I'd made this drive 14 times in my life, always as an eager, young camper ready to reconnect with the friends I'd made the summer before and move into my cabin for the week. This time, I drove to Pine Lake as a counselor, hopeful to give the campers the same experiences I was blessed with. As I drove, I remembered all of the memories I'd made as a camper. I couldn't help but laugh at some of the situations my friends and I had gotten ourselves into, and I decided I would use those along with everything I learned to be the best counselor I could be.

I did my best to recall every camp song I was ever taught, and surprised myself at just how many I could still sing word for word. These would most definitely be sung around the campfire every night and it was now my job to teach them. I can remember singing goofy songs like, "Herman the Worm" or "The Princess Pat" and shouting them at the top of my lungs rather than singing them. Just like my counselors had been patient with my hyper-active behavior, I decided I was going to do the same and let the campers let loose and have a little fun. In the real world, it's sometimes hard to be goofy and act like a kid again. As my friend, Rachel always says, "Remember your camp self."

I can remember whispering and giggling with my friends after the designated "lights out" time, and being warned several times to, "Quiet down please, ladies," or, "Girls, we all need our beauty sleep." I even remembered a specific occasion in which my friend, Brittany and I had caught dozens of fireflies and released them in the cabin late at night, and we laid in my bunk together watching them light up the cabin and thinking we were pretty creative. I'll definitely need to remember this when the girls in my cabin are extra chatty at night. That's how my friendships were made and those friends will stick around for the rest of my life.

I was always in a cabin with the same three girls that became some of the best friends I've ever had. "When we could handle it," Rachel, Michaela, Brittany and I got to sleep under one roof for the week, and all four of us crossed our fingers in hopes to have Kay and Kira as our cabin counselors. Usually, Kay would read us a Bible story or verse and we would know our chat was over when Kira would say, "Goodnight, sleep tight. Don't let the bed bugs bite. If they do, hit him with a shoe, and I'll be there at half past two." As we got older, our nightly conversations shifted from "What was the best part of today?" to "You girls are all so capable of amazing things." I realize now how important it is for young girls to have role models, and I can't wait to tell them all how great they are.

I remember telling ghost stories in the bathroom with my friends only to find ourselves sitting in Barb's office that night, scared and not able to sleep. To this day, my friends and I swear we saw Bigfoot and we will never admit otherwise. Camp taught me how to conquer my fears. My worst fear however, though probably irrational, has always been and will always be bats. I remember Barb, the director of the camp for as long as I can remember, having to hold my hand and walk with me to campfire because of the bats that liked to swoop in front of the bridge we crossed. I have a feeling those little guys will still be around so of course I will tell the campers that there is nothing to worry about, despite my fear. Oh, and no ghost stories in the cabin.

The closer I got to camp, I began to think about the most important job I would have this week: bringing a camper, even if just one, closer to God. My journey of faith wouldn't have been the same without Camp Pine Lake. Surrounded by nature and great company is the perfect reminder of God's presence. The words to my favorite songs at camp are, "It only takes a spark to get a fire going, and soon all those around can warm up to it's glowing." I want to create a spark within the campers I will be responsible for, and I want that spark to turn into a fire. Once they are on fire for God, they will begin to spread that warmth and love to others and people will see God's love through these kids. That's the end goal here, and I'm glad to be a part of it.

When I finally popped the gravel hill that stands between the highway and Camp Pine Lake, the first thing I saw was The Friendship Lodge. It sits on the top of the hill overlooking ten tiny and timbery cabins that line the forest beyond the grassy lawn. A wall of trees surrounds the area, creating a beautiful sanctuary of nature and worship that could never be replicated anywhere. Here is a place where Heaven and Earth seem to collide. It is only after the week is over and all the campers are gathered in a circle that they would all receive the same advice from our "camp grandma," Barb, that I got growing up.

"Remember who you are and whose you are."