even a foot washing as a sign of love and direction to Christ. This group also has the most programming that I have done in any given point of the summer. The programming for 200 plus campers averages to about six hours a day which equals to 30 hours by the end of the week. WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That is a lot of ropes, archery, and team-building (WOOOOOOOOOOOOO)!!!!! Even with the busy schedule I found that this week challenged me in my programming areas as well as my patience and respect to the people around me.
This week, looking back, needed to happen for the growth and maturity that Christ is trying to use. There was a scripture that came to my mind that relates to this mindset that was used in 1 Peter...
Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good. (1 Peter 2:2-3)
Being in the Christian life is very much like growing up in a physical life. In the day to day physical life you start out as a newborn baby and work your way through adolescence (so much fun)!!! teenager, young adulthood, adulthood, and the final stage of old age and eventually death. The spiritual life is very similar to this setup in terms of the stages of walking with Christ. When we find Christ scripture says we "become a new creation" (2 Corinthians 5:17) it is like the spiritual birth that people find when they accept Christ for the first time. As we grow up in our faith by watching others and filling our minds with every great thing that comes from Christ (Philippians 4:8-9) we become like a child and falling in love with the life Christ provides. As we grow up we realize that Jesus is the true source and we are part of Him (John 15:1) and that is when we grow up and find what is true and false in this life. Jesus had a way of using this life so that we may find Him, love after Him, and desire more of His mercy. There is no longer a need to go through other sources to get to Christ, for we have DIRECT ACCESS to our Father that says that we are no longer considered workers but part of His perfect family (Galatians 4:7).
As the summer winds down and the end is near for my last summer ever of camp ministry I look back at the other years that I have been involved with camping and what God has done through every season. As I look back to when I was 15 and first becoming a counselor by becoming a Counselor in Training (CIT) I did not appreciate this life as I do at 24 and nearly at ten summers in summer camp ministry. Going from a volunteer CIT to a Program Manager has not been an easy route but it has been something that I look back on and thank Christ for all that He has taught me, even in the times when I was not serious about Him. In the end I realize that I just want and desire more of Christ and His grace and truth, to be intertwined in His presence. Be blessed everyone, and for this week be praying for God's spirit to impact every crevice of my life and for my life to be parallel to His life.
No comments:
Post a Comment