This, I believe, was my 16th year of attending a Kid's Camp! That statement should speak about how passionate I am about the camp experience for our kids. I LOVE camp for myself also....not the rickety bunk beds, the 100 degree heat, the smell of sweaty children...I love communing with my tribe, swapping ideas, hanging out with my kids away from "life", meeting and networking with new people, watching the way kids socialize, learning things about my kids that I may have never known during a Sunday service, and most of all the intimate time at the altars with kids that I love and want to help be life long followers of Christ.
I am passionate that camp is one of the most valuable investments you can make in the spiritual growth of your child. They have five days with no TV, cell phones, parents (good or bad ones), or other outside distractions. They are in an environment that is made for them, all about them, honoring them, and doing all with a ton of fun. Without all of the other stuff from their lives, they can focus on God and tune into what He wants to say and do in their lives. I could go on and on about why I believe in the camp experience but I think you get it.
This year at Camp Jackson in Goodlettsville, TN, we took 10 kids who really wanted to be there and had come to camp knowing God was gonna show up for them. I have taken many different sized groups to camp from 3 kids to 62 kids but have never taken a group that was 100% ready for God to speak into their lives. I also had the most amazing male councilor go along. Mr. Brian experienced his first kid's camp and I do believe he is now addicted! He not only had a blast but did a fantastic job with our boys. None of them have a Godly man in their home and so they got to see how a Godly man acts and how he is to handle himself and how real men love and worship God. I know that was almost as valuable as the time they spent with Jesus. Brian is gonna be an incredible children's pastor.
One of our boys had his first real encounter with Jesus at the altar. Tears of repentance and cries for emotional healing came from this young man who lives in absolute dysfunction. One of our girls received her call to ministry and another was filled with the baptism in the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in other tongues! Can I tell you how honored I felt to witness these two young women of God have these life changing encounters? It brings me such great joy and excitement for what is in store for them. To watch their faces as they cried out to God and then see Him answer is absolutely priceless!
Camp has it's games, crazy times, swimming, sports, concession stand, carpet ball, constant noice and of course chow time. It has it's first crushes, squabbles, constant noise and the afore mentioned sweat issues. It has it's lack of sleep, mosquito bites, dirty clothes, unclaimed underware, lost pillows and did I mention lots of noise. But camp has Jesus, the Holy Spirit, God's Word, worship, fellowship, friendship, inspiration, growing, hearing God's voice, healing, repentance, forgiveness and love. I can't wait until next year!
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