The Greatest Week of Your Life

That cheesy line is a "famous" one in my world. Most people my age, and youth today who have been around our church world, know exactly what we're talking about when they hear this.

C A M P

I am the goob in the Mighty Ducks hat on the right

As a student I lived for camp in the summer and youth convention in the fall. Those were the key components of my year as a teenager. I was filled with the Holy Spirit in a CRAZY way and interesting turn of events at camp. My heart became tender to the idea of serving in ministry while at camp and I could take you to the spot on the auditorium floor at the convention center in Springfield, IL where I know God called me into ministry.

Right now, as I type, our district's first week of teen camp is happening an hour north of where I sit in my office and I am enjoying watching the daily recap videos posted, the Instagram stories of the students and leaders who are there and I am looking forward to serving at next week's camp where my own kids will engage with other students from all over the state and encounter in a fresh way the presence of God and we are expecting amazing things from this season. Duh...the greatest week of their lives!

I am also sitting here currently working on my sermon for next week because I doubt I'll have time to do really do it while at camp and I felt the need to pause for a moment. You see, the series we are in at our church is going through letters Paul wrote to leaders and as I am combing through the passages of scripture, studying and researching God's view and expectation of a leader, I am overwhelmed with gratitude for the amazing leaders we have in the Illinois District of the Assemblies of God from our district executive leadership all the way through to our pastors and volunteers in all of our churches who sacrificially serve one another, specifically, those that give up a week of their summer to serve our young people.

I learned yesterday who I will be serving alongside of next week and I am just so excited! The opportunity to be around strong and compassionate men and women, to encourage one another, to listen to God's heart for their ministries and to be a team to rally around a bunch of crazy teenagers is a privilege of high honor and one that I am not taking lightly.

As you go about the next week, pause and pray for the students who will be away at camp. Pray they have a safe and fun week, but more importantly that they experience and encounter the Living God who loves them and that they hear His voice whisper words of revelation to their hearts.

Check out the updates and amazing daily videos that my good friend Zach is creating over at the Illinois Student Ministries Facebook page.

Oh...

LET'S GO PURPLE TEAM!