“This is an awesome job.

Where we have lots of power.

To change lives.

To save lives.

By pointing them to Christ.

We are blessed to be here.

Let’s pass that blessing on.”

{Spruce Lake Wilderness Camp}

“And then I realized. Adventure was the best way to learn.”

And then I realized…

This quote is more than an Instagram-worthy caption. It is more than the ‘wanderlust’ phrase all those artsy girls use. This quote comes deep into what I believe and why I believe.

I am a Christian. There is a place that helped me see Christ in a way that I may never have seen had I not attended. That place is Spruce Lake Wilderness Camp. I am not writing this as an advertisement. I am not saying that going to wilderness camp is a crucial part of life or that it is the only way to find Christ but I am writing this because I want to let the people at Spruce Lake know how much they mean to me, to all of us. Campers, staff, passers-by.

I have watched lives flip upside down at camp. I have watched people accept God as their savior, I have watched life long friendships being made, I have watched tears fall down as people feel God for the first time.

This isn’t just my camp. I have met countless people who share a love of spending time in a camp setting with the Lord. Some go to big camps and some small camps that I’ve never heard of. Since we share this connection; whether it be the same camp or a camp hours and hours away, we grow closer. Sharing experiences, advice and activities, this creates a camp outside of camp, a connection wherever you go.

…Adventure is the best way to learn.

I learned about God because I was far from home, because I didn’t have the normal comforts of home, and because I didn’t have Wi-Fi; but as all wilderness camp people know; when you don’t have Wi-Fi you find a better connection.

But camp is about more than just one connection; after all a cord of three strands is not easily broken (and no I am not talking about finding your significant other… PURPLE ALERT!) I am talking about the friendships you make at camp. I hope this little article will be of encouragement to you.

You people are my best friends; you’re past that, you are my family. My brothers and sisters. You are the first people I go to when I need a prayer, the ones that know more about me than I do sometimes, you are the ones that push me in my faith, and that show me how amazing a relationship with God can be, especially when I feel like I’m being pushed to the breaking point.

You are the ones that I go on random adventures with whether it be random hikes, trips to performances, jam sessions, shopping trips, or just playing some good ol’ Mario Party (you know who you are).

Camp isn’t just about what happens on the grounds. It’s more than a week long commitment to the Lord. It’s about taking everything you have become in a few days and growing to be the you that God wants you to be.

This little article probably seems a bit ridiculous or out of place but let me tell you this: if you have ever worked at a camp; in leadership, counselor, support staff, or just been a camper, you understand what I’m saying.

You can’t take a 600-word article and make it a logical representation of camp. You have to live it.