My camp Adventure

----Zenith---
Let's roll back the hands of time. Not too far --- just about a little over a year --- to Zenith 2005.

I had been asked by our youth minister, Chris Robey, if I would like to be a counselor at camp. Always up for an adventure, I agreed and had a wonderful time. My group were the sweetiest girls and the most awesome og guys. I was able to meet many people from other counselors to youth ministers to staff. Worship was amazing. Now coming from a youth spent growing up in another church, I had only been to camp once. Zenith was a totally new experience (or as I am fond of saying --- adventure.) I won't go into details about Zenith 2005 because this post is about the here and now. There was one problem. it was not long enough to truely build and deepen the new relationships that had been started.

I left camp already making plans to be at Zenith in 2006. So much so that when my office put up the new calendar on 12-31-05, I claimed the week of Zenith as my vacation.

Ok. We are back to the current camp.

I was given a great opportunity once I arrived at camp. I had applied to be a counselor but God had other plans for me. Rather those plans were of greater benefit to others or myself does not really matter. As I told Chris on Sunday night, "This was what God wanted of me, so I was alright with being on the support staff." If God had wanted me to be counselor, I would be but God wanted me to try something new. Maybe because others needed my help or I needed the freedom.

Overall, I had more freedom. I worked at Z central and did dorm checks. I was able to be with our youth group when they ate, I was able to visit with the girls from our youth group at the close of day. I was able to go on a food run for our boys (which does not sound important to many of you but when the boys are teenager atheletes--- they are always hungry.) I was able to spend time with freinds who attend college at OC. I was able to develope the relationships that were created the previous year. Those friend like Nike, Angi, and Natalie. They are great women of faith and I enjoyed my time growing in their friendships and their walks with God. I also was able to get to know the youth ministers better. Gary was someone I got to know in 2005. he led a class I attended at camp in 2005. We got to talking (believe it or not about Chris.) Long story short. I had recently recovered from a broken foot and we had talked about this. He contacted Robey later and told him that I should not try the hike we were due to go on beacuse it was to soon. When I saw in at LTC in Tulsa in April, he remembered me and asked about my foot. I had to tell him that I was greatful for the advice about the hike. Seeing the youth ministers at camp this year was like seeing old friends --- those that you have known for years and have gone through the good times and the bad times toghter ----like your best friend from grade school.

My goal for camp was to bond with the youths from our yourh group. There were so many that I had not had the opportunity to build a relationship with. One young man had been a memeber and leader of our group for several years and he is now a senior. I have not been able to attend the mission trips that he has gone on. he was on another trip when we went to hike in Colorado. We had been missing our chance to bond. Zenith 2006 was the chance. Camp ended. We returned home. We had our weekly Bible study in the park. After the Bible study, Skyler came up to me and hugged me. "I wanted to tell you that I was sorry you did not get to counsel at camp." "I appreciate that. I did not know you knew about that." "Yeah Robey told me one night. He said you were spending the week ---chillin." Looks like those bonds are forming.

One final thought about camp that also came from Bible study. We were asked if the everything in the Bible was relevant. I responded by saying "It is when you need to hear it." Due to the freedom I had because of my camp duties, I could have attended any class on the schedule. I had decided to attend Robey's class on the morning that our interns went to his class. "crying Out" was a message I needed to hear, especially that part where the father was holding his son tight to protect him from the storm while repeatedly saying, "I love you. I am here for you, I will protect you." My Heavenly Father is there for me during the storm I am facing with my job. He is always saying "I love you. I am here for you. I will protect you." I am sure the other classes had messages for me, but I was compelled to hear those words at that time.

Camp was awesome. I can not wait for next year. If I had a 2007 calendar, I would already mark my days for camp. ( and I will as soon as I get one.) What will I do at camp next year? I am prayer about that and I will do the work God has in store for me.

In Him
---liz