(Repeat from “Who? What? When? Where? Why?” post)
Five years ago Jesus changed my life forever. It all started with Camp Timberline, a beautiful plot nestled in the Rocky Mountains, where the air is alight with the smell of rain and pine trees, and it is so peaceful and joyful that it seems heaven touches earth. Growing up, I never went to church. I thought it was boring and strict, and I was glad my parents never made me go. When I was nine, my dad heard about a fantastic camp, and he signed me up without even telling me. I was horrified. The idea of being away from home for a week scared me, and I couldn’t believe they hadn’t even asked me if I wanted to go. Yet, I ended up loving it. From the moment I got there, the counselors were so full of love and excitement that you couldn’t help but be excited too. We did so many fun things at camp that I immediately wanted to come back. My counselors also talked about Jesus, but I didn’t want to believe what they said. I sensed that believing in Jesus would change me and I was scared of that change. Little did I know how big and how wonderful the change Jesus would bring to my life really was. So I kept going back to camp, simply because it was a blast, and four years later I sat in stunned awe in the Party Barn. The Party Barn, where the big blue gym mats always smell like a couple hundred kids’ smelly feet, and where excitement and exhaustion hang in the air like water vapor. That night the speaker told us the story of Jesus’ crucifixion. I had obviously heard of Jesus before, but I had never heard about how he died for us. How much he went through and that he went through it all because he loves us. I sat in awe that night overwhelmed by what I had heard. Overwhelmed that Jesus could love us so much, love me so much. I’m still in awe. The speaker said that we could choose to accept Jesus into our hearts. In that moment, I felt like Jesus was knocking on the door to my heart. I envisioned myself sitting in a room with Jesus on the other side of the door, and I remember being afraid to open it, but at the same time I was desperate to meet Jesus: the one who said he loved me so much. Jesus kept knocking and hesitantly I let him in. As I envisioned opening the door to my heart, I felt a rush of love, hope, and peace. It was like I had never known love before. That feeling was so wonderful and precious that I cannot even begin to describe it in words. That night I began to realize who Jesus really is. I felt His presence and love very tangibly, and it was just the beginning.
