I’m going to camp! In fact by the time you read this, I may already be there. Today is the first day of my church’s high school camp in the beautiful mountains of the Cherokee National Forest in East Tennessee. I’ll be there through Monday, and I am so excited. Another woman and I will be co-counselors to a group of about 15 girls. I can’t wait to meet them and get to know each of them throughout the next six days.
This is my first time at a Christian camp. I went on a youth group trip the summer following my senior year of high school, but this week’s camp is going to be pretty different. A few hundred high school boys and girls are expected to attend. We’re booked from 7:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. every day, praying and worshipping together, learning about Jesus, and of course having fun in the pool, at the ropes course, and on the zip line. The biggest difference about this camp is that we’re focused on discipleship. We want to help these students know and love Jesus and then go forth to make disciples.
I’d love for you to cover me, the other counselors, and these students in prayer. Because I’ll confess: I’m nervous! This is a totally new experience for me. But it dawned on me during these past few days that the things that scare us the most end up being the most worthwhile. God goes before us. He knows all the details that we don’t. He’s paving the way. And He’s called me to camp with a purpose.
“Praise the LORD of Hosts, for the LORD is good; His faithful love endures forever”
Will you pray for me?
Pray for wisdom.
Pray that God would speak through me and give me the words to say, especially when counseling girls one-on-one.
Pray for confidence.
I’ll be sharing my testimony. Pray for confidence in what God has done and continues to do in my life.
Pray for joy and freedom.
I get nervous when I enter into new and unknown situations because I idolize control. This week God is totally stripping me of that. I don’t get to control my schedule, my sleep, my meals, my alone time. Pray against anxiety and that I would remember His way is so much better than mine. He’s got this.
Pray I would spread the light of Christ in both my words and actions.
I strive for my actions to match my beliefs. This is especially important this week while I am surrounded by young, impressionable 14-to-18 year old girls. Pray I would show them what it looks like to walk with the Lord.
Pray for patience.
High school girls. Hormones. Need I say more? Pray my co-counselor and I would have patience and extend a whole lot of grace to our group.
Pray for spiritual rest.
Each day is jam-packed. Pray I would find spiritual rest in the Lord, even when tired physically.
Pray for an overflow of coffee.
Just kidding. Making sure you’re still with me.
Will you pray for the girls?
Pray for a deeper love of Jesus.
For knowledge, love, and obedience of Him. Pray that the girls who do not have a relationship with Christ would turn from sin and surrender to Christ for the first time.
Pray for one girl who struggles with food, exercise, or body image to be placed in my group.
Pray these chains of sin in her life would be broken.
Pray for discipleship.
Pray that each girl would leave with friends who can help hold her accountable and sharpen her as a Christian.
Pray for continued movement after camp.
This is only the beginning as God sends us out. Pray the spiritual high of camp wouldn’t end when we leave the mountains but would grow and catch fire as we head back to our regular lives.
Pray for all glory to go to God.
Lord, keep our hearts fixed on You! To You be the glory.
I know He will show up in powerful ways this week, and I’m thankful to be a part of it.
You can watch the camp worship services live every night at 8:30 p.m. CT: longhollowstudents.com.
If you want to talk more about Jesus Christ and faith and what-the-heck-is-all-this-stuff, shoot me a message. I love meeting new people, whether virtually or in person, and gabbing about life.
And if you'd like to know more of my story, you can read my testimony here.
Truly, He makes beautiful things.