Sunday, August 1, 2010

stories from crazylove camp

Last summer, God told me to go to camp. Newlife youth summer camp. Specifically. Like, He called me out last summer and told me, "Laura, you have to go to summer camp next year." At the time, I was in the Dominican Republic, and considering returning for summer 2010.

Who am I to mess with God, right? So I went to summer camp.

All summer, our youth staff has been praying for God to show His "crazy love" to our students. To our leaders, too. Sometimes we pray for God to "show up", which is weird because God's everywhere already. At camp this week, though, it was obvious that students understood that God was there. That's the heart of our prayers.

Camp was a week long...so I could share a lot of stories.

And I will. But I need a little more time to sort out the important ideas from the confidential information.


  • Prayer times were so sweet. Students would complain when we ended prayer and say "wait, can I pray too" or "let's keep going." Our small group (of 38 students!) was usually the last group to finish our small group times. I was blessed with the opportunity to pray over students, their families, their schools, and the nations they will someday influence. God is using these students to change the course of history. Seriously.
  • Nine highschool students in our group stepped up to be discussion leaders for our small group time. They did a PHENOMENAL job. More than being the "next wave" of leaders in the church, these students are already leaders in their realm of influence. It was humbling and beautiful to watch them lead their peers closer to God. I am confident that God has great plans in store for these students. I pray that they cling to Him and follow unswervingly.
  • Five students in our small group decided to get baptized. We're going to have a baptism "party" in 2 or 3 weeks at the waterfront park. They want to be sure that everyone can be there, family and friends. Some students asked me to baptize them. Others are asking their friends who showed them what it means to follow Christ. Again, beautiful and humbling.
  • Blessed to have many conversations about how God can bring restoration to families. I hate what divorce has done to so many of my students' families!!! But confident that God can heal any situation. Confident that no hurt escapes His notice. Confident that every story can climax with redemption!


Oh, and I took a lot of pictures but have no idea where my camera cable went.

So, that's the quick version of what happened at camp. Lots of volleyball. Lots of praying. Lots of hugging kids as they cried and wrestled with life. Lots of big, gross, gnarly bugs. Lots of beautiful Eastern Washington sunshine (Jeannie didn't recognize me at church tonight because I'm so tan from camp!)
"Mother of Pearl" small group (plus or minus a few)


Thank You, Father, for telling me to go to camp. I love the joy of being in the center of Your will. Keep my heart surrendered to You. I want to bask in Your boundless love longer. Even being back "home" now, crazy conversations and situations keep falling into place. Like God has a plan or something? ;)

And a closing thought:
Driving back from camp in my little black KIA with no AC, I was looking at the 6 school buses full of our campers. My co-pilot had fallen asleep again so I was passing the time by praying with my Father. Thanking Him for a beautiful week. Thanking Him for restoring the job that I love so much, that matches my passions so perfectly. And He reminded me that I still get paid over the summer. I just started laughing out loud. I'm getting paid by the state of Washington right now. I'm getting paid to be a youth pastor this summer...by the state! I get to tell students about Jesus every day. HOW AWESOME IS THAT!?!

Hahahaha, I enjoy summer so much! What a beautiful way God loves us!

"Sell your possessions and give to charity; makeyourselves money belts which do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comesnear nor moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Luke 12:32-33

1 comment:

  1. Pom PomAugust 2, 2010 at 6:45 AM

    Please find the camera cable, Laura! I'm so glad Crazy Love Camp was miraculous. In two weeks, I'll be back at school. Yikes.

    ReplyDelete

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Ephesians 5

Therefore, be imitators of God as dearly loved children and live in love, just as Christ also loved us and gave himself for us, a sacrificial and fragrant offering to God. But among you there must not be either sexual immorality, impurity of any kind, or greed, as these are not fitting for the saints. Neither should there be vulgar speech, foolish talk, or coarse jesting – all of which are out of character – but rather thanksgiving. For you can be confident of this one thing: that no person who is immoral, impure, or greedy (such a person is an idolater) has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.

Let nobody deceive you with empty words, for because of these things God’s wrath comes on the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not be partakers with them, for you were at one time darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of the light – for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness, and truth – and find out what pleases the Lord. Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. For the things they do in secret are shameful even to mention. But all things being exposed by the light are made evident. For everything made evident is light, and for this reason it says:

“Awake, O sleeper!

Rise from the dead,

and Christ will shine on you!”

Therefore be very careful how you live – not as unwise but as wise, taking advantage of every opportunity, because the days are evil. For this reason do not be foolish, but be wise by understanding what the Lord’s will is. And do not get drunk with wine, which is debauchery, but be filled by the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and making music in your hearts to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for each other in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, and submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.

Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord, because the husband is the head of the wife as also Christ is the head of the church – he himself being the savior of the body. But as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives just as Christ loved the church and gave himself for her to sanctify her by cleansing her with the washing of the water by the word, so that he may present the church to himself as glorious – not having a stain or wrinkle, or any such blemish, but holy and blameless. In the same way husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one has ever hated his own body but he feeds it and takes care of it, just as Christ also does the church, for we are members of his body. For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and will be joined to his wife, and the two will become one flesh. This mystery is great – but I am actually speaking with reference to Christ and the church. Nevertheless, each one of you must also love his own wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.

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