Beautiful Changes

This post I am about to share with you is something I wrote at the end of last summer. It was one of my last days working at SpringHill camps where I worked the entire summer. I worked the front desk at the camp. I had no idea I was going to be working there last summer until about a month before. This camp changed my life. This is something I wrote during my devotional time one morning...

I just lay here and think about how God put me here at SpringHill this summer at the most perfect time. After just studying abroad for a semester some of my choices and ways of living were not pleasing to Him. If you were to be around me during that time you would probably would have never guessed that I was a Christian. I am so glad I got to spend my summer at SpringHill. I have made so many new friends that are on fire for God and are always seeking Him. It is awesome. 

I just think about what my summer would have looked like without SpringHill. I probably would have earned more money at a better paying job. I probably would have gone out quite a bit to the bars. I might have still been talking to my ex-boyfriend. But God has brought me here and I am so thankful. Because now I feel like I am out of that rut in my life. I am learning to find happiness in God and not anything else in this world. 

His glory is all around me this morning. I don't want to leave SpringHill. I know that when I go back to college that temptation will be all around me. I hope that I am able to find peace at school with my friends and with God. I love my time here at SpringHill with God and I want that to continue on. Just laying here in the grass with the sun shining down and birds singing. Beautiful blue skies. His creation takes my breath away. 

SpringHill really did change me last summer. I grew closer to God through my devotional time (something I never really had). It is now part of my daily life. I seek Him out every morning. It is a great jump start to my day. He guides me and shows me where to go. I love listening to KLove on the radio. It is all I listen to now. That is all because of SpringHill. I discovered that radio station when I would run into town on my job. I listened to KLove the whole drive into town and back to camp. It was my time with God and it was simply amazing. This is definitely a job I didn't expect to have. God's timing is perfect. SpringHill was what I needed most at that time in my life and I thank God for that.

Childlike Faith

"From the lips of children and infants 

you have ordained praise

because of your enemies,

to silence the foe and the avenger."

~Psalm 8:2

Children are able to trust and praise God without any doubts or reservations.  They are too young to have large responsibilities and worry about things.  As we get older, we find this more and more difficult to do.  We have to make bigger decisions that come with bigger consequences.  I remember going to church when I was younger and it was a lot of fun.  We had Bible stories and played Bible games.  Why do we have to outgrow that phase of our life?  You can still be on fire for God and worship him.  Ask God to give you childlike faith, removing any barriers to have a closer walk with him.  

Over the summer I had childlike faith quite a bit.  I was surrounded by younger children every week.  Every Wednesday we had Wednesday Night Live at camp.  It was the one night of the week where the campers could dress up in crazy outfits.  It was so much fun to do something so simple and act crazy with the campers.  We would sing songs of worship and watch funny skits that the staff put on.  I miss these nights.  Remember that you can still have childlike faith even if you are not 

under the age of 12!

More than just camp.

This past summer I had the privilege of working at SpringHill Camps down in Seymour, IN.  It was probably the best summer of my entire life.  It was more than just a camp.  It was moving.  It was peaceful.  I loved the people.  I looked forward to waking up for "work".  People were interested in who you were.  They wanted to get to know you.  I could not have asked for more than what God gave me this summer.  A camp focused on him beneath the stars, surrounded by his creation.

Over the summer I spent more time getting to know people, reading God's word and being outside than I probably had any other summer.  I spent less time on the computer or Facebook for that matter.  I got to spend a majority of my time surrounded by God's creation and just feeling him breath into my life.  It was amazing.  The people at camp were dedicated to their work and devoting their life to Christ.  They worked completely and solely for Him.

My job consisted of answering the phone and running the front desk in the morning.  Then in the afternoon I woud run into Seymour to pick up random things the camp needed.  I would get anything from ice pops to horse feed!  It was so much fun.  I loved the 20 minute drive from camp to town.  I would blast the radio and sing praises to God.  I had never really listened to Christian music on a regular basis.  But over the summer I got hooked on K-Love radio station.  It is such a great radio station with positive and uplifting music.

I enjoyed every minute of my time at camp.  I have already gone back two weekends to volunteer.  Everytime I go back to camp I feel the peace of God with me.  It is so joyful to feel.  I love serving God's people and doing it with an open heart.  Hopefully you enjoy reading my blog posts.  I will post more stories that happened over the summer and how God worked through me.