He is Here.

Yesterday was awesome, as usual. The morning started out with a great breakfast again (the Camp Gilead staff is crazy good at cooking!) and then we separated girls and boys for devos. Belkis shared with the girls and Pastor Pedro shared with the boys. Soon after, the morning session began. We opened up with worship and prayer, and Nate started teaching.

He started talking about times when we feel forsaken by God (isn’t it crazy how it ties in perfectly with Pastor Pedro’s Desert series?) and how He uses those times to reveal things to us, and they are for a purpose. He also shared how God never leaves us, and even if it feels like we’re alone, God is working and causing the circumstances to change for our benefit (Romans 8:28). He explained the impossibility of fulfilling the prophecy of Psalm 22 without Jesus actually being who He said He was. Nate has an incredible gift for making complex and difficult to understand passages simple and comprehensible without diminishing the importance of the concept. Everyone was so blessed by his teachings. Thanks Nate! (:

The games started soon after the teaching finished. The same games as yesterday were played, but different teams played each one. There are 12 teams that are on rotation for 4 games every day. It’s been different than past camps because of the amount of kids that came this year, but praise God, everything is going so smoothly. Thank you for your prayers.

We went to lunch after that, and free time was awesome. Once again, the lake was packed with kids in line for the tube, hanging out on the dock, and jumping around on the water trampoline. It’s always a really fun time to get to know one another. We’re starting to see friendships being built, and the kids are having a great time.

Nate’s teaching later on that night was on evangelism and how we are commanded and called to share the gospel with everyone. He challenged us and asked us what is holding us back from sharing like we’re supposed to. We also had a time of Q&A with Nate and his friend Matt, who came with him. Great questions were asked, and many kids are starting to get a much clearer view of who God is and how personal He is to them, that He can relate to them. They see all the devos and teachings connect, and they’re piecing together the faith that they weren’t all sure of when they walked in. Kids rededicated their lives to God today, and some even got saved for the first time. Keep praying for us, God is moving.

Cabin time was amazing too. All the kids are opening up and they’re even starting to minister to each other. It is so incredible to see how God has placed these kids in each others’ lives perfectly. Many of the kids are able to minister to each other in a way that some of us leaders can’t because we haven’t been through the same things they have. Praise God that He is one that can sympathize with everything that we go through, and that He understands all the situations that each individual here is going through (Hebrews 4:15).

God is moving, He is working, He is here with us. Pray against any attacks of the enemy that would hinder these kids from seeking Him wholeheartedly. Pray that they would seek Him and find Him when they search for Him with all their hearts (Jeremiah 29:13). Pray that God would continue to fill them with His Spirit and reveal Himself to them. Pray that He would comfort them and embrace them and show them His specific will for their lives. Pray that they would have the boldness to approach His throne of grace and that they would let go of anything that is keeping them from running full force towards God.

We thank you so much for your prayers. They are being felt here, and we promise that your kids are doing great (:

-aimee