As I sit here writing this, my mind is running in circles with thoughts from this last week…..
Skip to the first day, imagine what a sore thumb looks like, not knowing where to go I walked through a camp of roughly 200+ tents. I was decked out in blue. I had a cheesy hawaiian shirt on, blue short shorts, and navy blue tights. All alone I walked through this community desperately looking for somebody blue. I reached the end of the grounds and was greeted by 23 shining faces. What a relief! Not knowing these people, they sucked me in and took me where I needed to go for orientation.
As the week progressed it almost seemed to good to be true and honestly I retreated. I spent so long in this world that I created, I couldn't believe that there was more. During meals I would dip out and go on these long walks all by my lonesome. Usually I would meet some awesome world racers who saved me from this loneliness but I would just go back to this outward catatonic state. As much as I tried to be a loner I failed miserably! What a great joy this was that my best laid plans to be a hermit had failed! My new friends took notice of this and pulled me in even as I resisted. I would say "It's ok, I'm fine" and that statement was met with a friendly " You obviously aren't, come join us." This shook my heart little by little and finally I reached my breaking point. The last night of worship had an absolute break down. I had found my little family, home. It took searching my entire teenage life to find six shining faces to realize I had made it. As I cried harder and harder, the realization that it wasn't there faces but the face of Christ I saw in them that made me feel at home made me lose it. Some one who had been their all along had shown up. My Creator stamped my heart and reassured me I had made it. A love I thought I had run from so long was staring me in the face.
Now here we are, at the end of camp. I realized I had come empty handed and had left with so much more. I left with Godly love, true friends, brothers and sisters, and a family. It's funny how I was perfectly happy in my reclusiveness but now I can't imagine a world without having met this loving family, having encountered this beautiful savior that will be with me no matter where I go.
Pslam 16:10-11
"10 because You will not abandon me to the realm of the dead,
nor will You let your failthful one see decay.
11 You make known to me the path of life;
You will fill me with joy in Your presence,
with eternal pleasures at Your right hand."
My awesome team, team rooted!
