Camp has always been a very special place for me. For almost every summer since I was 9 years old I have been able to grow and learn new things at Ligonier. I just graduated from college in May, and I felt lead to come back to camp this summer for so many reasons.
After graduation the constant question of “what’s next?” continued to burden me. God was calling me back to this place to give me a safe haven to help me discern for my future.
Being the program director requires me to do a lot of talking at meals, planning camp activities, and explaining camp wide games. I also make sure that the program is moving along smoothly. I get to facilitate the campers in playing, have fun, and in being silly. It doesn’t get much better than that!
The Lord has really been reminding me of how we need to have a childlike faith. Matthew 18: 3 says, "And he said: 'Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of Heaven.'”
The time I spend the most with the campers is during the camp wide games that we play after dinner. At the beginning of a wide game, all of the campers sit down in their tribes and wait until everyone is there. When they all walk down the hill some kids are excited and instantly want to start playing, however, they need to wait till everyone is accounted for and I explain the game. The one thing I always find myself saying before I start my directions is “Alright everyone, turn and face me.” Once I see everyone’s face and everyone is quiet I can start my directions. The directions are there to provide kids with the guidelines of the game, so in return they can have the most fun possible and get the most out of the game.
I think so many times we are just like the campers at the beginning of wide games. We are excited for what is up ahead that sometimes, we aren’t facing the person who is giving directions and we aren’t quiet ready to listen. I see myself so much in these campers. Especially right now, as I am waiting and discerning my next move after the summer is over.
It is easy for me to want to talk amongst my friends, instead of turning to the Lord first or being still and quiet. But what we need to do is TURN AND FACE HIM. We need to turn towards the light. The Lord will guide us in the direction we need to go, but the only way to do that is by following him. No matter how big of a decision we need to make or even if it just throughout our daily life, we need to be studying God’s Word and being prayerful. Whether we are waiting for directions for Gold Rush or Ninja Warfare, we always need to turn and face the Creator of the Universe!
This weeks devotional was written by our Program Director, Jordan Skowron.