Stop.
Imagine for a moment that your life hits a pause button. Stop the chaos; stop the noise. Leave your past and your petty worries behind you.Take a deep breath and let the sunshine soak into your bones. Look at the beauty around you and think about the beautiful character of the God who created it.
That's what a week at Barakel feels like. A long drought of cold water, a relieved laugh after so many days of pent up stress. There's something about the people, the place, the Spirit of God that's healing.
Forget about your anxieties back home. Focus on the raw, glorious truth of God's word.
Rewind.
I'm sitting at home cramming in online college homework, job searching, and hastily packing. I feel like I'm growing up way too fast. Was it really only a couple months ago that I was sitting in school, needing to raise my hand and ask when I had to go to the bathroom? Now I'm signing up for college classes, taking career evaluation tests, and signing up for drivers training. Culture shock much? With all these looming decisions I feel like I'm caught in the middle of a hurricane, with a million voices howling at me and pulling me in every direction.
Then, like the eye of a hurricane, a week at camp is in sight. I'm hoping to have a great week and serve well, but there was no way I could have known how much God would move in my life. Because I was working as a tech, I thought that the total focus would be on the campers and I was just helping out. Since then I've learned I should never underestimate Camp Barakel.
The techs and engineers were genuine people. I loved talking to them and serving with them. Our counselors were hard working and compassionate. There was buzzing activity and beautiful piano music. There was not so beautiful music when we girls took over the dish room and sang our hearts out (don't judge; we were making a joyful noise).
Through prayer, devotions, and conversations that week, a warm glow started forming in my chest. I felt God working in me, maturing me. I think I grew up. I didn't sleep much because I spent many night hours thinking hard. I was blessed just as much as the campers.
The best day of the week was Sunday. The speaker, Mr. Duffrin, gave a hard-hitting message. Two hundred people stood together in the East Side Chapel and worshiped God.
After chapel, we had about two hours to have some alone time with God.
Sitting under a tree by Shear Lake, I read through the faith chapter in Hebrews. I wondered how I could go home the next day. How could I leave this place that had encouraged me so much? How could I live when I wasn't living at Barakel?
By faith.
God showed me that he was the same both at camp and at home. He who had brought me to Shear Lake and music and good friends would bring me through whatever lie ahead. I felt peace. It was in that moment that I realized God had been changing me. I wasn't the same person as when I came.
I was okay with that.
Fast Forward.
I'm standing with other techs and engineers a couple feet away from the buses. We hug and say goodbye. Man, I hate goodbyes.
I've never felt so torn. I miss my family, but I want to stay so much it hurts. I close my eyes and remember the faith chapter.
God is faithful. He won't leave me when I get home.
I inhale deeply and step onto the bus.
It's time for my life back home to...
