God Must Crack Himself Up

For those of you who don't know, I am a pastor's daughter. My father has been on staff at three different churches in my lifetime and it has been quite an experience. I love being a PK (Pastor's Kid). I have learned so much about  the body of Christ and I have grown in so many areas through different experiences in the church. I have been granted a unique perspective of the church and I thank God everyday for that.

One thing that comes along with being a PK is being apart of different church activities. One of the most influential of these activities for me has been church camp. From the time I was three I have been apart of a church camp that my dad helps lead worship at. For the past 7 years it has been at a camp called Camp Revolution, but growing up, he helped at a camp called THEE Camp. 

THEE Camp (The Heaven and Earth Experience) is attached to so many of my childhood summer memories. It started out being held at John Brown University in Siloam Springs, but eventually they moved it to...wait for it...SOUTHWEST BAPTIST UNIVERSITY. Yep. Little did I know that I would one day be doing much more than spending a week every summer helping out in the Snack Shack and riding around in a golf cart. My Seminar class is held in the same room that I remember sitting in with Jo Burden and playing with her new dachshund puppy. The cafeteria food that I suffered through years ago, is the same that I suffer through now. 

I never, ever, not once, ever, at all, EVER expected to be attending SBU. 12 short months ago when I heard those letters come out of my father's mouth followed by "we should check it out", I dramatically shouted "over my dead body." And yet, here I am.

It's funny how God isn't on our agenda, isn't it? How we can be DEAD SET against something, and that is the very thing we end up doing. I never in a million years would have dreamed a year ago that I would be living in, and more-so, enjoying SBU. It makes me reconsider everything that I say I will "never ever ever ever ever never ever ever do." 

But God knew what He was doing in sending me here. If I had stayed dead-set in my ways and not filled out that application last September, and refused to go on a campus tour, who knows where I would be right now! I feel complete certainty in being here, and I am happy. I am happy that God doesn't take into consideration what WE want unless it is directly aligned with what HE wants. Because-hold your socks on-WE DON'T MATTER. We are put on this earth for HIS purpose, and what we want is not always what He has put in plan for our lives. But trust me, His plan is 1093858% better.

Now, this is kind of a double topic blog. I have wanted to talk about SBU being apart of my childhood and present, but I have also wanted to talk (more) about camp.

Camp has shaped my life in huge ways; From the age where I was far off from being allowed to attend, to my last year being an actual camper. Camp has opened up doors to friendship,joy, memories, strengthening, and healing. 

Camp is where I met my family. Yes, they are my family. Maybe not by actual blood, but by camp blood. People who have walked beside my family and I, loved us like no other, related to my parents on amazing levels, and just plain shared life with us. It may be one week of camp, but it has created a lifelong bond between us all. 

These are the Richardsons. I have known them for what feels like forever, and I have loved them just as long. Brian is the camp director of Camp Revolution and Sharla helps lead worship. Their boys are some of my favorite boys EVER. The twins Jarrett and Jordan have grown up before my eyes and I am in awe as to how great they have turned out to be. 

These are the Burdens. Ted and Jo are PHENOMENAL people and they raised some PHENOMENAL kids and have PHENOMENAL grandkids! Ted had his last year as a part of the camp team in 2012, but he will ALWAYS be a part of the camp family.

This is Mike, Amy, and Lyla Duvall. THEY ARE WONDERFUL. Easily some of the greatest people I know. Mike plays on the worship team and Amy keeps my mama company and helps in the Oasis. Lyla was born at camp in 2012 and so she will forever be Camp Princess, deservingly so.

I could write novels about this last family. "Aunt" Casey and "Uncle Lee"...some of my absolute favorite people in the world. I will never be able to express enough how much they mean to me and how much I appreciate and love these two. Lee leads worship at camp and Casey sits around all week...JUST KIDDING. Casey is a powerhouse and makes sure everything is in order at camp. She is a beast. They have easily taken on the role of my aunt and uncle and I could tell story upon story of all the times we have had together.

I could go on about each person who is in my life because of camp, but I don't think I would ever be able to put every single one on here. I have been blessed by a one week experience each year that continues to bless my life throughout the entire year. And for that, I say thank You.