Limits?

Man, I love camp. For the last seven years, I have staffed, directed or keynoted one camp or another at Disciples’ Crossing, the campground for the North Texas, Trinity-Brazos and Northeast Area of the CCDOC, down in Athens, Texas. I’ve sat with youth and adults alike as they get through some of their best and worst days, and in all of it see the Spirit of God move so freely down there. It is an important part of what I understand ministry to be, and I am very appreciative that Midway Hills counts my camp days not as vacation days off but professional time away. Thank you for letting me be a part of the Area, and the Region, establishing ties, doing justice, and growing leaders in and for the Church.

But here’s where I’ve been thrown for a loop. Up until Sunday night, I was going to go to the CYF Conference—it’s a camp for tenth-twelfth graders, it’s on the more developed, familiar side with air conditioning and amenities and actual meeting spaces. The staff is too big, but I figured I’d weather the storm and stay on. Then Sunday night, my friend who is directing Chi Rho Camp—for incoming seventh and eighth graders, that takes place on the Creative Side, without air conditioning and with snakes and improvised meeting places and a lake that looks like a petri dish—asked me to come on her staff; it was growing, she waited until she was desperate because of my availability. (Insert your own joke here.) So I resigned from CYF Conference, signed on to counsel Chi Rho for the first time (I’ve directed it. I’ve keynoted it. I’ve never slept in one of the outdoor cabins, though) and I’m getting ready to head down to Athens this Sunday.

 

It’s an adventure! It’s something new! It’s something necessary! It’s something a little scary! It’s something outside of my comfort zone! It’s something that God is obviously moving in. Starting this Sunday, we’ll be talking about our self-set limits and how God always calls us past them; how God ups the ante; how God raises the roof, so to speak. (If it’s the upper limit, we can still go higher.) There’s a lot of mention of roofs in the Bible, and I encourage you to check out Isaiah chapter 6 this week to prepare for Sunday—well, at least the first ten verses. I know I will be, when not looking for whiffle bats, a new sleeping bag, and a load of bug spray. I look forward to seeing you on Sunday.

 

Shalom y’all,

 

Arthur