The memories remind me of the moments.The moments...several of which I wish I could have frozen in time, but instead had to settle for taking lots of mental pictures and storing them close to my heart. Walking hand in hand with a precious little one as she sings a Cricket song she wrote just for me. Making sure she knows how beautiful she is and persuading her to never forget it. Praying with my little dalmatian-dressed brunette as she smiled a toothless grin while excepting Christ for the first time. Laughing until tears were near as I watched my babies' energetic dance moves on the front row. Being the recipient of a run on embrace when my darling camper had only been separated from me for an hour. Sitting on the couch while five little girls cackle as they do their best to braid my hair. Squeezing really close together to share story time and goodnight prayers before bed. The list could go on forever.....really.
The silly thing is this...It was my job to show my campers the love of Christ each day. To teach them about what it looks like when we decide to let Jesus sit on the throne room of our hearts. To help them understand what it means to build protective walls around our hearts and only let positive, Jesus-honoring things inside those walls. To illustrate in the best possible way the love Christ offers to each of them in a personal manner, like no gift they have ever been given before. To encourage them to not be ashamed in flying the banner of Love, always being motivated to love others and extend grace like Jesus does. BUT it was my beloved campers who taught me these things over and over again each day, by words and actions. My heart did not know it could love in such capacity.
A changed heart? No doubt.
Solid relationships built? Like none I have ever had before.
Memories that still cause me to laugh and cry? Of course.
Summer of a lifetime? You bet.
The silly thing is this...It was my job to show my campers the love of Christ each day. To teach them about what it looks like when we decide to let Jesus sit on the throne room of our hearts. To help them understand what it means to build protective walls around our hearts and only let positive, Jesus-honoring things inside those walls. To illustrate in the best possible way the love Christ offers to each of them in a personal manner, like no gift they have ever been given before. To encourage them to not be ashamed in flying the banner of Love, always being motivated to love others and extend grace like Jesus does. BUT it was my beloved campers who taught me these things over and over again each day, by words and actions. My heart did not know it could love in such capacity.
A changed heart? No doubt.
Solid relationships built? Like none I have ever had before.
Memories that still cause me to laugh and cry? Of course.
Summer of a lifetime? You bet.
