I See God in You

We are just about halfway through our summer here at Victory and it has been so much different than any other summer here. God is at work in the lives of the counselors and the campers that come through, and while I don’t get to be as involved as I have been other years, I still get to hear the stories and see some of the struggles.

As I sat here writing an update, a counselor just walked in to tell about a camper who wanted to know about Jesus and how to follow God before chapel started last night. Stories like these are exciting and encouraging. Camp is so often a reminder to me that I need Jesus. Talking to others and sharing what we know always ends up encouraging me and reminding me all the more of God’s grace in my own life! When was the last time you shared with someone how you see God in your life?

How have you seen God at work in the last 24 hours?

The first question that we ask each morning when we get together with the group is “How have you seen God at work in the last 24 hours?” It has been a good reminder to me to always be looking for what God is doing in our lives. When we take time to acknowledge the things that God has done for us, large and small, we start to recognize how much we truly have to be thankful for each and every day. This week we saw God at work in the way***************

The group that just left on Saturday was such a blessing to work with! We had a few warm days which were melting the campers, but this team from Indiana had no problem keeping up with roofing, clearing trees, and baking cookies in the heat (~85º). Each day of this session, I was reminded in the best way of the impact that our attitude has on those around us. A cheerful attitude and a willingness to learn is a blessing to those leading. As we continue to talk about servant leadership with each group, I am more amazed at who Jesus was and how he led. Despite the number of times that Jesus was confronted or questioned, he was patient and used the opportunities to teach.

Benjamin spent most of the clearing trees for what will someday hopefully be a new maintenance facility, while I spent hours in the kitchen baking cookies, cakes and mixing dough. Other projects this week included cleaning a few buildings to prepare them for guests, and replacing the roof on one of the staff homes.

I once was told that one of the best ways to get to know a person is to serve alongside them. I have found this to be so true this summer. When you have a common goal and want to serve freely, it is a joy to get to know the people around you. With this group, we were able to spend some down time with them in the evenings and the weekend. I was so thankful for the laughter and cheer they brought each time I saw them. This group undertook the (impossible?) task of teaching me Pennsylvania Dutch (German) and I will have so much fun continuing to learn it. Just don’t as me how to say anything…it’s still a work in progress.

If you ever happen to run into this youth group from Indiana, just give them plenty of snacks and let them throw rocks and they will be happy :) Anyone who knows me, knows that I love the water, and this group (at least some of them) shared my enthusiasm and requested to return to the lake multiple times. It made my day to share Victory Waterfront with people who appreciate it. I promise you, it’s not THAT cold! I also got to put my new found love of boat driving to the test as I pulled a water skier for the first time.

Always find time to laugh and enjoy the little moments, because that is what life is made of. It’s the glacier hikes and the mountain climbs you think you can’t make, it’s the late nights and the new languages, it’s the rock throwing and the copious amounts of snacks that make for the best memories. These are the things you won’t forget. These things and baking roughly 2,000 cookies in two days, getting fingers pinned in a log, and being so tired you don’t remember the whole trip back home. Oh, and you’ll never forget the cute little kids who randomly decide to become best friends with you.

I saw God in these people and I will miss them.

So what now? This is about our halfway point and we have a whole week before the next group comes. After each group leaves our down time looks different. Sunday, we spent time at the river with friends and took time to catch up with people outside of camp. This week my whole family is here at camp and it has been so nice! Just knowing that they are getting to experience a tiny bit of what we have lived the past few summers is so much fun. They are helping in the kitchen and with various projects around camp, so I am sure we will be jumping in with them at different points this week. We also hope to spend some time at Hatcher’s Pass and showing them many of the places we love.

Hopefully I’ll be able to bring you a quick update before the next group comes in, but for now, I am back to the bustle of camp. I’d love to hear from you and keep in touch while we are up here! If you don’t know how to start a conversation, just let me know how you have seen God at work in the past day!

(July 5, 2021)