Witnessing

One of my favorite moments from YES camp this year didn't even happen when the campers were there. It was Friday night and a few of us staffers were sitting around this massive campfire. I was sitting back watching everyone else interact with each other. Eddie and Ginnie were discussing family reunions and Eddie was concerned that hers wouldn't have food. Kelli and Caitie were talking, Trevor was staring at the fire. Off a little ways away from the rest of us, but still close enough was Chris and another staff member. Chris was talking to the other staffer about salvation, and the end times. This is some serious stuff for young men to be discussing, but knowing Chris it just made more proud of who he is. But it still amazed me that these two teenagers were discussing salvation and the end times when they could have been doing anything else that they wanted to do. It gave me hope for the future and for teens not only in River of Life Fellowship, but also across the country.

God gave us the command that we go out into the world and spread the word of God. I don't think there is one right way to do it. I know people who just shove the gospel in your face, others let the light of God shine through their actions. And then there are those like Chris and myself that wait until the right time presents itself. Chris and this other staffer were talking about God and end times as if it were a part of their everyday conversations, and I think sometimes that how our witnessing should be. Not shoving the Word into our friends' faces or fighting with other people about what they believe but discussing it. Asking and answering questions of each other. Todd and I have those discussions all the time. In fact we had one just last night about end times and then purgatory. I may write about our purgatory discussion tomorrow. But anyway. Witnessing shouldn't be this hard thing to do. Shouldn't it be easy for us Christians to be able to talk to our peers about the love of Jesus the way Chris and his friend were?

Like I said before I learned more from observing things at camp than I did teaching. God gave me that opportunity to learn more and grow and that's what I did. After seeing Chris interact with his friend, I know that is one of the best ways to witness to people. That way people aren't uncomfortable about God and feel free to ask questions and state their own opinions without being afraid of what we would say to them. As I end this post I think back to high school chorus and we sang a song (of course right). I don't remember the name of it, but one part went: Go ye into all the world a preach the living gospel, go ye into all the world and preach the living gospel. It was one of my favorite songs, and it helps me remember the command from God. So Go ye into the world (or your world) and preach the gospel to those you met, but not in a judgmental way, but a way like Chris that makes people feel comfortable.

J-O-Y

This past week I saw a huge difference between adult and children. Even teens. From what I hear the teens wanted another impromtu session of prayer so they could pray together. How often do we adults say "hey lets pray one more time before we leave"?

During one of the RWG's at camp the kids learned about sacrifice and what it means to sacrifice something for someone else. Georgine made a little memory thing: J-O-Y: Jesus Others You: to help the kids see what sacrifice is: putting others before yourself. When we had prayer afterwards Pastor Marvin asked if any of the kids wanted to do more for God, sacrifice more for God; all of their hands went up, and they didn't know who put them up cause their heads were bowed and eyes closed. Kids ages between 6 to 10 all wanted to be more for God; I was slightly amazed.

When Pastor Paul asked the same question in church barely anyone stood up and said they wanted to sacrifice more. Is it because they didn't want people to know they fall short? If that is the case; we all fall short of God's glory. Do they think they don't need to sacrifice more? I had a teacher who always said "there's room for improvement" and I think the same goes for sacrifice; there's always room to do more for God.

For many J-O-Y doesn't exist. They think Jesus Me Others is a good order for things, but really it's not. Some find it hard to put others before themselves, but what I saw in my kids were the exact opposite. Granted there were fights and misunderstandings but that always happens, sometimes alittle selfishness, but most of the time they were willing to anything for one another. Should we adults have the same outlook? Shouldn't we be willing to help anyone out in the name of Jesus? When we have clothes we don't wear, don't throw them away donate them to a local shelter or Goodwill. There is always something more we can do. More we can sacrifice.

Innocence of Children

Of course throughout the week we had to deal with different problems with our children. Things like name calling, hitting, one throwing stones or something, some getting hurt, but one major thing we had to deal with; well major for the kids; was when one didn't want to be friends with the other. One boy Michael May was so upset that Willie was mad at him, and he was crying because he said he said so many mean things to Willie and that he'd never forgive him. At dinner I sat with them and Michael said he was sorry and Willie said he still wanted to be his friend...later they shook hands and all was well. Why can we adults do that? Why is it that a simple I'm sorry doesn't work with us, the way it does children?

It seemed so simple to me when Michael was upset, say your sorry and Willie will definitely forgive him, but when someone hurts us adults do we forgive instantly? No. We hold on to that hurt and pain. We hold grudges and I know I talked about grudges a while ago, but it was brought to my eyes once more at camp. Willie didn't hold a grudge towards Michael because he said he didn't want to be friends. As soon as Michael said he was sorry all was well again. That is one thing that God wants us to think about and act when he tells us to be like children. They don't judge, they are quick to forgive, don't worry about tomorrow, most of all they put total trust in things they don't see: Santa, Tooth-fairy, Easter Bunny, and for many Jesus. Why do adults have a hard time accepting Jesus simply because we can't physically see him? I'll talk more on that subject tomorrow.

A few of our kids lost teeth during the week. We told them to take the tooth home and put it under their pillows because since cell phones didn't have service at Laurel Hills State Park the Tooth-fairy wouldn't be able to find us...they believed us! They thought that was good reasoning. Why is it so hard for us to think the same way a child would? We lost our innocence somewhere along the line and we need to get it back in a sense.

YES Camp

Well we are back from camp. What a week! I tell you I was so exhausted on Saturday, but you know what: it was well worth it. I learned so much and throughout the week I will be telling you of what I experienced. We were in the mountains where there was no television, no internet and almost all of the phones had no service so there was no calls or text messaging. All these kids had was each other and to learn about Jesus. We had two camps: Junior Camp and Senior Camp. We were combined at one site, but it worked out well. I was a cabin director at the jr. camp (ages 6 to 10).

First Y.E.S stands for Youth Experiencing Salvation. The kids had two services so to speak: RWG {rapping With God} and a chapel service along with cabin devotions. My part was to do the cabin devotions all week. As I said before I was way out of my comfort zone. Many of you reading know I have problems speaking in front of people even if it is young children. But I was able to do it with God's help. I was speaking his word and many times it was as if God was there helping me through it; especially in the beginning before I got used to my kids. Granted I haven't made it to where I want to be but I now know I can teach. Baby steps. Soon I will be able to be in front of a large crowd and not have a panic attack.

God sends things our way to teach us different things and to help us through something. YES Camp was his way of showing me I could do the things I never thought I could do. It helped me grow in my faith. God puts in positions where he knows we will learn, but many times we don't take the opportunity presented to us. I know plenty of people who didn't take this opportunity to be either a camper or staff and missed out on something wonderful. What opportunity are you missing? What are you passing up by not volunteering to do something even if it is helping in the nursery at church one Sunday? Are you going to keep passing up opportunities? How else do we grow in God if we don't do things like being a cabin director for a camp?

Importance of Church

Church is such an important thing. I know there are many people who follow the idea that one does not need to go to church in order to worship God, and that's fine, but honestly are you worshiping God outside of church? And how do you find out your purpose for the Body of Christ if you are not a part of it? Rick Warren said "We need more than the Bible in order to grow, we need other believers. We grow faster and stronger by learning from each other and being accountable to each other." When I read that the other night it struck me. Of course we need more than the Bible to grow. How else do we get support and pray with others when we are in fellowship with them?

The Bible tells us "As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love." There is nothing like being within the church and growing together and being healthy within our spiritual walk. As we do our own part through the church we grow and those who work with us grow. The same goes with us working with others. That is why I am helping at Y.E.S. Camp this week. I can grow as I work with Pastor Marvin and the kids. I step out of my comfort zone which we all need to do.

When we are in a church we are a part of a family of course. What would it be like if you stopped being with your family? I know at times we feel isolated and that when we do fellowship it seems forced; but at the same time God knows the sincerity of our hearts that we want to be in fellowship even if our feelings aren't the same. The more we spend in fellowship the more that feeling goes away.