A couple weeks ago I was asked to be the camp speaker for a week at
Camp Tadmor. It was for Jr Camp so it was 220 3rd-6th graders. None of which I knew. I had never been to a week long camp before nor had I ever spoken that many times in a row for that many kids in that age group. I'm more familiar with Sunday to Sunday. Or a one time, evening/Saturday deal. As many years as I've worked with kids and parents I felt suddenly very out of my element. I was pretty nervous - panicked as it were.
The first night I got introduced as a "he" only because the program staff hadn't met me yet and assumed I was a male speaker. So my nerves were pretty thrown and I did my best to recover and get the kids excited about having a woman speaker. But I came back to the lake house that night (where my husband, son and I were staying) and was about in tears regardless. I was up till 1:30am planning my talk for the next night and was pretty sure I was invisible and was going to SUCK at speaking.
But God surprised me as He often does. At my low points I was on my knees exasperated with planning and worrying and told Him it was a mistake that I was there and somebody else should come or at the very least I should go home. So God came and did what I could not. Be Himself in the midst of counselors, kids and staff.
On the 2nd night I spoke about Sin and how we aren't perfect. 3rd night was all about Jesus and who He is and how much he LOVES us. Loves you. Loves me. I was starting to love speaking to this group of kids but was concerned that their hearts weren't engaging. By the eve of the 4th night I asked counselors what God was doing in their cabins (as I had every night but only general comments had come thus far) and expected more of the same as in nights past (general niceties). But suddenly hands were raising and counselors were all chiming in passionately. A child had received Christ the night before! 3 kids in another cabin. An entire cabin received Christ and danced around saying they wondered if the angels were dancing with them! Another gal told her church counselor that because I spoke she learned that Jesus is for everyone...she always thought He was just for Christians. She received Him and told her counselor the next morning she felt "new". An hour or so later I was to speak on new life and how it changes everything.
I was in tears at the counselor meeting and couldn't hide my surprise at the kids response. Together with the counselors we celebrated and talked about allowing God to speak to the kids and not get in the way with ourselves. Suddenly speaking wasn't scary and I was getting to know the kids and it was an absolute privilege to be sharing the gospel with them all.
After that it felt to me all mayhem ensued in the realm of what God was doing in kids and counselors hearts. We had a worship night that night and the kids were way into it and praising like I'd never seen a group worship. We shot up colored/silver butterflies over the kids symbolizing life, had ballons bouncing everywhere and just celebrated. The last night I spoke on loving others and we talked a lot about when our heart breaks for someone and when the moments are that we most feel loved. By the time the week was over I estimated 40-50 kids had received Christ or rededicated their lives! I've never seen anything like it. It changed me in many ways and gave me much more confidence to speak again. But more it re inspired me to come home and be with our local church to be in the lives of our kids who are growing up here.
For sure I'm taking our kids to camp next year. And for sure I'm coming home again refreshed and excited to be part of what the day in and day out life in Christ looks like with them. Thanks Camp Tadmor for a chance to speak and see God work.
