River of Life

I haven't blogged in a bit because I spent the last week at camp, and the time leading up to it getting ready.  I took our teens to serve for a week, and it was an incredible week.

I thought that they would learn and grow, but I had no idea what it would look like.

For some it was a matter of stretching their wings.  They served God all week long, letting Him love little ones through them. 

For others it was a matter of dealing with disappointment.  Having high expectations of yourself, and learning that "serving as unto the Lord" doesn't always have to mean perfect.  It is okay to forget your lines, to have no one respond to your gospel presentation, to be tired...  God wants all of our Heart Soul and Strength, but even when we lay it all out there, it isn't going to be perfect. (I wish I'd learned that in 8th grade)

Some of the teens seemed to go through a spiritual growth spurt this week.  Starting off with asking for forgiveness, and then finding the fruit of the spirit ripening before their very eyes.  I watched one young man struggle to serve kids even though as he often said "I don't even like kids".  I saw him learn patience with a little boy who peed his pants 4 times before lunch, learn self control when kids just wouldn't listen.  He even sought forgiveness from the children when he fell short.  I never expect this boy to become a man right before my eyes.

I spent an hour just listening to the sobs of one young lady who was convicted of sin.  I got to share 2nd Corinthians 7:10, "Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regrets".  She wasn't able to speak the words, but she did write them out, confessing the sin, and later she sought forgiveness from the person she had wronged.  Watching her the rest of the week it was obvious that joy had replaced the anguish she had been feeling.

I had other long chats too.  One in which I forgot to speak the truth in love.  I spoke the truth, but I was angry at the behavior, and it was evident.  It was not righteous anger, it was man's anger, and I fear I may have lost my chance to help the students involved.  Apologies don't always work, sometimes the damage is done, and you loose the fragile trust you've been working to build.  When then happens you pray that God can work, and for another chance, and you realize that you can't always believe the compliments. I am a sinner, saved by grace, and far from perfect.

I also had a front row seat to watch a soon to be high school freshman become a leader, among the kids and among peers, showing wisdom beyond those tender years, and pointing others to Jesus.  MVP, Team Captain, Awesome.  I look forward to seeing what God will do with this life, and I am thankful to have a chance to serve with this amazing student.

The thing that meant the most to me though was my team.  I'm the only one who gets to do this for a living, but they gave freely of their time and talents.  It meant the world to have Leighanna there to help the teens adjust to camp life, and to help me get them focused on the tasks at hand.  Here ministry set the tone for the week.  When she left for her family vacation, Jenny arrived, and taught them what it means to work hard (after having worked hard all day herself).  She also loved them when they were tired and slightly unlovable and shared the truth with them in down to earth practical way only she can.  Nicole and David showed up at just the right time, were there when we had to deal with some teenage drama, and provided shoulders to cry on when two brothers got bad news about a loved one being rushed to the hospital.  Nicole assessed the problems several teens were facing with in minutes of arriving, and gave healthy doses of tough love where needed.  It was amazing to see Philip there, loving and serving the teens after putting in long hours on the construction site, having to leave for work before most of us were even awake and building into the group while I was busy dealing with the heart issues of an individual.  Never saw that coming when he was 12 and I was just learning how lead.

(you can see pictures and read othere stories from the week at camp at my othere blog: cbcbrewerteens.blogspot.com)