By Kevin Hahn
Lord willing, we’ll be on our way Sunday morning to this year’s session of Camp Bandina. I love going to a Christian camp.
I don’t love it because the counselors there are perfect, but because they’re servants of the Perfect One. As counselors, we all bring our faults and flaws right along with us, but we get a chance to serve God by teaching His perfect love and His perfect ways to the campers.
I don’t love it because it’s comfortable, but because it’s a place for comforting. My bunk won’t be like my bed at home, but all around my bunk there will be opportunities to give comfort to those who may have nothing but conflict at home.
I don’t love it because it’s fun, but because it’s joyful. It’s not fun to sweep and mop cabins, but it gives me joy to see young people working together, learning to serve, and taking shared responsibility.
I don’t love it because it’s restful, but because it’s peaceful. For a few days, the world quits shouting because we quit listening. The days are long and the nights are short, but the waking hours are full of talking, praying, and singing face-to-face with people who love you.
I don’t love it because it’s easy, but because it’s inspiring. We’ll be worn out when we get back, but I’ll take worn out over burned out any day. You can’t spend a week focused on God and not be more amazed at His power, more thankful for His mercy, and more grateful for His love.
I don’t love it because we can stay there, but because we get to come back. God never meant for us to withdraw from the world for good, but even Jesus went away from the crowds to pray, even for a little while.
I don’t love it because I grew up going, but because going helped me grow up. I had teachers who loved God and counselors who cared enough to hold me accountable to God’s will. Now we get a chance to pass that on, and I can’t wait for every imperfect, uncomfortable, joyful, peaceful, inspiring moment of it.