Transformation City Church

Last week I took 7 youth to youth camp. The week was filled with lots of things- basketball, tubing down the river, swimming, singing, and late night games of capture the flag and counselor hunt. We all had a great week and plenty of laughter and fun without much sleep. But what made the week so amazing was how the youth encountered God during their time at camp.

            The youth heard a speaker talk about waking up to God’s presence in their lives. They were challenged to stop throwing bricks of hurtful words to others and to stop building walls that separate them from others and instead to take the path of forgiveness. They were challenged to surrender their anger, hurt, and worry to God. Through God’s word being spoken during the chapel times and the other breakout sessions, small groups, and quiet times, many of the students’ lives were being changed. Three of them made commitments to surrender their life to Jesus. One student who struggles with self-worth, depression, and hopelessness is now beginning to understand God’s love for him, and the power of God to bring hope and healing into his life. He was so excited that at camp he read the Bible for the first time!

            One of the high school girls that came to camp wrote this in response to one of the breakout sessions about God and justice:

America is a rich man’s dream,

But a poor man’s prison.

Everyone isn’t free. Everything isn’t equal.

We don’t have justice. We have injustice.

Most people only want materialistic things.

Many people dream to have materialistic things.

And many people don’t care about them.

Most people lose their purpose of being on this earth.

Maybe they’ve forgot what they were living for.

Maybe they’ve forgot who died for us.

Because they are caught up in everything except our Creator.

But I’ll make it my purpose to help out as much as I can all over the universe,

To show God he still has children that cares.

LOVE

L is for the loyalty

O is for all the opportunities you gave us.

V is for the victory you gave us.

E is for the eternal love you have for us.

            God is at work in these students, and I am excited to see them continue on their journeys of following Jesus. To those of you who prayed and supported us on this week at camp, thank you. And I ask that you continue to pray for these students to continue to grow in love, grace, and in the knowledge of their Creator.