SC '06

Well, it’s that time again; time to talk about summer camp!

Yeah, cheers, loud noises! Excellent, well I went to summer camp a couple weeks back and just haven’t had time to blog recently. I’ve been racing Scott to 60 on WoW and I’m losing so I’m trying to make up some ground. That’s why I haven’t blogged in a couple. Anyways, summer camp.

Summer camp was again a great time of fun, fellowship, and learning for me. I love the chance to get away for a few days and stay in San Diego. Point Loma is beautiful and the weather is so nice, I love it. If that wasn’t enough, God comes and really just lays on us hard. Convicting sin, saving sinners, pushing believers to know God more. I don’t know what it is, but God always seems to do more work at summer camp then on regular days. I know that this is just simply not true, but maybe the event just serves as a catalyst for people. Anyways, what God did…

First and foremost, he brought me and my guys closer together. I am truly their friend now, and that’s awesome. They aren’t as scared to say what’s on their mind, they don’t fear my judgment (although I do come down on them once in a while if they are jacking around too much) and they know that I love them. My guys also grew closer to each other. I’m beginning to see more comradory between both my 8th and 7th graders and how they interact. My group has been a little clique-ish in the past and I’m glad to see walls coming down. This is way encouraging.

Also, God has been breaking down the defenses of some of my guys for a while. I really got to see him move in two of my guys, Noah and Matthew. They are brothers and are both in 8th grade. Their Mom has two forms of nasty cancer. They never talk about anything that is going on at home. This weekend, they admitted that they weren’t sure they were going to heaven if they die. This is the first thing that they have ever said that was personal. They always just talk about how they are fighting with their brother or how they built something cool with Legos. I’m really glad that these guys are starting to open up and share what is on their mind. They are both really “young” in their maturity so I’ll take anything I can get.

Another thing that God did that was amazing was that he saved on of my old guys, Austin Greene. A year ago at camp, Austin admitted to me that he didn’t think he was a Christian. We immediately started talking about the gospel and what we need to do to be saved. We also talked about things that should be in your life if you are saved. The tough thing about it is, Austin was the one guy in my group that would always read the Bible, he was always the one who had input when we did Bible studies, and he was a really compliant kid. The thing is, none of those things merit salvation. Only a saving faith in Jesus saves you, and he finally realized that was what he was missing. I’d been praying for this kid for over a year and God finally answered mine and others prayers. He’s now one of the King’s kids and I’m so excited to see how he grows.

God also confirmed some of my guy’s salvation to me. I really got to see a couple of my guys who I had been wondering about, be broken over sin, overwhelmed by their salvation, and really "rededicate" their lives to living for Jesus.

Some other weird things were going on at camp too. Some of my guys were really disconnected from reality while we were there. I had to fight a couple of them going to sleep during services and such. Also, I found a group of Jr. High boys that were looking for ghosts in my room one day. That was weird. We confronted them on it and dealt with the situation but it was still weird. I guess it was more of a reminder that the devil is prowling about like a roaring lion and that all of our kids aren’t saved.

So, what God did in my life, God has really been breaking me over an area of sin recently. He’s been working on me with my gift envy. My last blog was about this area that I have been working through and God really just showed me my selfishness in this area. He’s also been breaking me in other areas of selfishness preparing me to move in with Brent and Brian in about a week. God also reminded me that he does answer prayers, always. Austin getting saved is a testament to that. Never give up on God, because he never gives up on you.