For our senior high teen camp, we had the joy of listening to The Thing speak about how God is our guide. He even had a handy acronym.
On Monday, the chapel session was about the G from G.U.I.D.E.. G=God’s . . . with an apostrophe. Our life belongs to God and therefore we need to start our journey from surviving to thriving with God as the foundation.
“In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” Luke 15:10
On Tuesday, The Thing spoke about how U=Unique.
Every person has a unique journey. Unique struggles and triumphs, unique paths away from simple survival and toward thriving the way God intended. Don’t plan your journey based on someone else’s. God knows and loves you deeply, he understands the best path for you through the hard things and toward growth and victory as you become more like him.
“When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death!” Luke 15:17
On Wednesday The Thing spoke on how I=Inevitable.
Every living thing needs food, water, and shelter to survive.
We have similar needs for our spiritual journey with Christ.
Say we have two out of the three. In fact, if we have tons of these two items and yet lack the third, our spiritual journey will still be a struggle. What are the three things a believer needs to be healthy?
The three inevitable things we need to see real spiritual growth in our lives, God’s presence and protection (shelter), Jesus in our lives as the living water (water), and God’s word (food).
Without just one of these, a follower of Christ will become spiritually dehydrated, starved, or alone.
How are you feeding and watering yourself on your journey with Christ?
Are you seeking the shelter of your Heavenly Father’s presence or looking for safety from this broken and hurting world? Do you remember where your strength and hope come from?
“‘I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’” Luke 15: 18-19
On Thursday, The Thing talked about how D=Deliverance
What was the first thing that happened when the prodigal son came stumbling home to his father in Luke 15? What was the very first thing he received?
Not a lecture, lesson, or any words at all. It wasn’t even forgiveness. The very first thing that he received . . . a hug.
So he got up and went to his father.“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. Luke 15:20
We need community for growth and healing.
If we choose to isolate ourselves from God and others, we are so much more vulnerable.
Shame grows in dark lonely places and being alone leaves us open to both Satan’s attacks and our own self-destructive tendencies. God did not design us to follow him as a lone wolf. Remember, we are the sheep of his pasture.
As The Thing said, “The prodigal son’s healing started not in the pig pen, but in his father’s arms. Who is in your life that is uplifting and pushing you to Christ? Are you an uplifting friend?”
On Friday, Thing spoke about how E=Eradication.
We must fight the correct enemy to thrive. What has been keeping you in survival mode, keeping you from thriving in the Lord? Who is your actual enemy?
“The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him.” Luke 15: 28
So many times we find ourselves fighting a false enemy. Friends, teachers, parents. They are simply people who are either walking toward God or away from him. The real enemy is whatever pulls you into deep dark places and away from God. Identify the issue and the enemy, fight the right thing, and begin to heal as you trust Jesus’ truth about you and those around you.
On Friday night, the campers had a chance to share around the campfire in the meadow. Here are a few of the things they shared. Please remember that the photos are random and not associated with any particular testimony.
“Thank you for listening to me. I didn’t think someone listening would mean so much or do so much for me.”
“I am astounded by the atmosphere of camp. Every staff pours into the campers with a strong faith.”
“I felt like I am able to be myself here and not get made fun of.”
“I tried to take my life last year, and if I had never let God into my heart, I would not be here. It is the grace of God that I feel like I belong here.”
“I have felt a unique sense of community every year I have been here. Something about this place feels different.”
“I came into camp with the motive to be a tyrant and get kicked out of camp. Tuesday night I woke up for a few hours and had the realization that that might not be what I should do. I felt like I should cherish this week and this time. I spent this week working on myself. I’m working on not doing crazy stuff for attention. I wanna thank everyone here for calling me on my bull-crap and helping me do better.”
“As someone who has suffered severe religious trauma, camp has been a healing place.”
On Saturday, The Thing talked about how life won’t always be a smooth-sailing journey.
“?‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’?”
“Thriving isn’t about avoiding the hard stuff—it’s about having a foundation that holds you steady when everything else shakes. It’s about being so deeply connected to Jesus that your peace doesn’t disappear when life gets messy. It’s about drawing strength, joy, and purpose from a source that isn’t dependent on circumstances. Thriving means you’re not living on the surface—you’re planted deep in truth, anchored in grace, and growing in ways the world can’t always see. That’s the kind of life Jesus came to offer—not a perfect life, but a deep, rooted, abundant one. Don’t just live for the campfire moment, learn to live on the daily flame.” –The Thing
On a fun note, Scruffy and I have known The Thing for a very long time. Thing’s mom was the only Christian that Scruff encountered in high school who was kind to him. Later, when Scruff chose to follow Jesus, he found out that she had been praying for him for years. Well, this summer offered us the opportunity to recreate this amazing photo of The Thing and our youngest son, Shazam!!
We have been through incredibly dark times with The Thing, facing heartbreak beyond what we thought we could bear. But looking at these photos, of the years knowing each other, I am reminded of God’s power to work in the dark and to shine the light of Heaven to the world through seemingly beaten people who rise and take just one more step forward in Christ’s strength. I thank the Lord for his grace in getting us this far and for the grace that will come for tomorrow as well. He is faithful, indeed.
