The Sword of the Spirit

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

CBS 2.6

And just like that, we are done with 6 and a half weeks of Family Camp. We only have half a week left of our summer. This past week has been so rad and so great having my family in camp. It was truly a refreshing week! 

Joe and I have had the pleasure of working beside Erik Anderson for the majority of our time here. When an individual class has a large number of kids, the teaching team is given a third person to help them out. My Joe and I absolutely adore Erik and his heart for the kids. We love everything he brings to the table! This week Erik is not with us in class because we only have 13 kids. We really miss him but we are still having a great time!

Every Friday we have our kids think about something they struggle with. Common things that come up are; obedience, gossip, fighting with siblings, mean words, and bad attitudes. After they talk about each thing, they write it on a rock and they throw the rock into the ocean. This symbolizes getting rid of the things that hinder them from living to the praise of God's glory. Before they throw their rock, each teacher prays for them individually. I look forward to this exercise each week because when we separate each child from the group, it really gives them the opportunity to open up. Each week, I trust with my whole heart that God is going to use me, Joe, and Erik to really speak into each kid's life. We have one young girl in our class who has not grown up in a Christian home and doesn't know what it looks like to follow Jesus. We are trying to share the truth with her without overwhelming her. She seems open to hear what we have to say and for that we are thankful! 

This past weekend has definitely been a memorable one. When the campers left we spent the afternoon swimming and relaxing. Each Saturday the staff puts on a big event and this week's event was a CBS Staff Coffee House. I volunteered to coordinate and MC the entire night and it was simply amazing. Our staff is so talented! We heard many original songs, poems, and a' Capella performances. It was truly a great night of celebrating the talents God has given us. Afterwards, we played a hide-n-go-seek type game called Grey Wolf. It was so awesome! I just love each and every person on staff and I am so happy that God so intentionally put us all together. My most favorite moments from this summer have been the times when the camper are gone. We absolutely love our campers but we cherish the time we have with each other as well.

All this to say, this weekend reminded me that it is so evident God intended for us to be in community with one another. A community in which people are spurring each other on to love and good deeds. The way God has used each person, makes my heart sing with Joy. 

All the ways of the Lord are loving and faithful toward those who keep the demands of his covenant. Psalm 25:10

CBS 2.5

My family is here *sigh*. This week has been a refreshing (and wet) week. It has rained 4 times since my last blog. We said goodbye to our week four campers and welcomed in a huge weekend thunder storm. It wasn't a storm that was miles away but the thunder sounded as lightning was striking. We did our traditional "Rain Dance" on the pier in the rain. It was so awesome! I spent the rest of that rainy afternoon listening to the thunder and munching on popcorn with Virginia (one of our family camp directors) in her and her husband's cabin. It was such a fun time of hanging out while watching the rain fall. 

Most of you may know that my family is here for the entire week of Family Camp! Ahh!! The Langs and Ellisons are here too and it has been so fun spending time with them and watching them enjoy time off the mainland. They had a somewhat new welcome because it was pouring down rain when they got off the boat. However, nothing could "rain on my parade" because I get my family (minus Alex) for an entire week! 

The rain has not only affected day time activities but also sleep activities. Rain can be a big issue for us because most of the staff sleeps outside. On Monday night I went to bed as it started to drizzle. I didn't think it would last so I didn't move inside. Well it lasted all night and I stayed out the entire time. Other then the soaking wet hair and lack of sleep it was a fun change. 

I've spent the last few days playing card games with my family. My most favorite part of them being here is that they get to meet all my new friends.  I thoroughly enjoy each person on staff and it's fun to see my family enjoy them as much as I do. 

I am teaching seventeen 3rd and 4th graders with Joe Yardley and Erik Anderson this week. It is a really fun group and we absolutely love our kids. I am so grateful for my wonderful teaching partners. I admire their love for the Lord and people. They serve so selflessly and I genuinely want to be more like them. It's so cool to be surrounded by such Godly men. They are the seriously the best. 

If you are wondering how to pray, I have a few things! 

Health: A few of our staff have colds and they are in desperate need of healing. However we are thankful for only a small virus. 

Seth's shoulder: He heard from the doctor last week that he separated it. He has been resting it as much as possible. The other day when he was running down one of our trails I shouted his name to encourage him and as he looked up he took a tumble. Don't worry, Mrs. Heinz, he's okay! He set his personal hiking record that day and I think the fall (caused by me) helped him! He also claims that his shoulder is starting to feel better but we really want to pray for complete healing.

Finish strong: The staff is starting to get super close to each other and as much as we want to enjoy time together, we really don't want to miss out on time spent with campers. Pray that we can stay focused on serving and serving well. 

A scandal of Grace,

you died in my place so my soul will live. 

Shelby Dreves 

Campus by the Sea

PO Box 466

Avalon, CA 90704

CBS 2.4

I'm in town after a five mile hike! I'm still trying to decide if I'm happy I hiked or if I regret it! Either way it was a good time with friends.

Last weekend was so refreshing. We sent off our week 3 campers and welcomed in a weekend of rest. Some of you may have known that my friend  Seth was gone last week because of a prior commitment he had at church. He came back on Saturday and it was so good to see him and catch up with him. On Saturday afternoon, the women staff had a tea. It was a delightful change of pace and time for conversation with other women. After the tea, I went fishing with Phil and Seth off the work float. We sat there with our toes in our water and a fishing rod in our hands waiting for a fish to pull up. We didn't catch anything but it was a fun time with some good friends. That night we had a pizza dinner followed by a time of worship at the camp fire. It was so nice to pause and worship the God that has done so much right in front of our eyes. Later that night the staff went on the annual night snorkel adventure. I bravely agreed to go but only stayed in for a few minutes. It was fun to see the water at night but cold and scary at the same time. Two days ago I caught an eel off the rock jetty! My friend who is the camp's naturalist put it in a tank for the kids to look at! I caught it with a dropline and I screamed like a 7 year old girl, hence why my voice is still gone.

 This week we have a very vibrant group! My friend Christy, who was on staff last year, is in camp with her family this week and it is so nice to have more familiar faces. Our class this week is great! Our kids have a lot of energy but they know when it's time to pay attention and have a good time! 

I went into week four with an open heart to serve this next round of campers. I am especially praying that I can live in the moment. I have been missing my family a lot the past week and I am anxiously awaiting their arrival this Sunday. I just really want to be present with the campers that I am seeing instead of focusing on what's coming. It has been so cool to see God move this summer. He has given hope to marriages that were failing and helped restore people who are completely lost. He has also done a lot of work in my heart. Even though I have been in leadership positions in the past, this is the most serious position I have been in. It's cool to see how God is using me to encourage, lead, and love on my team. As a leader, not every conversation is easy but God has given me so much wisdom and grace. Also, the people here are so easy to lead. They are all on fire for God and that fire is fast spreading. I'm so crazy about what God is doing in everyone's hearts. God must have a huge heart for Campus by the Sea because he continues to use this unique atmosphere in beautiful ways. 

Pray that I can stay in every moment and contain my excitement for my family's arrival. Also, pray that as a staff we can finish strong and remember that we are not just serving people, we are serving the Lord. Also, just take a second to praise God for his goodness. 

Shelby Dreves

Campus by the Sea 

PO Box 466

Avalon, CA 90794

Sorry for any typos, I forgot how to type. 

CBS 2.3

Sunday July 5th

This week has been so different in so many ways. God's provision have been so clear to our staff this week. He has met so many needs of mine and many others on staff. While I'm at camp I am always in search of small pieces of home. This week one piece I found was in our guest speaker. Brent Eldredge is a new speaker at camp this year. Intrigued by a new face, I introduced myself to him. I mentioned to him I was from Arcadia and he immediately asked me what church I am a part of. I barely had enough time to finish saying Fellowship Monrovia when he interrupted me saying that he helped my pastor, Albert Tate, plant our church. It was cool to hear from a speaker I had such a small, yet comforting connection with. 

On afternoon during the week each family makes a boat, swims it out 20 yards, and releases it with the hope that their boat makes it to the shore first. I was walking down to the beach with my teaching partner, Joe, when we spotted one of our boys from our class. We approached Asher asking him if he was building a boat. After he said no, I told him "You have a 0% chance of winning the boat race if you don't build a boat". After a few minutes of prying, Joe and I finally convinced him to let us help him build a boat. With only 25 minutes of building time left, we made a boat using only sticks, painters tape, and milk cartons. The rest of the kids in our class joked about how it was going to be a titanic sequel. With little faith, Asher and I watched Joe swim it out and let it drift to shore. It is my pleasure to announce that "The Asher" made it to shore first!!!! Families who spent hours working on their boats were puzzled when they heard our boat had won! It was so cool to see how a lame boat brought us so much joy and unity! Asher had a hard time connecting with a lot of people in class but this one on one time he had with his teachers gave him the opportunity to open up and make a connection. 

Many of you may be wondering how I spent my Fourth of July. After our week two campers left the island, a group of us went  paddle boarding for a few hours. The water was so warm and the sun was shining all day making it a perfect day for water activities. Later on in the evening, a transit boat picked up every staff member and took us into town to watch fireworks. Fireworks on the island are much different than on the mainland. Someone rents a barge and launches fireworks from a boat in Avalon's harbor. I sat and watched the fireworks with 5 year-old Brandon Garcia seated on my lap with my two best camp friends Joe and Seth floating in the middle of the ocean sitting in a boat. It was such a dream. 

The next day was more of a nightmare to be completely honest. I had been feeling sick since last Thursday but it was Sunday when it really hit me. I woke up feeling defeated. The head cold got the best of me that morning. I went into our camp church service and started worship standing next to my friends when I felt that my constant sniffles and sneezes were distracting the people next to me so I got up to sit in the back. I went to sit alone when Lisa Friesen asked if I was okay. Knowing I wasn't, I bursted into tears expressing how I was frustrated that I was sick. For those of you that know Lisa, you know that her hugs and kind words are overwhelmingly comforting. I got to call my mom later that day and tell her I wasn't feeling well and it was nice to hear her and my dads voices. That night, I attended my small group. The men in our group had prior commitments so they were unable to attend. Every week two people in our small group share their testimonies. My two new  friends shared their testimonies and it was incredible. As much as I love the guys' presence in my group, the intimacy that the girls of our small group felt was indescribable. God so intentionally put that time aside for us girls to connect on a deeper level. It reminded me that one of the most valuable things we have is our stories. Hearing the way God is using my friends is the most beautiful thing.

I am feeling much better today but my voice is still raspy. If you want to know how to pray for me you can pray that my voice heals completely. Also, pray that our staff can continue to work and serve people with humility. Miss you guys! Feel free to write!

Sorry that was a long one, I hope you can take something from this.

It is well, it is well with my soul. 

Shelby Dreves 

Campus by the Sea

PO Box 466

Avalon, CA 90704

CBS 2.2

From Friday, June 26th:

I'm laying in bed after our first banquet. I'm snuggled up in my sleeping bed listening to friends down at the camp fire singing "Chicken Fried". This quiet time in my bed is precious because today has been long and difficult because of the stress of first banquet. Despite the craziness,

 I am going to bed with such a thankful heart for each and every person who is on elementary team. I can trust each person with tasks that I sometimes just want to do myself. It's nice to loosen up and put my trust in people who are so willing to serve and serve humbly. Thank you Jesus for each person! 

From Tuesday June 30:

This past week has been so crazy. Last week me and my partner, Joe had eighteen 3rd and 4th graders. This week we had 17 of them. It has been a challenge for us to teach a class that big and connect with each one but with the help of our friend, Erik, we have succeeded! The kids are really experiencing God in a way that they never have before. It's been so cool to see them grow closer to Him. 

Some days have been harder than others because of the work load and my voice which has been lost. These past few weeks I have been raising my voice more than normal because of leading the elementary staff and the children I'm teaching. Most of the time I'm speaking to a group of people so my voice grows tired easily. Let me tell you, it has been a challenge to try and not talk but I have tried to cut down. Since this is our second week of family camp, the staff really knows what they're doing and there are less meetings. It's nice to see everyone getting used to things.

Other than the voice, my week has been going so well. It rained yesterday so it was nice to have a change and something exciting happen. I love the excitement that comes with thunder and lightning, and what a treat it is to experience on an island! Anyway, the water has been unusually warm for this time of the year and I will never get used to diving to the bottom and experiencing the sea life. I'm so grateful for this place and I can't wait to see what God has in store for the rest of the summer.

Grace, What have you done?
Murdered for me on that cross.
Accused in absense of wrong,
My sin washed away in your blood.

Shelby Dreves
Campus by the Sea
PO Box 466
Avalon, CA 90704

CBS 2.1

This past week and a half has been so crazy yet so fun. Some of you may know that I am co-leading the elementary program so I have had a lot more responsibility compared to last year. It's so fun to be a leader of something I am so passionate about. The staff this year has many new faces and I am beginning to realize, it is an advantage. Most of our members came with little to no knowledge of how to run the program. It has been nice to start from scratch with new people who have great ideas and gifts that they brought with them. I could not be more proud of how the staff has come together these past several days. Every single person has a heart to serve the Lord. 

Along with the many joys of being a leader, there are some tough things that come with the job. One is that I feel most of the stress. I constantly question whether things are going to get done or if we are forgetting something but it is remarkable to see how everything has come together so nicely. We are really feeling God's presence here at CBS. The entire team of people jumped in the deep end, and we aren't just treading water, we are floating. 

So let's forget about the stress that comes with planning a program and focus on the fun stuff.  I have spent most of my free time hiking one my favorite trails called "scar", swimming, diving, tanning, chatting with friends, reading, and having "floatillas" with my amazing girls in my class.  I absolutely adore the 3rd and 4th graders I am working with this summer. It's is a big change from working the kindergarteners but a good change. I love the conversations I have my girls and their contagious positive energy they have to offer. I feel like God is working in their hearts, and mine. 

If you're wondering how you can pray for me, you can pray that things start to slow down. Planning makes me so busy and even though I like being busy, I would like to move at a slower pace. I sometimes need to say "no" to myself when I want to skip out on rest. Also, pray for health for the staff. We haven't had any serious sicknesses yet and we are hoping to stay that way. 

"Rid me of myself, I belong to You. Oh, lead me. Lead me to the cross."

Xoxo 

Shelby Dreves
Campus by the Sea
PO Box 466
Avalon, CA 90704