This one time at Church Camp

Okay, let's just start this off by stating some hard facts. Fact: We stayed on the fourth floor of some dorms, with no elevator. Fact: There was no air conditioning. Fact: Said dorm during the school year was a frat house. Fact: Frat houses smell of beer and pee. Fact: Sixteen girls, four bathrooms on the entire floor. Fact: At least seven girls started their little monthly friend during Velocity. Fact: Girls had to be on the floor by 11:30 p.m. and in their rooms by 12 midnight, breakfast at 7:30 a.m., look at the bathroom situation and think of showers. This little fact does not gel with my 8-10 hour sleep schedule.

All that being said, I will go again next year, definitely. I have never been so close to God. I have never seen God work in such amazing ways for so many people. One of our students had lost his faith, and re-discovered it. Three other students gave their lives to Christ while we were there. Totally amazing worship by the Phil Wing Band. Google them, book them in your church, buy Phil's CD to help him raise money to adopt his son from Africa. The Phil Wing Band, learn it, love it, live it. We had great speakers, that while they were speaking to the kids, spoke to my heart as well. We had an amazing last night of worship and prayer and I saw children asking each other for forgiveness, brothers, sisters, families, friends. Some kids called their parents afterwords and asked for forgiveness. Totally amazing and I am blessed to have been a part of it.

Don't get me wrong, church camp does not "fix" any child. Velocity is an amazing camp. About ten churches were there and we had tons of fun. It can only be a launching pad to further a child's faith, with plenty of back-up at church and home. I would highly recommend Velocity to any church looking for an amazing camp for their youth group. I am not trying to be an advertisement, it just is that good. Perfect balance of God and fun. One pastor, who had previously been to Velocity and then transferred to New Jersey, actually brought his youth group all the way to Ohio for the camp. Totally worth it.

Have you ever been to church camp? What great stories do you have? Any horror stories? Share the love. I missed all of you this week, but I will go again next year. Praise, praise, praise.

God bless you and yours.

Youth Group

So, last night I helped out with our church's youth group.  Somehow, I have become a leader, I seriously do not know how that happened.  I told Pastor Tim that I would help with fundraising in January and now I am the high school girl's leader at our Velocity summer camp.  Makes your head spin.  I am not complaining, I actually love it.  I am constantly amazed by these kids, literally.  It also helps that two of my sons were actually there last night and having a great time.  Tyler plays guitar in our youth band and they were up on stage last night.  Awesome.

So, it comes to mind that God puts you were He needs you.  I have always been called to women's ministry.  I have avoided taking care of children at church.  Not because I don't love them, but really because I was so busy with four little ones, I did not have the patience to deal with anyone else's little balls of sunshine.  I worked on our Christmas Tea for the ladies in our church and loved it.  Then it happened, I just walked up to PT and said I would help with fundraising.  That lead me to help sometimes at youth group and then I was asked to help with Velocity.  I have to pause and ponder.

Some of the girls came up to me and told me they were so excited that I was going.  I am truly humbled, teenagers want to spend time with me.  Wow, really?  How fun.  I know I will come home from this camp absolutely exhausted and wondering what the heck I was thinking.  I expect God to show up and work miracles.  These kids are really trying to learn and put God into their every day lives.  They face challenges we never did and that our parents cannot imagine.  The world tells them one thing and their hearts another.  These kids are not afraid to express their faith and still be teenagers. One has their lip pierced, one has funky hair (not including my bundle of joy) one sings like a rock star, all are amazing to me.  

So, here I sit, involved in my children's lives in a way I never thought possible and loving it.  Exhausted from making milkshakes for seventy kids (Joanie makes hers too thick, I make mine too thin) and loving every minute of it.  Two of my kids will be at Velocity, but I am not allowed to be their mom on the trip, I am not in charge of them, only the chicas in high school.  Pray for me, I will have to ignore a lot of things going on in the name of being fair.  I will have to let all the burping and farting go unnoticed.  Yikes.

What are you doing in and around your kids lately?  Share the love.

God bless you and yours.