Camp is an incredibly unique atmosphere and Pine Cove is a place that I will forever hold a special place in my heart because of the work the Lord did this summer in me and in my campers. From hopping off a plane in Texas into a car full of strangers to meeting a new group of kids each week, the Lord proclaimed his faithfulness and taught me to rely fully on Him.
My favorite day of camp was the last day. After morning bible study, Abigail and Adilyn asked if I could tell them more about Jesus and how to accept Him. We sat outside of our next activity class and I shared the Gospel with them and talked to them about my best friend and what it meant to be adopted into Christ’s family. With the biggest smiles on their faces, Abigail and Adilyn accepted Jesus and began their journey in Christ’s family. While this moment was so special, the rest of the day reminded me of God’s transformative power. These girls were best friends, but they were both shy, reserved, and spoke to only to one another or myself; however, after accepting Christ, I saw their lives transformed. They began befriending other campers in our cabin, volunteering to pray, and bursting with joy over their newfound savior. I excitedly introduced all the other counselors and staffers at camp to my newest sisters in Christ because I witnessed the Lord change their life and experienced again the joy of the Lord. I pray daily that the Lord would remind me over and over of His transformative power and remind me to greet others with the joy of the Lord welcoming others into His family constantly.
Camp is incredible, and the Lord works where we allow Him to. I witnessed the work of the Lord in my own life, in the lives of my campers, in the life of my family, and in the life of the new community of freshmen here in Auburn through the Oaks Retreat. The Lord is moving and active and He is a God of transformation, we just need to be willing to say “yes” and follow Him in obedience. We don’t need camp or retreats, we simply need to allow the Lord to transform our hearts daily and we will watch Him work in and through our lives.
