So today my Pastor prayed something interesting when we were praying for all the students - especially those who had gone to camp. He said something like "Father we pray that their experience with You was not only environmental". I have been thinking about that during my secret place time today.
Environment IS important to your time with God. You have to choose an environment that will not distract you from being with Him or hearing Him. At camp, we did not have electronic devices to steal our attention and time. We had no work schedule, sports practices, or social opportunities to make time for. Our purpose was to carve out 5 days to give to God. So I know we can't always carve out 5 whole days. BUT we could remove all those things for one hour a week couldn't we? I'm realizing that part of the impact of my time with God does depend on the environment that I create. I take an hour every Tuesday to go in our sanctuary, plug the iPod into the sound system, journal and pen ready if needed, and I don't take calls or visits for one hour. The lights are dim and the music is loud (worship tunes but I like that if someone walks in while I'm storming heaven, they won't necessarily hear what I'm praying). And it is a GREAT connect time with God for me. But it's not the ONLY way I sense His presence and connect with Him.
Do you think that environmental issue is a problem for you? Have you limited your God-rocking-my-world moments to camp, youth convention, and lock-ins? What can you do to create the environment you need to connect with God? He certainly isn't exclusive - the Holy Spirit will meet you anywhere.
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Monday, July 11, 2011
Day 6: My 21 Day Journal
Boy it's hard to blog every day. Some people do that but I seriously don't know how. So this will be a 21 Day Journal - but not over 21 consecutive days. :o) (I'm sure lots of campers are doing the same thing.)
So we had this incredible testimony service on Sunday morning. I have had multiple people comment to me about how powerful and moving it was. I seriously had the "camp intensity" as we shared what God had done at Kamp Kinship. Worship before that was so anointed...and every student really shared from their heart. Bre gave her 5 minute sermon and it was really a powerful time!! It was SO good for the adult congregation to see the passion that students can have. I was able to ask them to raise the bar for their own lives so that our students would always feel comfortable in our church - that they could freely express themselves in ministry and in worship - that they would know they're loved even when they fail. Most of the room was in tears for a good hour. Praise God...
Then our senior pastor got up to close (we WERE the message this week), and we cried again. He shared how he was transported back to age 16 while he listened to them. He shared stories from his own camp experiences - times that were so powerful. He shared how God called him to ministry at age 16. He loved on the students and told them how proud he was. It was just such an amazing time as a church family. I've asked the students to be BOLD in their Christian life - that they're safe in our church. I feel even better about that now. I pray that even in their failure, the body of Christ will make a point to love on them and encourage them. We are so blessed. I know there are others who don't have a supportive church, whose worship is full of life and exuberance, whose leaders don't make the effort to reach out to students. I know that happens. But for those who have more - BE THANKFUL!!!
So we had this incredible testimony service on Sunday morning. I have had multiple people comment to me about how powerful and moving it was. I seriously had the "camp intensity" as we shared what God had done at Kamp Kinship. Worship before that was so anointed...and every student really shared from their heart. Bre gave her 5 minute sermon and it was really a powerful time!! It was SO good for the adult congregation to see the passion that students can have. I was able to ask them to raise the bar for their own lives so that our students would always feel comfortable in our church - that they could freely express themselves in ministry and in worship - that they would know they're loved even when they fail. Most of the room was in tears for a good hour. Praise God...
Then our senior pastor got up to close (we WERE the message this week), and we cried again. He shared how he was transported back to age 16 while he listened to them. He shared stories from his own camp experiences - times that were so powerful. He shared how God called him to ministry at age 16. He loved on the students and told them how proud he was. It was just such an amazing time as a church family. I've asked the students to be BOLD in their Christian life - that they're safe in our church. I feel even better about that now. I pray that even in their failure, the body of Christ will make a point to love on them and encourage them. We are so blessed. I know there are others who don't have a supportive church, whose worship is full of life and exuberance, whose leaders don't make the effort to reach out to students. I know that happens. But for those who have more - BE THANKFUL!!!
Friday, July 8, 2011
Day 5: My 21 Day Journal
Well after today, I felt a little bruised up. It was a long day of difficult ministry. Not a single teenager involved. I know some people think that teens are difficult to deal with. But I just don't agree... I guess it's because I expect them to be inconsistent, immature and self-centered. But when adults (who are Christians) act that way, it's incredibly frustrating to me. People are going through some really difficult circumstances, and I truly have compassion for them. But I can't quite understand why people don't take advantage of every possible tool that is offered to help them get through crises. ???
It's kind of like the camp crash syndrome. You can just watch the experience fade away...or you can pursue the presence of God in every possible avenue to keep the fire stoked. You learn discipline in your devotional life, go to church, worship in your car, go to prayer meeting...CHASE HIM!!!!
It's kind of like the camp crash syndrome. You can just watch the experience fade away...or you can pursue the presence of God in every possible avenue to keep the fire stoked. You learn discipline in your devotional life, go to church, worship in your car, go to prayer meeting...CHASE HIM!!!!
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Day 4: My 21 Day Journal
Now we're getting to the point where people either slip back to the inconsistency of their pre-camp life OR they grab every opportunity they can to be in God's presence to keep the fire stoked. So where are you?
During preservice prayer today, I remembered the intensity of preservice prayer on Tuesday and Wednesday night at camp. With a little direction, students were crying out to God in fervent prayer. They were spread out all over the chapel, worshipping and interceding in their own way. I saw that again tonight from the students who were there. They were focused and some had intense moments where I could tell they were having a serious conversation with God. That is what it's going to take... A serious pursuit of His presence and His touch!
During preservice prayer today, I remembered the intensity of preservice prayer on Tuesday and Wednesday night at camp. With a little direction, students were crying out to God in fervent prayer. They were spread out all over the chapel, worshipping and interceding in their own way. I saw that again tonight from the students who were there. They were focused and some had intense moments where I could tell they were having a serious conversation with God. That is what it's going to take... A serious pursuit of His presence and His touch!
Day 3: My 21 Day Journal
One of the toughest things about a great week of camp is coming home. Going home doesn't have to mean automatic deflation of an incredible mountain-top experience...but, sadly, it usually does. Part of that is spiritual immaturity - which is totally understandable. Teenagers are still growing and developing physically and emotionally. Spiritually, they are often just coming in to their own faith. They're just realizing that they can't live off their parents' experience and advice. So immaturity (even though it's a word they don't care for) is a big factor in the "camp crash".
But another big one is the circumstantial stuff they come home to. The people who weren't there didn't share the same God-moments...life just went on as usual. The problems they left were waiting when they got home. The consequences of previous choices were still lingering, waiting to be paid. And then of course - the enemy of our souls knows just what buttons to push to bring us crashing down to reality. Just in our church, people experienced death of someone close, enormous relationship pressure, serious family conflict, and near depression. No one seems to have been spared. I warned them...when we experience something intense like that week of camp, Satan will not let that go quietly.
So now what?? What do we do with that?
But another big one is the circumstantial stuff they come home to. The people who weren't there didn't share the same God-moments...life just went on as usual. The problems they left were waiting when they got home. The consequences of previous choices were still lingering, waiting to be paid. And then of course - the enemy of our souls knows just what buttons to push to bring us crashing down to reality. Just in our church, people experienced death of someone close, enormous relationship pressure, serious family conflict, and near depression. No one seems to have been spared. I warned them...when we experience something intense like that week of camp, Satan will not let that go quietly.
So now what?? What do we do with that?
Sunday, July 3, 2011
Day 2: My 21 Day Journal
One of my favorite things about being at camp is that the students get really close. It makes sense. They're experiencing a powerful time together. People let their guard down at the altar. They encourage each other to worship, pray, and be vulnerable. I saw tough guys crying out to God. I saw popular kids with tears streaming down their faces. I saw outcasts being accepted and embraced during prayer. I saw quiet, awkward kids stepping up to take responsibility for what God was saying to them. The presence of God is a place of transformation. True repentance goes from a change in thinking to a change in behavior. The environment at camp makes it easy to have a change in thinking. But the change in behavior can't be tested until you go home. As I watched the change in thinking take place - in even the toughest cases - I couldn't help but have some fear about whether they are strong enough for the change in behavior that needs to follow.
Immediately on Monday night, there was an electricity at the altar. People went up even if the altar call didn't apply to them. They were just so hungry for God's touch, it didn't seem to matter what it was about. Sometimes Monday services are the "warm up" time and we don't expect much. But this time the standard was set high right from the start! I went to sleep that night SO excited to see what was coming next.
Immediately on Monday night, there was an electricity at the altar. People went up even if the altar call didn't apply to them. They were just so hungry for God's touch, it didn't seem to matter what it was about. Sometimes Monday services are the "warm up" time and we don't expect much. But this time the standard was set high right from the start! I went to sleep that night SO excited to see what was coming next.
Day 1: My camp 21 day journal
I am going to attempt to record some thoughts about summer camp this year. I am doubtful that I can find adequate words to describe it, but here goes... I knew as we packed up the van that the students were expecting - even needing - a special week in God's presence. There were some who have had a difficult time the last few months, so I understood what they were looking for. But there others that didn't have any specific struggle going on, other than just feeling "dry" in their spiritual life. Students always look forward to camp. But there was something different this year.
I think it's related to the same hunger that's been rising in our church. We've been at a "stuck" place and are feeling this sense of frustration about how to move on from this place. We know that God wants us to seek a deeper connection with Him. So there we were...packing up to leave. There were students who were hoping to have fun and meet new people. There were some who were excited to hang out with old friends. Some were truly hoping for a miracle - a magic moment where God took all their sinful desires away and made them a better Christian. Some just wanted the intensity of worship and altar services, but didn't really want God to change them too much. Others were desperately hoping that God would answer their questions about where to go from here. The adults were just holding their breath and praying that something meaningful would happen. I think what God ultimately decided to do was beyond any of those expectations.
I think it's related to the same hunger that's been rising in our church. We've been at a "stuck" place and are feeling this sense of frustration about how to move on from this place. We know that God wants us to seek a deeper connection with Him. So there we were...packing up to leave. There were students who were hoping to have fun and meet new people. There were some who were excited to hang out with old friends. Some were truly hoping for a miracle - a magic moment where God took all their sinful desires away and made them a better Christian. Some just wanted the intensity of worship and altar services, but didn't really want God to change them too much. Others were desperately hoping that God would answer their questions about where to go from here. The adults were just holding their breath and praying that something meaningful would happen. I think what God ultimately decided to do was beyond any of those expectations.
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