When I drove into the entrance of Miracle Camp for the first time ever last summer, I had no idea how much this place would push and grow me in all facets of my life.
Growing up, I never had any experience with church camp, and I didn’t know what camp fully entailed. I had heard stories about how great and impactful camp was on people, but I couldn’t relate or really understand to what they meant.
So, when the Lord was pressing on my heart to work at camp, I did not know where I should work. All I knew was that I wanted to be a part of a place where God’s word was being taught and the Spirit was alive and moving. I started doing some research online and asking people around me about their experiences with camp. During this time, so many people kept talking about Miracle Camp and how much they learned and grew in their faith there. After looking at the website, I decided to apply because there just seemed to be something set apart about this place. God’s hand was through the whole process, and it was evident to me that Christ was at the center of everything. When I saw that and how firmly rooted the staff members were in their faith, I knew I wanted to work there.
When I got to Miracle Camp, I began to second-guess my choice and wonder what I was doing committing to an unknown place to me with unknown people. I just didn’t know if “camp life” was for me. However, throughout the first week of getting to know the other staff, getting to know the ins and outs of camp, being intentional in spending time in God’s word, and seeing those around me committed to spreading God’s word was so encouraging. I had complete peace that Miracle Camp was exactly where I needed to be.
Every week brought a numerous amount of joys, situations that brought growth, and incredible opportunities. I looked forward to the tough questions over chapel sessions, diving deeper into scripture, and seeing the campers understand God’s goodness and love for them. When tough situations arose, for both campers and staff, it was awesome to see people rally together, pray, and encourage one another to keep going. This was something I never expected to see, and I can’t express the number of times I was blessed and encouraged by those around me during my struggles.
There are so many great aspects of camp, but what one of my favorite parts about Miracle Camp is the intentionality that is put into relationships. I loved having time set aside every morning to have my personal devotions and that campers had that time too. I also loved having one-on-one time with campers. I looked forward to those the most every week, because it gave me the opportunity to get to know them a little bit, see how God was working on them, and how I could best pray for them. This provided so many opportunities to teach others more about Jesus, and it provided me with opportunities to become bolder in my faith.
Looking back over the summer that started with uncertainty, I see God’s sovereign hand through it all. There were so many great experiences to get to know others, teach God’s word, have fun, and just be in community. This time also helped me learn more about myself, areas I needed to grow in, and how to be unashamedly bold in proclaiming the Gospel. This place that was unknown to me a year ago is now a place that I hold close to my heart. |
|
