I have Jesus in my Heart!
Program Director
Each summer we have several campers who become familiar faces because they attend multiple weeks of camp. One of these campers, Khloe*, had just finished attending her fourth week of Day Camp.
As the end of the week approaches, the closing program is a highlight for many families that attend. This particular week was extra special. I realized that for the first time Khloe’s family was attending!
After we wrapped up the program for the week, I headed up to our camp store to check in on how Day Campers and their families were doing. In the midst of shopping decisions being made, I heard Khloe stop her family in the middle of the store and ask them, “Guess what?” Her grandfather turned to her and asked her, “What?” She went on to share, “I have Jesus in my heart.” Without missing a beat, she immediately went back to her decision on what she wanted from the store. What a simple but powerful truth Khloe discovered at camp!
Khloe had been an active participant each of the weeks of camp that she attended, but on this particular week it seemed to “click” for her. God chose to grow the “spiritual seeds” (1 Corinthians 3:5-8) that had been planted. She understood that the biggest decision of all, the decision to have a relationship with Jesus, was so important that she wanted to share that with her family!
That evening, the summer staff shared stories of how they saw God at work during the past week. I shared this short story of how I had seen God at work that day. After our time of sharing wrapped up, Khloe’s counselor came up to me and thanked me for sharing that story. She went on to share that earlier that day they were in Bible Study and Khloe had interrupted the study to share that she didn’t have a relationship with Jesus and that she wanted to “accept Him in her heart RIGHT NOW!” Khloe’s counselor was able to walk Khloe through beginning a relationship with Christ. In the camp store that afternoon I was hearing that excitement of the most important decision Khloe would ever make. Khloe’s story is a reminder of Galatians 6:9 for me, “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”
This summer we have had the opportunity to plant “spiritual seeds” in 1,607 children and teen campers. We may not get to see them bloom right away, but this summer have seen 139 campers make the same decision Khloe did to begin a relationship with Jesus. We trust that if we don’t give up and continually share the gospel, one day we will see a harvest.
Upcoming events:
Bible Adventure and CIA programs are opening the week of September 7th
Mother Daughter Retreat (October 8-10)
Momentum Jr High/Sr High Retreat (November 5-7)
Father Son Retreat (November 12-14)
Momentum Jr High Retreat (November 19-21)
Fall Bible Adventure Retreat (December 3-5)
Family Retreat (December 31, 2021-January 2, 2022)
