Wednesday, April 5, 2017
Dan. 3:14-20, 24-28; Jn. 8:31-42
My Christian camp experiences are important markers in my spiritual journey. In the summer of 2007 I attended camp for the first time, as a chaperone at Centrikid Camp. I did not grow up going to camp, so I was completely unaware of what I would experience. Seeing 500 3rd – 5th graders sing songs of praise, ask important questions about God, and joyfully participate in Bible study was so inspiring to me. Then later that summer I attended Youth Camp. Louder music, bigger kids, deeper questions. All good, all because the Holy Spirit showed up in a big way. God was there, without a doubt.
Over the next five years, I would go on to chaperone ten camps, and each one gave me new experiences with God. I’ve had the privilege of being at camp with my little girl and watching her grow in her faith. I’ve chaperoned alongside some fun people with servant hearts. When you serve with someone, not to mention travel in a bus for 15 hours together, you bond! I think I’ve even seen God during a paintball war with my son and his friends. We had so much fun! I’ve witnessed a night of powerful worship with teens on their knees praying for each other. In all these experiences, I felt God orchestrating His plan. He drew us closer to Him by drawing us closer to each other. Camps have most certainly been an important part of my spiritual journey.
–Dina Marshall