Camp on the Brain

I remember in 2004 when we broke the 100 barrier for our Senior High Camp.  124 students and staff was the number, to be exact.  We were freaking out.

Well, to back up, Terry Bley came up with an idea to do our own NMC Camp, but we would need to take some time to build the momentum, traditions and heart to what we wanted to accomplish.  In 1999, I think we took about 35-40 students and leaders to a 2-night Cedar Point Getaway at this place called Beulah Beach Camp.  We loaded up the vans, got there on Sunday Night.  We puled together for a time of sharing, woke up the next morning, did TAWG, spent the whole day at Cedar Point (did our first all group ride on the Gemini that year), spent another night, TAWG and sharing, then headed home.

2000-2002 we built up to a 3 night "Summer Getaway" that included Cedar Point and Soak City or Go Karts/Mini Golf (depending on the year) experience with a little more focus on sessions and bringing in a worship band.

In 2003, we made the full out move to a 5 day, 4 Night "Summer Camp."  It also marked the year we saw a significant move of the Spirit in our Camp the bled into the school year.

Then 2004, 124 campers and staff and still maybe the most memorable and moving Camp I ever was a part of (but not necesarrily favorite, picking a favorite Camp is like picking a favorite kid... you're best just not doing it).

So, why the walk down memory lane?

Several reasons...

• 10 years after we broke the 100 barrier for the first time, we are taking 101 High School girls alone!  211 Campers and staff total!
• God has been so faithful in his move over the 14 years we have been traveling to Beulah Beach Camp.  We have seen lives change and movements that have brought revivals to teams, schools, and global ministries birth out of Camp.
• All this week I have been up to my neck in session and devotional construction, free time activities, last minute leader recruiting, vehicle confirmations, housing lists, set up teams, tech requests, and a little sleep in the middle.  As I think through how we got to this point of what is almost feeling more like a conference than a camp (I'll never call it a conference though), I'm reminded that it started with a vision to build a camp that could be a spiritual marker for students through the years.  

As we take the theme of FOLLOW this year, I'm reminded that I'm grateful we followed the whisper of God to start this thing and it has been well worth the blood, sweat and tears to make it happen yearly!