Every year, Spotlight Youth Theater holds two week long overnight camps, one for middle school, and one for high school. I have been blessed enough to be a counselor at these camps the past few years and I am always floored by the amazing things that God does in these two weeks. Now, I could, and will tell you all the things that I saw and experienced this summer at camp, but there are nearly 250 other accounts of things that God has accomplished the past two weeks. I have asked the campers to share their testimony anonymously because I believe that giving testimony not only helps us reflect, but it is an amazing way to bring Light into the world and help spread God's kingdom. Here is entry number one....
"Before this camp, I had noticed my relationship with God had been put on the back burner. Last year it had taught me so much and I looked forward to it all year. This year I was excited; yet, scared to go knowing I had let Him down, knowing my relationship with Him had not been a priority. When I arrived at overnight camp, I had realized God knows time gets away from us and keeping Him in your life can be a job in of its own and His arms are always open. My favorite memory of camp was faith night, that was the first time in my entire life I had felt God in my presence. Throughout the week I had been wanting to feel that experience and it finally happened. Worship every morning was very emotional. Faith night was Thursday and on Friday morning at worship I did feel emotional, but the feeling of finally understanding and accepting God in my life, during the songs that morning, nothing but smiles ran across my face. "There is no place I'd rather be," the people I met and the people I reunited with will never be forgotten. I believe summer of 2012 Spotlight camp, I renewed my relationship with Christ and now know that I am "cherished, loved and adored above all things, by the creator of all things, for the glory of Him who is greater than all things," but the number one thing I learned at camp and I will take with me the rest of my life is, I never have and never will walk alone."
More to come, perhaps even another before the day is out.... ;)
-jon
"Before this camp, I had noticed my relationship with God had been put on the back burner. Last year it had taught me so much and I looked forward to it all year. This year I was excited; yet, scared to go knowing I had let Him down, knowing my relationship with Him had not been a priority. When I arrived at overnight camp, I had realized God knows time gets away from us and keeping Him in your life can be a job in of its own and His arms are always open. My favorite memory of camp was faith night, that was the first time in my entire life I had felt God in my presence. Throughout the week I had been wanting to feel that experience and it finally happened. Worship every morning was very emotional. Faith night was Thursday and on Friday morning at worship I did feel emotional, but the feeling of finally understanding and accepting God in my life, during the songs that morning, nothing but smiles ran across my face. "There is no place I'd rather be," the people I met and the people I reunited with will never be forgotten. I believe summer of 2012 Spotlight camp, I renewed my relationship with Christ and now know that I am "cherished, loved and adored above all things, by the creator of all things, for the glory of Him who is greater than all things," but the number one thing I learned at camp and I will take with me the rest of my life is, I never have and never will walk alone."
More to come, perhaps even another before the day is out.... ;)
-jon
