Cedar Springs Senior High

We had heard how awesome this camp was going to be.  We waited in anticipation for Tuesday morning when we would start our first Epic Game.  We played Pull Apart. For those of you who don’t know what that’s all about… one group of people holds on as tight as they can to each other and another group tries to pull them apart.  We all have bruises from that.  The next day was a cross between dodgeball and Ultimate Frisbee.  Talk about intense.  Thursday was Beast Ball: two teams fighting to get the balls into their trash cans, while in a mud pit, which meant tackling and pushing and throwing mud… anything to win!  I looked like I was wearing a shirt made of mud.  Friday’s game was trying to push the other team’s ball off of a soapy tarp.  We weren’t muddy this time… just really wet and soapy, and still a little scratched up.

During the afternoons, we would ride tubes down the river, play Ultimate Frisbee, and play cards.  It was a ton of fun hanging out with the teens.

Then, in the evening, we would have more crazy activities.  Bowling… Capture the Flag… Dancing… Commando.  What is Commando?  Well, the fun of Commando is that the counselors get to make the campers do anything as they search for a truck in the woods.   Like eat grass, buy us candy, spit in each other’s mouths, baptize each other in the river, eat an Oreo out of a shoe, and lick the armpits of everyone else in the group.  But I’ll spare you the worst of the details. 

On a more serious note, God was transforming lives.  The theme for the week was Transparent.  Every morning and every night, we were encouraged to be transparent with each other.  Campers had the opportunity to share what they struggled with, sin they couldn’t let go of, and dreams they have that are hindered.  All four of us had some amazing conversations and had some campers open up. 

One thing I learned was how little I have to do for God to work.  It’s not me at all that changes these kids’ lives.  My twelve girls were from three different youth groups, so being transparent with the whole group was difficult.  On confession night, I felt like God wanted me to split up the group into their youth groups.  It ended up being more amazing than I could have hoped.  I didn’t get to hear everything they shared.  But they shared.  They were transparent.  They got to know each other better.  They supported each other.  Prayed for each other.  I was blown away.  I walked back to my cabin afterwards, alone, looking up at the stars, praising God for how He works in ways so much greater than me. 

Continue to pray for us that God would renew our energy for another week of camp.  We stay in Cedar Springs for a week of Junior High camp.  We are excited to see God work in other amazing ways.  

Check out some of the pictures!

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.3686814283564.151460.1071383247&type=3&l=48607c7815

Building a Youth Camp

We had two weeks at IWU before we headed out for camps.  Those two weeks were hard, but amazing.  The first week was training.  Mark Atkinson was with us to share much of what he knows about camp.  It was an awesome time to talk about some of what is in store for us this summer.  During these 4 or 5 days, we got to know the other teams a little bit, just like we did last year.

But this year, we got to know the other teams so much better because of the second week.  We would get coffee together in the morning, eat PB&J for lunch together, go out to dinner together, and hang out all evening together.  The times that best helped me get to know the teams were each morning when the CIA teams would get together to pray for each other.  In the evening we would do the same as well.  To hear specific prayer requests, praises, and concerns for the summer gave me ways that I could better pray for and encourage each member.

Because one of the bands was at Wesleyan General Conference during the week, and camps hadn't started yet, we got to help Fairmount Camp get ready for their camps.  If ever we were going to learn about doing the thankless jobs, it would be during this service project.  We washed dishes, painted trashcans, painted fire hydrants, painted bathrooms, made beds, cleaned out deep freezers and fryers, cut down branches, weed-wacked, put in insulation, put up dry wall, and found a gas line. While each of those sometimes seemed meaningless, we knew we were making it possible for teens to meet Jesus in the weeks following.  We ended each day exhausted and ready for a relaxing night.  I was so proud of Team Shine.  Even when they were away from the rest of the workers, working on a less-than-exciting job, Samuel, Leslie, and Dayne never complained or quit working. They continued to do their best to serve the camp.  This week of service with my team makes me so excited to serve with them for the next seven weeks of camp.  

Hey there!
It's Friday, and we just finished a week of training... which generally consisted of playing card games, brain teasers, practicing skits, and late night trips to Circle K for Polar Pops.  But in all seriousness, it's been a wonderful week of preparing for this summer of ministry. So much prayer has gone into this summer.  Prayer for our team, the campers, the camp directors, other teams, our supervisors, and traveling.  We want you to join us in praying for us this summer as we travel across the country.


Our speaker for the week did a great job at helping us think about tough situations we might encounter this summer and helping us get to know each other better. We've also been able to spend a lot of time with the other teams: Catalyst and Amplify and the Bands: EnGedi, Veritas, and Revolution.


Next week, we are a part of a service project at Fairmount Wesleyan Camp, which is pretty close to campus.


Here's the list of the other camps we'll be going to the rest of the summer.
June 10-16 Iowa Minnesota Teen Camp in Floyd, Iowa
June 18-23 Iowa Minnesota Junior High Camp in Floyd, Iowa
June 24-28 Kansas Kid's Camp in McFerson, Kansas
July 2-7 Camp Wildwoon in Clay City, Indiana
July 8-13 Indiana South Youth Camp in Orleans, Indiana
July 15-20 Shenandoah Youth Camp at Victory Mountain Camp in Sophia, North Carolina
July 22-28 Central New York Youth Camp in Beaver Dams, New York


We're looking forward to sharing stories with you throughout the summer about how God is doing some awesome things.


And a message from Dayne...
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