Yesterday, I got off a bus after a 22 hour trip of journeying from Sharptop Cove Young Life Camp in Jasper, GA, to Shreveport, LA, to Tyler, TX, to Dallas, and then to sweet Houston. I still have bus-lag. I feel like I'm still on that bus trying to figure out a way to rest my head and contort my body so I'm able to drift off to Sleepytown. I probably was in a sleep/wake state for about 10 hours of the adventure.
My mind also keeps playing songs from camp: "Light the fire..." "Hey, I made it...I'm the world's greatest..." "I need you boo...hearts all over the world..."
And then as I sit back at work, I ache from the bumpety-bump of the mountain bike, and the grip of the ropes course harness and the climbing wall and the zip line, and the ladder climbing onto the dock after going down the water slide, and from climbing into a top bunk.
The most precious memory is thinking about the kids and getting a visual of seeing their lives change. I saw hearts soften. I heard a boy read from the bible for the first time ever in his life. A kid that was once balling his fist to find someone to fight was two days later using that fist to grip a mic to tell how his life belonged to God. It was the most beautiful thing to see. The tears I saw in a boys' eyes as he sang semi-off key, "I will dance like David danced" by himself in front of all his peers makes me cry to think about it. And then witnessing a blind girl sing the song, "Mary did you know.." still makes my heart ache. Beautiful, beautiful, memories. It's a precious gift to have a teenager cry over their sin on your shoulder, and to be blessed by getting to encourage them that God will have the victory in their life. Their life doesn't have to stay the same.
By watching these teens, I grew up this week. I saw immaturity in them, and how I still have some of that same immaturity in myself at times. And ways that I don't always trust God. And ways I must trust God, or I'm never going to grow past that point. It was great to not have one single thought about my absent Prince Charming, or if I should buy a hybrid or keep my SUV. It was nice not to hear myself whine (or my friends--sorry for saying that friends...but we really do whine from time to time). It was nice to refocus on God's plan.
Making the world a better place one message at a time. Check out the i'm Talkathon.
My mind also keeps playing songs from camp: "Light the fire..." "Hey, I made it...I'm the world's greatest..." "I need you boo...hearts all over the world..."
And then as I sit back at work, I ache from the bumpety-bump of the mountain bike, and the grip of the ropes course harness and the climbing wall and the zip line, and the ladder climbing onto the dock after going down the water slide, and from climbing into a top bunk.
The most precious memory is thinking about the kids and getting a visual of seeing their lives change. I saw hearts soften. I heard a boy read from the bible for the first time ever in his life. A kid that was once balling his fist to find someone to fight was two days later using that fist to grip a mic to tell how his life belonged to God. It was the most beautiful thing to see. The tears I saw in a boys' eyes as he sang semi-off key, "I will dance like David danced" by himself in front of all his peers makes me cry to think about it. And then witnessing a blind girl sing the song, "Mary did you know.." still makes my heart ache. Beautiful, beautiful, memories. It's a precious gift to have a teenager cry over their sin on your shoulder, and to be blessed by getting to encourage them that God will have the victory in their life. Their life doesn't have to stay the same.
By watching these teens, I grew up this week. I saw immaturity in them, and how I still have some of that same immaturity in myself at times. And ways that I don't always trust God. And ways I must trust God, or I'm never going to grow past that point. It was great to not have one single thought about my absent Prince Charming, or if I should buy a hybrid or keep my SUV. It was nice not to hear myself whine (or my friends--sorry for saying that friends...but we really do whine from time to time). It was nice to refocus on God's plan.
Making the world a better place one message at a time. Check out the i'm Talkathon.
1 comments:
Unknown said...
The six summers I spent at Warwick (a Christian camp/conference center on the NY/NJ border) are some of the few things I remember from my childhood. I went there every summer from when I was 10 to 16, and it was the most amazing time. I remember all the songs, and I remember all the counselors. Doesn't it make you feel amazing to know that not only did you help those kids realize His plan and get started on or get re-acquainted with His path, but that they'll remember you fondly and still get teary when they're almost 30? ;)