By Hannah Cox, Development and Volunteer Coordinator
Our 4.12 Leadership Training Program is designed to help students in grades 8-12 grow spiritually and equip them with leadership skills. *Brittany, a 4.12 student, served as a crew leader for one of the work crews for the first time one week at camp this summer. She quickly realized it was going to be a very challenging week because several of her crew members were not respecting her authority as their crew leader.
Early in the week she talked to Rachel Shively, the Female Junior Staff Coordinator about this. Rachel showed her Exodus 4:10-12,
“Moses said to the LORD, ‘Pardon your servant, Lord. I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue.’
The LORD said to him, ‘Who gave human beings their mouths? Who makes them deaf or mute? Who gives them sight or makes them blind? Is it not I, the LORD? Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say.’”
Rachel told Brittany, “Allow God to equip you as a leader this week; rely on Him and He will provide you with the tools you need. He will give you the words to say.” This became Brittany’s prayer for the week and as the week went on she felt God’s presence more and more. She relied on Him to help her lead the others on her crew and they began to respect her authority as their crew leader.
A few weeks later, Brittany was on work crew again, but was not the crew leader. This time she came to Rachel saying it was difficult for her not be the one in charge. Rachel again showed her Exodus 4:10-12 and suggested she pray that God would provide her with opportunities to lead without trying take over the crew leader’s responsibilities.
Looking back on her experiences on work crew this summer, Brittany said at a recent returning 4.12 student meeting that “God provided me with several opportunities this summer to grow as a leader. Although at times it was very challenging, it required me to fully rely on Him and really strengthened my relationship with Him.”
Many other 4.12 students have similar stories of how God has challenged them this summer while serving at Joy El, a Pennsylvania Christian camp.
*Name has been changed.
We are accepting applications for the 2018-19 year now. Learn more about the 4.12 Leadership Training Program here.
Joy El Camps and Retreats, is a Christian camps in Pennsylvania, we offer Christian camps and retreats in pa and we are a retreat centers in PA since 1974. Our focus on making disciples is seen in Bible Adventure and the 4.12 Leadership Training Program.
