Campy moments.

We're back.

Had a great week at camp. Too tired to really post about it tonight. Maybe some posts over the weekend, and some photos too.

Sermon highlight.

We've had great sermons at camp all week (our leaders are Donnie Moore and his Radical Reality ministry team). Too many thoughts to share in writing, but I figured I'd post some highlights from one of the strongest sermons of the week. It came from Donnie Moore during the Tuesday evening service.

Sin opens the door to the enemy and gives him a foothold
You know it's spiritual warfare when:
1. My thoughts are irrational
2. It's an unsolicited thought
3. The opposition is bizarre and outrageous
Ephesians 6:10-12 key verses

1. Satan comes in disguise

• He makes the little issues big, and turns the truly big issues into little things
• Fear can captivate our hearts and destroy our future
• Worry cannot change one situation

2. Satan comes to divide

• He creates division from God's Word
• He creates division from other people
• The way you leave a relationship is the way you will enter the next one, whether it's a dating relationship, friendship, or relationship with a church
• If the enemy can divide you from your shepherd, he can cut you off from a source of being fed
• When you see division, you know the enemy is involved

3. Satan comes to destroy

• He wants to destroy the home
• He wants to destroy the church
• If he can injure your parents or leaders, he'll injure you
• Bitterness is a cancer to the soul
• Are you trapped in yesterday because of pain or unforgiveness?
• Forgiveness is NOT a feeling; it's a choice, an action
• In Genesis, Joseph had many reasons to be bitter, but God healed that hurt; the names of Joseph's children (Genesis 41) reflect this change
• Jesus had the right of justifiable unforgiveness, yet He chose to forgive while He was on the cross

Hello from camp. Truly.

Wow! It turns out they have an unsecured wireless network here at the camp facilities. Yet no cell coverage. Oh well.

The connection is slow and spotty, so I don't wanna waste energy writing too much about tonight, but we have an awesome service. If I can get a stronger connection somewhere tomorrow here on the grounds, I'll do a more complete post about it. Great time.

And got to bring a little joy to my students' eyes tonights when I surprised them with "free" bottles of water and some granola bars. That's especially good for the kids who are already outta cash. And we're here 'til Friday...

Hello from camp.

OK, technically I'm not AT camp right now. I'm sitting inside a Starbucks inside a Barnes & Noble inside the city of Chico. Got it?

I came into town for the following reasons:

1. It was super hot in my room last night and I forgot to bring a fan this week. So, I had to buy one so I can actually sleep at night.

2. I missed lunch at camp, so I needed to get some food.

3. I need more water and Snapples to carry me through Friday.

4. I had some bills to pay online, which I forgot to do before leaving town.

5. I thought it might be good to check voicemail and email early this week, because things and life are much busier right now than they normally are during camp weeks.

So that's why I'm here! Oh, and #1 and #3 and #4 would have been non-issues, but I forgot to write a LIST before coming to camp. I always write lists! But I forgot to do that this weekend. Ugh.

Camp started well. Great message last night from Donnie Moore, and great worship from their team (as always). Looking forward to yet another meaningful week of ministry here at camp.

And so far, temperatures haven't broken 100 degrees! Amen to that!

I might blog again Thursday, if I come back into town. We'll see.

Back from camp.

Wow, we pulled in from Easter Camp just a few hours ago. What a week! We took the smallest crew of campers EVER to any camp in my nearly 4 years here, yet I can't call the event a failure. Our guys had a great time. They behaved well (as far as I know!), and they all seemed to develop stronger friendships with God and others.

As we took our final camp photo this afternoon, at our traditional spot at Springs of Living Water camp, it reminded me of how much these guys have grown up, and all the other students who have come through our doors since I arrived in June 2003. Some of them have become leaders. Some of them have gone on to college. Some of them have slipped through the cracks. Some are struggling in their faith. Some of them are excelling in their faith. Some have chosen to walk away.

Through it all, God's been faithful. I've made more than my share of mistakes. These kids haven't led perfect lives. But many of them have dug deep and found a strength that only comes through that vibrant, living, active faith in Jesus Christ.

Our team had an awesome counselor this year, Mark Grueninger, and this is the first time we've ever included a non-Antelope counselor in our team pic. His wife attended these Radical Reality camps as a teen, and she wanted to return as a counselor for this year's 25th anniversary Easter Camp. Wow I'm glad Mark came along, too! If anyone needs a financial planner in the Los Angeles area, let me know and I'll see if I can connect you with him! Mark stands out as probably the most well-rounded counselor we've had for a camp...and we've had some great counselors...Sofia Acero, Luis Cruz, Melodie Gomez, Mike Lara, April Harlan, Jesse Dalton, Zac from the Bay Area whose last name I forget but who always seems to get our guys! And Mark stands out among that pack.

Anyway, I've thrown in some other pics for fun, just to show images from other camps...Easter Camp, Summer Camp, a Jr High Summer Camp one year. Unfortunately, I don't have a digital version of the team pic from the FIRST camp I went to with these kids, in Summer 2003. There's a print in my office, and I'll get it scanned next week so I can add to this collection. Incredible how much the students have changed as individuals, yet students in many ways haven't changed. They face many of the same struggles and battles, they have many of the same hopes and dreams, and they have the same need for acceptance, love, forgiveness, impartation, redemption, and ministry.