5 Reasons I LOVE Camp Ministries

1. In Camp Ministries you get to teach people about God while you are surrounded by nature that just shows you how much God loves each and everyone of us. In every hike, or ride that you take there are so many opportunities to be blessed and share the blessing of God's creation. Every moment is a teachable moment.

2. You get the opportunity to serve and fellowship with so many awesome people from all over the world. They each come with their unique testimony and other stories. And each of them are there to serve too. You make the most incredible friends!! I have the pleasure of having friends from Ohio, Washington, Oregon, Georgia, Mexico, Romania, Pennsylvania... the list goes on.. and it is through Camp Ministries that I have had the chance to make such awesome friends.

3. The guests. Whether they are a group of elderly, or a bunch of kids, they are a blessing. There would be no reason for the job without them. They soon become a part of your life as a counselor, or cook, or housekeeper. What they need you strive to provide them with. And you get pleasure of sharing Christ with them.

4. You grow so much. When I started in 2010, I wasn't an avid Bible reader. I was just a kid who came from a Christian home. A kid who loved God, but was lazy and not motivated to serve. Well that quickly got shot out of my system when I started to work housekeeping and had to make sure things were clean and orderly. And had to serve a long side people I saw everyday (which after awhile can become a nuisance) But God started to work on my heart. Teaching me to serve with a cheerful attitude. To work with others and to be a help not a hindrance. It was an eye opening experience. And then I went on to work in Ohio as a camp Counselor... wow... if you want to test someones patience and gentleness put them with eight 7 year olds for a whole week. I was so tired every week, but also so happy to be able to share Christ with these beautiful kids. I prayed over them before and while and after they were there. And I feel like they blessed me so much more than I could ever bless them. They taught me to be thankful for the little things, to trust so completely in Christ. I have grown so much spiritually through Camp Ministries.

5. It's a mission field. No we might not look like a mission field. Some camps are located in woods, some in the city, and some in the country. We all do things differently. But we all have one purpose. To share the Gospel. To lead others to saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. We pour our hearts into serving. We cry over the hurting children we come across. We go days sometimes without having the chance to shower. We do all this because we are called. We are called to the mission field of Camp Ministries.

Montana

I have been called to work in Camp Ministries... I honestly feel like this is my mission field. I have learned so much through them and I have seen God work amazingly through them. I am privileged to serve with amazing people and fellowship with them! I have worked at the beach, in the country, and now I'm heading to the mountains... In 88 days (May 16th) I'm leaving home again to go serve at Yellowstone Alliance Adventure Camp in the Mountains of Bozeman Montana. God opened the door to this camp through one of my past supervisors from Cannon Beach. Dave Beedy contacted me back in November about a possibly job at the camp that he and his wife Lisa work at now. And by the first week of February I was officially hired. I am so excited for this opportunity and I can't wait to get started!!

Shine a little light.

Today I had the opportunity to talk with a homeless man. I came up to this man on this blustery evening standing on the corner near a supermarket asking for money. I gave him a bag that our college group is using as an outreach. The bag has toiletries and snack food and other stuff that might be useful. Well I gave it to him and said God bless, and as I started to turn he started to talk about God. He said that he needs God. He told me that he had a relationship with God before but had gotten addicted to drugs and alchohol and just turned away. He even told me that he had tried to OD on heroin and it had failed. But he fully believed that God has a plan for him.
He then asked me what church I went to, and I shared with him. And he told me that he had several times been by the corner where our church is on a Sunday sitting and reading his Bible and no one had ever talked to him or invited him in. So he felt like our church was not a good one. And that he thought we needed to focus on the homeless more because that is where the problems are.
When he shared and told me what he felt about my church, I felt ashamed. Because it's not everyone in our church that shies away from the homeless, but there are plenty. And that isn't just my church body that does that, it is the whole church body. It's not that we don't see them, we pretend that they aren't there. That the person on the corner is less than us. Less human. We are blinded by out self righteousness that we don't take the chance to just have a conversation with them. These people are in need of love, understanding, and most of all a chance. Someone to look at them, to actually see them. Not just give them something and walk away. But to actually care about them. We as the church should be the first ones to go and show these people love, and kindness. Sure they might have burnt all the bridges of help in this town. But if we judge them by that, then we should be cast out. We burn the bridges between us and God all the time, but he helps us rebuild time and time again.
I am guilty of doing this, ignoring the beggar on the corner. But even if you don't have money to give, give them a little of your time and say prayer for them.

Shine a little light.

Old Soul

I have always been older than my age. I have an old soul as some would say. I love black and white movies, and old jazz music and I could sit for hours listening to classical symphony music. My favorite t.v. show is I Love Lucy. And I have a decent collection of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers movies. I feel like I was born in the wrong era sometimes. Don't get me wrong I love a lot of the newer movies and music too. But my heart swells with emotion and is taken to different worlds when I listen to something like Chopin.

For a long time I didn't understand why I loved older movies and music. I have come to realize that I love it because it doesn't have a hidden agenda. It isn't filled with vulgarity and painful reminder about where our world is at this point. It is a key to the past. A time when life although hard and not without it's problems.. but simpler. A time when people respected each other. When the simple things like a candy or a movie was a treat and not an everyday affair. I believe things were more treasured because they actually worked hard for them.

I Need You

I wrote this song today. It's still a little rough and I am going to hopefully work out all the kinks and maybe record it sometime. But here are the lyrics:

Every breath

that I take

comes from your grace

Every song

that my heart hears

comes from your great voice

Breathe in me

let me hear your beauty

I am in need of you

every day

in every way

I have no life apart from you

please come and fill my heart again

again

again

with your song

All that I am

is nothing

without you

Everyday

is empty

without you

Breathe in me

let me hear your beauty

I am in need of you

every day

in every way

I have no life apart from you

please come and fill my heart again

again

again

with your song

GCS 2014

Crying is...ok

Do you ever just sit down and start praying and suddenly it turns into a big ol crying thing? I do. Sometimes I feel like I come off stronger than I am. God's been tearing down a lot of walls in my life over the last couple of years and it has become a relief that I can openly be emotional about my walk with God. But I know how uncomfortable I get when people become weepy around me, (I'm not usually sure what to do) so I don't usually cry in front of others. But it is a gift from God. Crying is a release. It helps relieve tension and start the healing process. So if you are like me and tend to push back a lot of feelings... go somewhere and either cry or yell... something and let God start healing. For example:

Tonight I had a heart to heart with God. And I still don't know a whole lot of answers. But I prayed about His will for my life. Because I'm not entirely sure what He's doing. Which to be honest most of us don't. But I have hit kind of a road block. I had felt like God wanted me to pursue Camp Ministry (I still do) and I have turned in a couple applications. But I feel like God has told me to stop applying. For all I know I have already applied to the Camp he wants me to pursue. But I have hit a road block. And so I cried and maybe raised my voice a little and had a conversation with God. And because he is amazing I feel a ton better. His peace is with me. But still no open doors yet. And I know he works on his own time. So I will have patience and wait.

Keep praying for me. I'll keep praying for you!

Declaration!

2014

I declare this a year of growth!

I will strive to grow closer to God with every waking moment. I want His Will for my life to consume my thoughts and my path. I will focus, and dedicate time to studying His Word. 

I will make healthy choices this year. In my eating habits I will learn to live by healthy portions and choices. I will make time for exercise, including the occasional hike. 

I will learn to love myself, to stop pushing myself down. I will make goals and achieve them. 

I will make mistakes, but I will learn from them.

I will forgive. I will learn to show Christ love to all those I come in contact with. 

This year is the year I regain my health, and improve my relationships. I will make new friends, try new things, and most importantly I will pursue God's will for me.  

2014 you will not be a wasted year. 

-Gabrielle Chantal Stiltz