I have procrastinated on writing
this blog because I don’t want to face the emotions that come with this post. It
is true that God loves Campus by the Sea; and He delights in using that space to
change people’s hearts. Usually the lamest week of the year is the one after I
come home from CBS; Which usually consists
of me sitting on the couch watching Netflix, and thinking of what my camp
friends are doing at the moment. I ask myself “If I was at camp right now, what
would I be doing?”. I exhaust my friends and family with stories about my camp friends. I say things that I know my camp friends would laugh at, but my family
doesn’t even catch. I tell 20 minute long stories that finish with “I guess you
had to be there”. It’s hard. It’s hard because every summer I discover a
community that can only be found in one place. And that place is 26 miles
across the sea away from me.
People have a hard time believing
me when I tell them that each summer is different than the last. The people who
have been following my ministry at Campus by the Sea probably think the stories
are redundant. With each summer comes new friends, growth, and silly stories. I
loved this summer for a completely different reason than the last. The growth
that took place in my heart was incredible. One thing that made a huge
difference was entering the summer with a lot of prayer. Most of you already
know that my job looked a lot different this summer. Yes, I was still an
elementary teacher, but I was also the Assistant Elementary Director. I knew
that I could handle the responsibilities that came with this job, however, I had some
worries. Being a leader has never been difficult for me, but being humble while
doing it was what I struggled with. My prayer for the summer was not to take
control of a team but to really lead a team humbly. Throughout the beginning of
the summer I was constantly worried about stepping on people’s toes and making
sure that I wasn’t micromanaging certain things. One awesome tradition that the
staff has is writing each other encouragement notes on a weekly basis. These itty
bitty notes are commonly used to affirm one another throughout the week. It was
so awesome to be affirmed as a leader throughout the summer. People’s kind
words helped me more than they knew. This reminded me that God was using my
friends to answer the prayer that I had been praying since before I even got to
the island. All summer we discussed that, as Christians, it is important to
spur each other on and the staff did a great job of doing just that. I have
never felt more encouraged and affirmed than I did this summer.
Some of you may know that our staff
read A Compassionate Call to Counter
Culture by David Platt. Each chapter of Platt’s book addresses some of the
most pressing social issues of today. He talks about how Christians can take a
stand against our culture while using the Bible and a moral compass. Our staff met
every Sunday morning to discuss the chapters and talk about how we can learn to
address the hard topics that David Platt challenged us with. For example, near the beginning of the summer, the Supreme Court legalized gay marriage in all 50 States. Of course, Platt
wrote about this topic in one of his chapters of his book. It was so refreshing
to sit in the room with other believers and talk about ways we can speak truth
into our peer’s lives with grace, while using the Bible as our number one
reference tool. I have had so many cases where my friends have asked me about
certain social issues and how Christians view them. The best I could do was
explain to them how we view certain things, but at times I wasn’t able to back
it up biblically. David Platt’s book encouraged
me to dive into the Bible and really search for answers. I feel like for the
first time in my life I was really craving God’s word.
Our staff also had the opportunity
to study Ephesians. In one of our morning meetings we discussed chapter 6; When
Paul writes about putting on the full armor of God in order to stand against the
“spiritual forces of evil” (Eph 6:12). We went around to each person at the
meeting and had each person talk about which piece of armor we needed the most
in the following days. (To reread or refresh your memory of Ephesians 6 click
HERE). I am aware that we should put the full armor on, but I have been starting
each day thinking of which piece of armor I need most. After reflecting on the
summer and looking ahead at the school year, I am aware that even though I am
attending a Christian school, I am still facing a hard battle against the evil
one. After really seeing what its like to look to the Bible for answers, I’ve
decided that the piece I need most is the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word
of God. I challenge you to find time to read through Ephesians and think about
which part of the armor you need most entering this new school or work year.
This summer was a very important
summer for me; Considering that after it's completion, I would move away from home
for the first time. The last few weeks I have been plunged into college and
dorm life. Even though there are plenty of opportunities to grow spiritually at
the Christian school I attend, it's up to me to take advantage of those
opportunities. Not all the people that attend my school love Jesus, or even
believe in God for that matter. I have told my family and friends that I have never
felt more ready for college because this past summer I have been encouraged so
much by my peers and equipped with the truth of God’s word. So here I am at Grand Canyon University, starting a brand new school year at a brand new place with the Sword of the Spirit in my back pocket.
Thank you to my family and friends
who prayed for me and supported me throughout my time at Campus by the Sea. And
thanks to the amazing staff that I got to work with this summer, I am humbled
to have had the opportunity to serve alongside you all.
My eyes are ever toward the Lord, for he will pluck my feet
out of the net.
Psalm 25:15
-Shel
