Spyro, a camper from years ago, was our speaker for Jr. B Camp! She focused on themes of trust and where our source of worthiness comes from.

On Monday, Spyro shared her testimony with the campers.

When Spyro was thirteen years old, she faced some incredibly difficult things at home. She had decided to take her own life. She had everything planned out, including the day, but a neighbor she didn’t really know paid for her to go to camp. Spyro decided that she could postpone her plan until after camp.

And so Spyro came to Camas Meadows Bible Camp. She bunked in Owl’s Perch with Rhyme as her counselor and Bald Eagle as the speaker the week.

Spyro went to camp without friends or any sense that she was accepted by others. But Rhyme welcomed her in such a way that she felt immediately at home. Bald Eagle was speaking about Joshua, but on Tuesday night he felt the Spirit urging him to change his session. So he told the story of how Rahab, a Canaanite prostitute, was accepted into the family of God because she chose to trust him.

And so, instead of taking her own life, Spyro gave her life to Jesus that day.

She eventually became a camp counselor, then grew up and married and became a mom. Then the Lord called her back to Camas as a speaker so that she could share her story with kids just like Bald Eagle and Rhyme shared parts of themselves with her.

After sharing her testimony, Spyro told the campers that sometimes people can think they must be worthy in order to be loved. But that’s not what the Bible says. In the Bible we read that God first loved us.

So, what does it mean to follow God?

A lot of people think following God means going to church, reading the Bible, and praying. However, someone can be doing all of those things and still not be following God. The first step to following God is believing that you are loved.

On Tuesday, Spyro felt led to change her topic. Instead of what she had planned, she walked the campers through Psalm 23. She talked about how God’s heart is good for us, how he calls himself the good shepherd. She explained that God loves us like a good shepherd loves and cares for his sheep. Then Spyro urged campers to trust God with their cares and burdens.

When Spyro gave the campers the chance to talk to Jesus during chapel, one of our staff saw her young cousin mouthing words as she spoke to God. This girl was from a home that didn’t know about God, but this week, she was given the chance to talk with him for herself. During that same chapel, Scruff saw one of our young C.I.T.’s crying in the back of the room as chapel time came to a close. What is it about Jesus as the Good Shepherd that speaks so powerfully to our hearts? I would suggest that it is the love, care, and sacrifice that the shepherd expends on behalf of his wayward sheep. Jesus himself gives us this example, in his own words from the gospels. Dare we believe he feels something different for us, when he has been so careful to explain his love? Clearly, the Lord had important things he wanted Spyro to share about his role as the good shepherd who loves his sheep.

On Wednesday, Spyro read through the story of the woman who poured perfume on Jesus’ feet and dried them with her hair. Spyro asked the campers to consider those who looked down on this woman and what it means when the Bible says that everyone sins.

“Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.” Luke 7:47

Spyro wanted the campers to know that sin comes in many different forms. Like the woman whose sin was so public that everyone knew about it or the man in the story who observed her with unkindness in his heart, not considering her worthy of Jesus love and forgiveness. Spyro emphasized that before we can trust in God’s love, we must become like this woman and realize that we have a lot to be forgiven for. Then we can bring all those things to God!

On Thursday, Spyro shared the Gospel with the campers. She shared that trusting in God’s love begins by trusting in Jesus and what he did.

“This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.” I John 4:10

On Friday, Spyro talked about trusting in God when we go home. As someone who had incredibly hard things to face when she left camp for the first time, Spyro has such a heart for the hard journey that children face.

What does trusting God look like at home? She gave the campers some ideas, reading your Bible, being a good friend, being careful about who you let influence you, taking your concerns to the Lord in prayer.

But these simple suggestions fall on campers’ ears differently when they know that Spyro herself faced such a hard time going home and the Lord walked with her, even through some very dark times.

After each chapel session, the campers meet with their cabin for a discussion time with their camp counselors. One first-year counselor told us during staff meeting that her campers went above and beyond answering questions about the chapel session. They had their own discussion question, “What was a time when God impacted your life?” They asked each counselor and then every camper shared their answers too!

On Friday night, we had our campfire.

(This is with a Fire Marshal approved Solo Stove, for those of you envisioning a wall of flames sweeping across the land!)

This is the chance for campers to pick up a stick, share how camp has impacted them, and then throw this stick into the fire. As each one shares, the fire brightens, giving more and more light as more people are willing to share their stories with each other. Here are a few of the things that were shared.

“I’ve always tried to fit in and here, I feel like I can actually be myself”

“I have had a lot of loss in my life and getting to see Spyros message apply in my life was really cool”

“I like camp because I don’t often get outside.”

“A lot of my family has died in the last years, and every time I come here it takes my eyes off the chaos in my life”

“My sister has a medical condition and for me, being here helps me remember Gods plan.”

Camp is composed of many individuals training together for a summer of Kingdom Work! That work involves sweating in the dish pit and hiking through scratchy bushes carrying a camper on your back just as surely as it includes sharing from God’s word and listening to the Holy Spirit’s prompting about what to say.

As Spyro’s story attests, God used both Bald Eagle’s faithful teaching and Rhyme’s welcoming smile and willingness to truly see a girl who had felt alone for a very long time. For our gracious God can and will use each and every sacrifice for his mighty work of love in our lives!

It was a true delight to see the simple gifts of service given so many summers ago come back full circle as Spyro gave of herself to this next generation of campers. I am so excited to see what the Lord will do with these new precious souls, who are eager to serve in his name. Only time will reveal all that God is doing, but we know that it will be good. He is the Good Shepherd, after all.

And who knows, maybe in fifteen years it will be one of your children standing at the wooden podium that says “Camas Meadows Bible Camp” in rough pine letters, sharing Scripture with another group of wiggly kiddos trying to sit still on the patched lodge carpet while squirrels skitter past the windows outside?

John 15:12 “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.”

Boo Boo

And, “I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.” 2 Corinthians 6:18

Pyro was our speaker for Middle School Camp 1 and on Monday night he spoke about something that is worth pricking your ears up to hear. See, Nessie Karu’s example above. Those who trust Christ were adopted into the family of God. Not grudgingly allowed into Heaven. Not put up with for a time. Not given a distant seat at the table and basically ignored. Adopted as beloved children of our Creator God!

“A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling. God sets the lonely in families, he leads out the prisoners with singing; but the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land.” Psalm 68:5-6

Sometimes it feels like God only wants the most distant of relationships with his followers. However, if you read the Bible, it becomes strikingly clear that God has always pursued the closest relationship with his people that they will allow.

During Tuesday’s chapel, Pyro spoke on how God’s love changes the world!

“I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”

“You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.”

“You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. This is my command: Love each other.” John 15:11-17

In this passage, Jesus himself describes what he is seeking with his people using another close relationship, friendship. Shocking, yes. Mindboggling, absolutely. True, well do you believe the words of God himself?

On Wednesday, Pyro spoke about how different people connect with God differently.

Praise  – Psalms 42 : 8

Nature – Psalms 19 : 1 – 2

Friendship – Psalms 133 : 1 – 2a

Bible Study – Psalms 1 : 2 – 3

Prayer – Philippians 4 : 6

Service – Matthew 20 : 25 – 26

And while there is most likely a way of connecting with God that feels most natural to each of us, all of these connection points are available to each of his children!

On Thursday, Pyro spoke about the story of the good Samaritan and what it means to love our neighbor.

“Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”

The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”

Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.” Luke 10:36-37

On Friday, Pyro spoke about the Holy Spirit.

“Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.” Genesis 1:2

Amidst all the great teaching, counselors and campers were building community through all the crazy and fun activities that make up the summer camp program.

The beautiful thing about summer camp is that absolutely nothing is wasted. Each time a counselor calmly shows a child how to do an activity, facilitates a restoration among friends, helps a nervous camper fall asleep, or walks across a tarp full of canned pears blindfolded, they are proving their trustworthiness.

Children who trust their counselor to get them to horse rides on time and to drink the Camas Smoothie for the team, find that they are able to trust their counselors when they say that God loves them.

This week, we saw that ministry extend beyond the boundaries of camp to those who write letters to campers as well. Our nurse Mothra was sitting beside a camper at the pond.

“I’m having the best time!” he said.

“Oh, really? I’m having a good time, too.”

“Did you know I actually got a letter? This is my first time here and I’m on scholarship so my mom didn’t know you could send mail. It was my teacher, she sent me a letter!”

This teacher goes to our church and asks for prayer for her students. Over the years, she has arranged for many of them to go to camp and made sure that they got a scholarship if they needed one and also a letter. That letter made this camper glow. He knew that someone had remembered him, that he was loved and that he was seen.

We ended the week with cabin skits and a baptism in the meadow.

The camper who wanted to be baptized wanted just her cabin to be there and she wanted Scruffy and her cousin to baptize her in the giant horse trough that is older than the camp itself.

One of the special things about this girl’s decision is the string of connections that brought her to camp and this moment in the meadow with her friends and family.

You see, about eighteen years ago Scruffy started a Camas ministry that had people shaking their heads in confusion. CamasCon, a Christian Boardgame Retreat. He got pushback about his idea, some of it quite disheartening, but he felt that this camp aligned with the Lord’s calling and so Scruff hosted that first CamasCon anyway.

Eventually, Camas Meadows started hosting three to four CamasCon camps a year where those who love tabletop games can come and followship, go to chapel together, and play games all weekend long.

A fun couple who have become good friends began attending. Then they sent their children to camp. Their son invited his friends. His friends invited others as well until the young man in this photo invited his cousin.

Then on Saturday of Middle School Camp 1, this young lady asked to be baptized in the meadow.

Baptized by her cousin who had invited her to camp and who took the time to pause and pray with her.

Baptized by Scruffy who had taken a risk to start a camp ministry that nurtured the faith of a long string of Christians until she found herself on a mountain meadow ready to make a public proclamation of her faith in Jesus Christ.

Yet, this is not only her story. The beauty of the close family relationship that led this girl to camp can be all of ours.

The camp counselor who walked to the meadow to support this camper isn’t family . . . and yet, she is. Because not only did God die our death to rescue our souls, give us strength for this life, and hope for the future, but God has invited us to be part of the family of God, heirs with Christ, friends of God. Shocking and lovely and absolutely true. God wants you in his family, my friend. His love for you is that vast, powerful, and personal. So, what will you tell him?

Boo Boo

“Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” John 15:4

Our speaker for Junior A Camp was Faramir!

Faramir spoke on the power of connection.

During the first chapel on Monday, he talked about what connection is and why branches need to be connected to the vine.

To illustrate our need for connection, Faramir told the story about his debilitating fear of heights . . . and the rollercoaster!

He was a youth pastor taking the brand-new high schoolers in his first youth group to a theme park. Faramir carefully chose the most mild coaster in the park, the one that had bored an eleven-year-old child ahead of them in line. As Faramir and his student (Justin) chugged up to the top, Faramir was overcome with terror. In a desperate bid for sanity he shouted out, “I am going to hold your hand!!!!” He then proceeded to clutch that youth group kid’s hand for the entire roller coaster ride.

It is true, folks. Connection is key!

Camas Meadows is on the sunny side of Washington State, the dry side. We see firsthand how quickly the wildflowers and grasses fade from lush and green to a crunchy, brown fire hazard. However, the trees remain green all summer long. Each branch is nourished by the trunk and because of the deep roots the trunk connects them to, their leaves stay bright and green until the frost comes in the fall.

On Tuesday night, Faramir talked about how we need connection with God often, not just occasionally.

The campers looked at the story of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. How these three captives had such a deep and regular connection with God that they trusted him with their lives when facing a raging king.

“Then Nebuchadnezzar said, ‘Praise be to the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who has sent his angel and rescued his servants! They trusted in him and defied the king’s command and were willing to give up their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God.'” Daniel 3:28

On Wednesday night, Faramir talked about suffering.

Were Job, Joseph, Paul, and Faramir himself crazy for connecting with God during times of extreme pain and heartbreak?

“You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.” Genesis 50:20

Although Faramir is one of the funniest, most cheerful guys you will ever meet, he has weathered an incredible amount of pain. He shared parts of his story with the campers this week and while they love to laugh with him, these children are not afraid to cry as well.

In fact, the campers of Sasquatch Den made Doc Hudson cry when they sent him a card with incredibly sweet words of encouragement tucked inside. These kiddos know how to use their power to connect with others to build God’s kingdom!

On Thursday, Faramir talked about how Jesus calls us to a lifetime of connection with him!

“As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. ‘Come, follow me,’ Jesus said, ‘and I will send you out to fish for people.’ At once they left their nets and followed him.” Matthew 4:18-20

On Friday, Faramir talked about living a connected life. Being ready to be changed, to grow, to become more than you were all alone. To follow a Savior who seeks, finds, and heals. Then to seek to bring that power of hope to others and to live stronger ourselves because we don’t face the world alone. To gather together around our Lord as the sheep of his pasture and the delight of his eye. To find common ground and community in Jesus.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.” Galatians 5:22-26

During the campfire on Friday night, the staff were pretty sure that every camper stood up to share. There were certainly some silly moments, like when a deer walked through the meadow and five campers bolted for the stick bucket so they could toss a stick into the fire, “For the deer!” One camper even put two sticks in for the deer! But there were also moments of true thankfulness and praise. Children made new friends, admired the stars, listened to teaching about God’s word from someone who has weathered incredible pain on his walk with the Lord and survived, faced homesickness head on and won the battle, and learned how to grow their connection with God and share the strength they gain in ways that bless others. Something to celebrate with a stick in the fire, for sure!

On Saturday morning, Faramir talked about staying connected with each other and with God.

This was our smallest camp of the summer, but oh my, these kids could sing! As Kindred and Legolas, a brother and sister team, led them in worship they just sang their hearts out.

They sang like children who had deeply taken to heart that they do not face this world alone.

Children who knew that the one who made the universe loved them, sought them, paid their ransom, and longed for them to be with him for eternity.

What about you, my friend? Do you believe in his great love for you?

“May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it.” I Thessalonians 5:23-24

“Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.” Ecclesiastes 4:12

Boo Boo