This week of Chapter Camp was my favorite next to Mark 1 in Glorieta. It was a beautiful way to end my time with this family I’ve become a part of. There's a little more time, because graduation is 40 days away (very biblical). Still, the next generation of students are starting to step up to take the place of those who are graduating.
My Mark 1 group was told that half of us would not return to camp the next year. There were 18 of us, and 14 returned for Mark 2. Then 12 came back for prayer seminar. For Origins, 10 people from our original Mark 1 group were able to study the Old Testament and be together for camp one last time. One of the best gifts God has given me in Utah was that group of people to experience camp with, but also that we were able to journey through life during the 51 other weeks of the year.
I encourage and challenge all of you who just went to camp to work at keeping your friendships with one another strong. You have experienced powerful things together and if you work hard and stay committed to helping each other follow Jesus, your friendships will last beyond your time in college. Do not forget how you felt at catalina or how you feel right now. Don’t forget the friendships that you made or how you saw and experienced love in tangible ways this past week. Do not let your brothers and sisters fall away from this fellowship. Following Jesus is difficult, so help each other. Follow the Lord with your whole heart, soul, and strength, and don’t forget the secret to the Kingdom.
Remember the impact this week has had on you and use that to motivate you to invite others into IV and to camp. Tell them your story and how Jesus has changed you. Your personal story has more influence than you realize. I hope and pray that next year there will be even more people at camp.
Your time in college and your opportunities to experience life with this incredible group of people will go by faster than you think. Right now may be wishing you could be done with school so you can start “real life,” but your life could not be any more real than it is now. One day you will be wishing you had more time to spend with the people you have come to know and love. Chose joy and be present.
Take care, brothers and sisters, that none of you may have an evil and unfaithful heart, so as to forsake the living God.
Encourage yourselves daily while it is still “today,” so that none of you may grow hardened by the deceit of sin.
For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end.
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