One Year Later

A year ago today I made the announcement that I would be staying stateside and going to seminary. Today I paid for my last classes and turned in my application for graduation. It's crazy to think about all that has happened in a year and all that I have experienced. I am so grateful for this past year at home. There have been times that have challenged me and tried me, there have been moments of great joy and sorrow. And you know what I wouldn't change it. My friendships with people have grown much stronger and deeper. I have been able to be vulnerable and open with people and to share what God has been teaching me in this journey of life. I have been given opportunities to lead and to follow. I have been able to see many of my lovely friends and family from around the world this past year. God knows exactly what we need and the timing in which we need it and this past year was one of growth and relationship building for myself.

It was during Teen Camp a year ago that I found out that my visa was denied, and it was the perfect spot for me to find out because I was surrounded by people that I love and who love me. These are the people who see you at your best and worst and still love you. These are the people who have encouraged me for years and have seen me grow from camper to teen staffer to counselor to program director. Last week I returned to be on the program team for Teen Camp once again. After months of planning and organizing it was time to finally see it all come together and have the campers arrive.

Let me tell you camp was amazing, in so many more ways than I was expecting. I was expecting to laugh a lot and have some really great conversations with people. I was expecting to see God to work but He blew my mind away. I saw God change the heart of a camper who we did not know what to do with her at the beginning of the week but at the end she was standing with arms held high praising God. No heart, no person is never too far away from God. Prayer does wonders. I saw the answer to prayer on Friday night, and with tears streaming down my face He gave me another reminder that He is always at work. I had campers come up to me saying do you remember me? You were my counselor when I was 9 or when I was at this camp? It was amazing to see how they have grown and developed and that they are still coming to camp. I had campers tell me that camp has changed their life and you know what I say to that, it changed mine too.

I have been going to Lake Geneva Youth Camp since I was 8. I got my patches. I worked in the kitchen, in handcraft, on rec staff and as a counselor. I have gone to teen camp and worked family camp. I have fallen in love with God every single summer. I have created life long friendships that even if we don't talk for a while pick up exactly where we left off. I believe in the power of summer camp and how it is such a unique place to meet with God and to experience family, community and to hear the truth of God. Last Saturday was one of the hardest days for me. I had to say good bye to my second home. I am returning to New Zealand in December and I won't be home for camp next summer and my heart is sad about that. I had to say good bye to the family that I have created over the past 18 years of my life. It was and still has been an emotional week. I know that God has big plans for this next year and that next summer will be great and I will be doing Kingdom work wherever I am but my heart will be a little bit sad that I won't be in one of my favorite places in the world with my camp family. But I will cherish the time and memories and will be excitingly looking forward to the next time I am able to be there again. It's crazy all the things that can happen for year and looking forward I cannot wait to see where God will take me next.