Heading into Passion Camp I knew that I was going to have my work cut out for me from the beginning. I was asked to be a leader at camp a little over a week before we left for Daytona Beach. I remember the first sermon I ever heard pastor Louie give was the Sunday after they had got back from camp and I remember him telling a story of a high school girl that had come to know Jesus. Which is beautiful as its beautiful anytime anyone accepts Christ as their Lord and savior but this story was special. He told us about this girl who wore long sleeves the entire trip to cover up her track marks. A beautiful 17 year old girl having to wear long sleeves in the dead of summer on the beach to cover up track marks… Wow, I’ve been there. I know that pain all too well. The embarrassment of having to decide what’s worse, people thinking I’m crazy because it’s 95 degrees out here and I’m steady sweating my face off or the chance of someone figuring me out. Someone seeing the true pain of my heart, that I would have to sink as low as sticking a needle in my arm just to feel something, anything. I believe I’ll go with the sleeves. Long sleeves meant freedom for me. Without sleeves you literally have to adjust every move you make in hopes of hiding pin marks and bruises. So to hear about this girls chains being broken at camp touched my heart and I’ll never forget that sermon and the way my heart cried out in pain for her, then the praise and glory to God for wrapping her up in his loving arms saying come on, you’re coming with me now! You’re mine, I’ll never leave you, I’ll never forsake you for the rest of eternity you can rest in the fact that I will protect you I will guide and guard your heart until the end of your days. You’re my daughter you are loved by God of the most high! I know how she felt then too and nothing will ever compare! So to say the least I knew I was heading into a week of encountering Jesus.
So the ride down wasn’t the least bit pleasant I’m not gonna lie. The bus driver asked me to sit in the back so there was some leadership back there. Yeah dude I’ll sit back there… Umm so if anyone remembers their school days they probably remember who sat in the back of the bus. The Neanderthals The crazies the rebels the wild ones. A whole bunch of me’s basically, I sat with a bunch of kids that maybe forgot to take their medication Orr that should seriously consider getting on some type of medication. My patience was tested for 8 hours straight and I thought for sure this was a direct reflection of what my week was going to look like. Haha thanks God I guess you’re getting me back for all those times I treated my leaders the same way but turns out it wasn’t all that horrible and they really weren’t the complete criminals they came across to be. I was just so grateful that they weren’t in my group and I didn’t have to share a room with them lol. So turns out my kids were completely awesome! They wanted to sleep at night, they were relaxed they listened to me and did what I asked of them , all in all a really smooth group of kids. Who knew that Jesus could move so profoundly in the hearts of 13 year old young men. We got to learn and laugh and talk about and worship God together for 5 days. This was for sure an experience I personally will never forget. I mean it really blew my mind to see the passion these guys had for Jesus. My heart was forever changed, especially for this age group. 12-15 years old is such a pivotal time in a young mans life. They need special attention. They need to know that someone is for them. And though my kids come from good homes and parents that are properly guiding them on to the right path, I noticed there was still a desire for a friend/authority type figure. Not a parent but someone they could get real with. I don’t know if that comes from hey this guys cool lookin he’s older I want him to be my friend. Or if it’s just a natural longing that all children seek after I don’t know. Whatever it is God had me in the right place at the right time.
So one thing that was huge was my kids wanted to start taking notes. Especially this one kid, he was all about his notes. It helped him focus on what the speaker was saying. Hey, take all the notes you want I think that’s awesome! When I was 13 I was the kid getting smacked in the back of the head for falling asleep. Anyways I look down and he is just steady filling up his booklet with these great notes. So for whatever reason I just began praying over him. Just that this booklet would be more then just a booklet of notes but a reference point, something he can look over and spread out into his world, whether that’s friends neighbors his parents anyone. I just wanted him to absorb what he was writing and spread what he’s learned. So I’m praying to myself and literally as soon as I said amen, he taps me on the leg. I leaned down and he whispered in my ear, God told me to tell you that you’re perfect to him… It was a moment I’ll never forget. He had no idea I was praying for him. Someone may have even said that to him before I don’t know but the Holy Spirit prompted him to say that to me right at the perfect time. My heart melted and I started crying right there. It was just so neat to me to think about. Hey you don’t need a doctor of theology or a pastor or someone whose been in the church for 40 years to see Jesus. Whether you’re 75 years old or 13 God can and will work through you so that others can experience Jesus. He put me at ease saying you don’t have to do all the work I’m right here with them too. And he proved that to be true.
Another eye opening experience at camp was that not just adults have or have had crappy lives. Kids have been just as much in the pits as any of us. Remember that Neanderthal I was talking about on the back of the bus? This kid completely broke my heart. So we’re all sitting there the whole group in this room at the end of the night telling Jesus stories. Just stories of where Jesus has showed up or worked in our lives. And he stands up to tell his Jesus story. From ever since he can remember to the time he was 8 years old his “father” abused him whether that was sexually or physically I don’t know abuse is abuse. And the only reason he doesn’t anymore is because he is now in prison, his mother is not in the picture and he lives with his grandparents. That poor kid having that much on his plate at such a young age. Wrecked, completely wrecked at his boldness. To be able to stand up in front of I dunno 2 or 3 hundred other kids and pour out your darkest secrets? Tell me how you do that. But the best thing about his story, and why he was telling us this. To proclaim his spot in eternity! That Jesus Christ was his Lord and savior! How amazing that I got to be there and learn just this little fragment of his story but also get to know that we all had a part in the changing of his life. His life is and will be forever changed. All because of camp!
None of us ever know what the next person is going through. Whether they’re 5 or 50. They could be down in it. So why not adjust our attitudes and our thinking in hopes that whoever we may run into just might catch a little glimpse of Jesus through us. I challenge not only me but you too to keep in mind that the next person you run into may just be teetering on that line of today may be the day that it all crashes that my entire world comes tumbling down and YOUR words OUR words could possibly shape their eternity. That next person may just be the person that needs you to pour Jesus in to their life. You could be their only life line. Who knows. My challenge is that we embrace every human encounter like it was already spiritually ordained. Whether God planned it or not at least that person got experience Jesus! But maybe that person hasn’t ever even heard of Jesus. You can save their life! There’s no requirements on saving someone’s life. You don’t have to be well versed or trained or a “perfect Christian” to give somebody the opportunity to encounter the one true living God. Jesus! So would you walk with me? Take a leap for our brothers and sisters whoever or wherever we are. Let’s get out there and be winsome! #11n11 #iamaworldracer #theworldrace
