Summa Camp

I went to camp for the first time at 2 years old. We were at Family Camp. I went every single summer (except one) until I was 19. Later I started going to sleep away camp alone when I was 8. I went every single summer up to, and including, the summer I was 13. The summer I was 14 we drove across Canada - no camp for us but plenty of adventures regardless.

At 15 I started volunteering at day camp programs in the area and at 16 I went away to be a counsellor then work crew for the first time. Starting the summer I was 17 I went away to work at camp for two summer and loved it. The summers I was 19 and 20 I volunteered for a week or two. Finally when I was 23 and newly a christian, I went back to camp. I loved it but wasn't able to make it back until 3 years later at 26 where Paul and I got engaged during camp. Last summer I finally made it back to camp again (at 30) and this year I continued that streak again (31). Thus continues a lifelong love affair with camp.  

This summers week at camp was no different than the others in many ways as it was awesome! It had all the best parts of camp; sunshiney outdoors, great people, super fun ridiculous activities, great speakers, awesome worship, etc. Exhausting as per usual but so so awesome. God is always at Anvil (because He is where His people are - so He's here too!) and this week He moved in people's lives in big ways! It was so encouraging to hear stories from around the camp - from the campers, to the staff, to the kitchen ladies, etc...God moved! 

While it was AMAZING to be surrounded by a ton of church folk at Anvil (oh I love my church) it was also really great to work with a program team full of people from all sort of churches and life places. The team is amazing and I loved being a part of them. This year I got to learn where I fit in a bit better there and just had a blast! I even got to create and then run Music Bingo, which was a hoot!

There were two other big highlights: one of which was sharing my testimony on the Sunday night - I spoke for 20 minutes and it was so powerful for me to get to examine where God has been in my life, and to get to share that. And we spent a day going around in a circle in our program team saying wonderful and kind things about each other - the encouragement was so great to hear - I felt loved and valued. 

It was the best week - I am so thankful for this camp, these people, and that we have one God that brings us all together.