CWE Pre Camp Devo #10

2 Peter 1:5-9

“For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love.  For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.  But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins.”

James 1:22-24, 27

“Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.  Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.

Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.”

“THE DOER”

As soon as the British Airways flight landed at Houston’s Intercontinental Airport, I was on my cell phone to one of my sons who told me that her condition had deteriorated unexpectedly and quite rapidly.  As we fought our way through the massive immigration and custom systems at the airport, I was assured that at least for the moment, she was stable.  Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, we were through the bureaucracy of reentry into the U.S., into our car, and on our way to her house. Upon arriving at this, my childhood home, we went straight to her bedside where it immediately became painfully obvious that this was not a scenario that involved physical recovery.  My mother was dying…and, within a day or so, she did. 

For over 96 years my mother walked on this earth.  She was born on June 4^th, 1915 at home in Hollis, Oklahoma, the first of 4 quadruplet sisters, born that day to Flake and Alma Keys.  Their birth was a modern medical miracle in those days preceding fertility drugs and all of the advances of contemporary medicine.  The 4 sisters, all weighing less than 4 pounds, were placed in ovens with the heat on low (to serve as incubators)to keep the small, delicate, miracle children alive.  From the moment of her extraordinary birth to the end of her extraordinary life, she never lived a single day as ordinary…and this was by choice.  Certainly, at least in her early years, some of that could be contributed to the circumstances of her birth and the curiosity that surrounded it. After all, even the President of the United States, Theodore Roosevelt, had telegraphed his congratulations to my grandfather on the occasion of the birth of the Keys Quadruplets.

Even though my grandparents were very determined that my mother and her sisters would lead a normal life, not wanting them to be subjected to the fame which, at that time, was readily available due to the most unusual circumstances of theirbirth. Despite such efforts, the fact that my mother was a quadruplet in the early part of the 20^th century led to a generous measure of notoriety and personal acclaim,continuing all the way through college and up until marriage finally broke up the famed set of sisters.  However, even upon the marriage of her identical twin, Mona, and even upon the splitting up of the four sisters to go their own ways and to chart their own paths, my mother’s life continued to be anything but ordinary.  Why?  Because she refused to accept ordinary. She refused to accept normal.  She chose to matter, to be set apart, to do instead of to talk, to do instead of to watch, to do instead of to not do.  My mother was a doer, simple as that. 

When she was in her mid-50s two of her closest friends passed away with cancer.  Through the circumstances of their illness, my mother saw a need for ministry.  She saw a need to minister to cancer patients at M.D. Anderson Cancer Hospital in Houston, Texas, which isone of the premier cancer treatment centers in the world…as well as potentially one of the loneliest places in the world.  For the next 30 years, in spite of obstacles from within the hospital, from within the community, and from within her own church, she established a ministry that is emulatedtoday in communities literally all over the world, and that continues to flourish after her death.

In today’s two scripture passages, we are encouraged, actually commanded, to do…simple as that.  Peter implies that he has shared with the believer all that he can share about how to be effective as a Christian.  James tells us that if we hear the word and do not follow it up with action, we miss the point of our faith.  Soon, very soon, you will begin your summer responsibilities.  My question to you, my challenge to you, is simply this:will you be a doer, or a hearer only? Will you choose to possess the qualities that Peter has spoken about in his exhortation in 2 Peter “in increasing measure” or not?  Will you grow in faith, goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, brotherly kindness, godliness and love, or not? Will you use this summer as a laboratory for putting your faith into action or not?  Anyone can raise their hands and sing hallelujah.  Anyone can talk the talk.  This summer at Camp Ozark and Camp War Eagle, because the kids deserve it, because I require it, and most importantly, because God demands it, you must and will be a doer…period. The time is rapidly approaching.  I am excited to get started.  You are going to have fun.  You are going to make friends. You are going to create memories.  You are going to have the opportunity to grow. But for all this to happenyou must be willing to do, you must be willing to be A DOER...OR NOT.

On August 19^th,2011, my mother, Roberta Keys Torn, passed peacefully from this life into the next.  In this life she left a legacy of faith, a legacy of love,and most importantly, at least to me, a legacy of action.  In the next life I have no doubt she was greeted with a parade reserved only for those who have lived life according to the dictates of 2 Peter, according to the dictates of  James, Paul, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, but most importantly according to the dictates of God,Himself.  My personal goal in life is to make a difference, to matter by being a man of action.  My personal goal for each of you this summer is to help you do the same.  It is the life to which we have been called.  It is the life I saw in my mother.  WELCOME TO CAMP!!!

CWE Pre Camp Devo #9

2 Peter 1:7b

“For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge;  and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love.”

1 Corinthians 13: 1-8

If I speak in the tonguesof men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.  If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.  If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames,but have not love, I gain nothing.   Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.  Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.

“THE ULTIMATE SOLUTION”

It was hot.  It was sweaty.  It was loud.  Hundreds of kids and staff members were yelling at the top of their lungs, urging their tribe on to victory.  What had begun almost two weeks before, and had been contested every day by every camper.  What on this day had begun over two hours previously with the lead going back and forth again and again, now came down to this…two of the oldest male campers battling it out, mano-a-mano, for the victory.  The day…the last Friday of any session at Camp Ozark or Camp War Eagle.  The time…almost noon.The event…The Ultimate Solution, an all camp relay featuring every camper at camp that determines who wins tribal completion for the session (or sometimes, for the year).

 If you have never been to Camp Ozark or Camp War Eagle before, you may have a difficult time grasping the excitement, the passion, the meaning of the event.  You will just have to experience it for yourself.  For me personally, it is my absolute favorite event at camp…bar none.  The Ultimate Solution at camp represents the culmination of hours of practice, preparation, participation, perseverance, and passion.  It is the end result, the climax of the session or even the summer.  It is the determinant.  It is, well, it is the Ultimate Solution.

In today’s scripture, Peter lays out his own, much more important “ultimate solution.”  It is the ultimate solution for the believer.  As Peter confronts his coming death, he has now fully stated his case to the early church, to the believers who must carry the torch of Christianity forward.  He has told all believers that first, you must settle the matter of your own faith.  Do you really believe?  Do you really trust?  Do you really commit?  Once the matter of your faith is settled, Peter tells us, you must then, because your heart is changed, strive for goodness…all the time.  As we are striving for goodness, Peter exhorts us to thirst for knowledge, the knowledge that only the scripture can bring.  Peter then tells us that to be effective in our ministry we must be consistent in our ministry, and being consistent in our ministry requires self-control and perseverance.  Next, Peter encourages us, as we begin to mature, to become more and more like God, like Christ.  As we begin to fully submit to Him, we are then able to practice brotherly kindness, the Golden Rule.  Finally, Peter tells us, that the result of all of these characteristics working together in our lives brings us to the ultimate solution for the believer…love. 

The Bible speaks of three different types of love, “eros,” which is romantic love, “phileo,” which is brotherly love and “agape,” which is Godly, or unconditional love, not dependent on the response or behavior of the recipient.  The ultimate solution for the believer is “agape,” being able to consistently practice unconditional love in every situation.  This summer you will have the opportunity to love, unconditionally.  If you can only “phileo,” you will do a pretty good job, but if you can learn to consistently “agape,” you will do a great job.  More importantly, you will experience a great joy, a great peace, and a great satisfaction.  Peter is telling all of us that there is much more to our relationship with God than just salvation.  Jesus must become our Lord.  We must belong to Him, be conformed to Him, and walk daily with Him.  Agape love does not just happen.  It is a process based on the building blocks that Peter has set forth and that Paul expresses so beautifully in the familiar passage of 1 Corinthians 13.  Agape love is indeed, the “ultimate solution” for the Christian.

On this particular Friday, the two final runners took the baton just seconds apart.  The lead changed hands a couple of times as these two long-time campers, the two final runners for their tribes, battled it out.  As they neared the end of the race it seemed that one had secured the lead and thus victory for his tribe.  For a brief few seconds my view was blocked, but then as the runners came over the wall they were dead even.  They hit the landing mat at the same time and arose together to sprint the final few feet to the tape…Caddo verses Osage…the session on the line…the Ultimate Solution.  It just doesn’t get any better than that.

CWE Pre Camp Devo #8

2 Peter 1:5-7

“For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7 and to godliness, brotherly kindness…”

Matthew 25:35-40

“For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?  When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you?  When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’“The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’”

“A LONG WAY FROM GEORGIA”

She was born and raised in South Georgia (or as she says,“SouuuuthGeoooojuh”).  That in itself is nothing out of the ordinary.  Hundreds of thousands of people over the years were born and raised in South Georgia, but to imply that this stout, middle-aged woman from “SouuuuuthGeoooojuh” was in any way ordinary would be a severe misstatement.  I first met her sometime in the 1970s.  A group of us from my church had decided to volunteer at a local youth center in the impoverished wards of inner-city Houston.  She was what we called back then a “home missionary,” meaning she had dedicated her life to spreading the gospel right here in the good old U.S.A.  Her name was Mildred McWhorter, and she left quite a legacy.  Sometime in the mid to early 60s, she had decided to move to Houston, Texas, to a ghetto neighborhood that was populated by a combination of Caucasian, Hispanic, and African Americans…none of whom got along with one another.  She told me how, after the first night she spent in her sparse quarters(one punctuated by gunshots and police sirens), she awakened, went downstairs, and saw that all 4 of her tires were slashed.  Unfazed, she replaced her tires, began parking her car in a more secure spot, and set about to do her work.  She provided food, shelter, clothing, and counseling.  She stared down bullies and endured threats and insults that would have driven most people away.  But not Mildred. She stayed. 

As time went by the community came to trust her, invest with her, and partner with her.  One day when she was threatened by a punk gang member, another former gang member (whohad been the one who slashed her tires that first night she spent in the ghetto) drove the punk gang member away.  All the while letting it be known that Mildred was under his protection, and anybody who messed with Mildred was messing with him.  Mildred served for over 30 years in the inner city of Houston.The lives she touched and the eternal consequences of her work are no doubt still being measured today.  One Friday evening, when I was working with Mildred, I asked her “Why?” “Why did she do what she did?”  Her response was not complex, but it was profound.  “Sam,” she said, “I love these people and so does God.”  And that was it. 

In reality, that is IT!!!!  Peter tells us that a huge part of practicing the Christian faith is to exhibit brotherly kindness.  True brotherly kindness is a result of true godliness based on our faith and goodness and knowledge and self-control and perseverance.  This summer is a laboratory in the practice of brotherly kindness.  Your whole role this summer is to serve joyfully the needs of others.  Not every role at camp is out front.  Not every task at camp is something you absolutely cannot wait to do.  Not every child at camp is easy.  But, every one of them is a child of God.  And if you are who you say you are, thenyou will treat them, in every situation, just exactly like you would want to be treated yourself.  The Golden Rule is perhaps the essence of establishing legitimacy as a Christian and legitimacy as a summer staff member.  “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”  Every single one of us knows those words.  Every single one of us understands that is what Christ wants us to do.  Every single one of us talks the talk.  This summer you will have a chance to walk the walk…the walk of brotherly kindness.  If you ask me, all you have to do is have the attitude of an old lady from “SouuuuuuthGeoooojuh.” Thanks, Mildred. Let’s roll.

CWE Pre Camp Devo #7

2 Peter 1:5-6b

“For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness;”

1 Timothy 6:3-6

“If anyone teaches false doctrines and does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, he is conceited and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy interest in controversies and quarrels about words that result in envy, strife, malicious talk, evil suspicions and constant friction between men of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain.  But godliness with contentment is great gain.

“THE GIRL WITH THE CHEESE WHIZ TATTOO”

NOTE: The following devo contains information on conduct that is not tolerated at either Camp Ozark or Camp War Eagle. The example was from 1988, several years before most of you were even born.  The world was a different place then…much different.  Doing something like this today would write you a prompt one-way ticket back home, no questions asked. 

It was also the middle of the night.  She had probably not been asleep too long given her normal routine.  Indeed, after tucking in her cabin full of8-year-old little girls (including my daughter, Angela), after brushing their hair, after making sure they were comfortable with their favorite teddy bear, andperhaps most importantly, after ensuring they had all made one final trip to the bathroom, she would then sit out on her porch and visit with a group of other counselors who had probably just finished doing similar tasks.  As she slept, the door to her cabin quietly opened (no small feat since the hinges usually squeak like crazy) and two male figures crept in and kneeled beside her bed.  One of the figures took a piece of pre-cut duct tape and placed it over her mouth.  This startled her and initially her eyes opened wide, bright with fear.  After a moment, she recognized the faces of the intruders and,though probably not in total agreement, she at least recognized that she was not going to be harmed.  The two intruders then led her out onto the porch where they gently (???) placed her on a backboard they had confiscated from the waterfront and proceeded to duct tape her fully and completely to the backboard so that she could not move her arms or her legs.  They then carried the backboard to the center of the cabin square, removed the duct tape from her mouth and proceeded to squirt cheese whiz all over her face until her face was completely covered.  Then they went and sat on their porches and began to watch and wait.  For the previous couple of nights the two intruders had noticed that a stray dog had wandered through camp on occasion and their hope was that the mangy canine would again appear.  They were not disappointed.  Within just a few minutes, or so I am told, the dog wandered into the cabin square and immediately sensed the smell of the inviting cheese whiz.  It didn’t take the mutt too long to determine that the source of the scent was the girl ducttaped to the backboard.  Within seconds, the mangy, dirty, flea-riddled, stray dog was licking the delicious cheese whiz off the girl’s face.  She screamed, she laughed, she threatened, but it was not until every bit of the cheese whiz was gone that she was released.  The two male intruders who had instigated the whole shenanigan could not stop laughing or talking about the scene, and the victim, though not interested in a repeat performance, got a great laugh out of it as well, even though she vowed to get even. 

Her name was Michelle Mock, now Michelle Harrison.  Out of the thousands of young people that have served as counselors at Camp Ozark and Camp War Eagle in the past 28 summers, she stands way close to the front of the line.  Why?  Because, above all, she was and is one of the godliest human beings I have ever known.  It is important to note that in our scripture passage, Peter does not exhort or expect believers to be consistently godly until they have strived to make his previous exhortations a part of their character.  In order to be godly, Peter tells us, we must first settle the matter of our faith, then we must strive for goodness, and as we are doing so we must begin to accumulate knowledge from the scripture, all the while practicing self-control and perseverance.  All suchpractices are necessary components of a godly individual.

Michelle was and is a godly woman because she constantly seeks to be like Christ.  She constantly seeks to discern His will.  She constantly seeks to know His favor.  She constantly trusts enough to pray for others.  She constantly and confidently places the needs of others before herself.  Let me be clear, Michelle is absolutely no shrinking violet.  She is smart, tough, fun-loving, disciplined, and stubborn, also traits of godliness, I might add. (Oh, you don’t think pure-hearted stubbornness is godliness?  Read the New Testament.)  This summer you will have the opportunity to model godliness, or not.  You will have the opportunity to really respond to the overused question, “What would Jesus Do?”, or not. You will have the opportunity to pray faithfully for your kids, or not.  The goal of the believer is to become more like Christ.  The goal of the summer staffer is to show kids what it really means to be more like Christ. 

As for Michelle, she lives in Georgia now with her husband, Tim, and 3 great sons.  They are in full-time Christian, vocational ministry.  As far as I know, she bears no permanent emotional scars from that night long ago. And, as far as I know, she has not yet fulfilled her vow to get even.  If I were those two intruders I might still sleep with one eye open, though; that is unless they really like cheese whiz.

CWE Pre Camp Devo #6

2 Peter 1:-5-6b

“For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance…”

Hebrews 12:1-7

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.  Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.  And have you completely forgotten this word of encouragement that addresses you as a father addresses his son? It says,

“My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.” Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children.  For what children are not disciplined by their father?

“THE PATIENTS”

The first time I saw him he was singing in the church choir.  Now, let me tell you right up front: I am not a choir guy.  I love to listen to choirs sing, in part because I can’t sing a lick. But as for participating, sorry, that’s just not me.  Now the choir at our church is very large so in general, when you look up at the choir, or at least when I do, all I see is this big blanket of blue robes with good music bellowing forth.  Normally, I don’t focus on or recognize individual faces in the choir.  But on this particular Sunday, it was almost impossible to miss this one particular guy, because it was so obvious he was having so much fun doing what he was doing.  I mean he was rocking and rolling and gyrating, all at the same time, with a huge grin spread across his face.  To be perfectly honest, I am usually a little bit cynical about people who are a little too expressive when they are worshipping through song.  (I know I may be stepping on a few toes here, but I have to be honest.)  The lawyerly cynic in me often wonders just exactly how much is actually worship and how much is just for show.  But with this guy, there was no doubt.  It was all about worship, all about expressing joy and thankfulness, and I must say, it made an impression on me. 

I didn’t think much about it until an hour later when lo and behold the guy is making a beeline straight for me in my Bible Study Class.  He introduced himself (Paul), and his wife (Sharon), and thenout of the blue, he asked me to join the choir.  What had started off as a very promising conversation ended very quickly with me blowing him off and trying to get as far away from choir recruiting as possible.Over the next few months, though, I learned a little bit about Paul’s life.  He had endured a successful liver transplant about 10 years earlier. But because of the anti-rejection drugs required to keep his liver healthy, his kidneys had begun to fail, as had his heart.   As the months went by I begin to notice that Paul and Sharon were absent more and more as his conditioned worsened.  He was placed on dialysis and subsequently told that he would require a kidney transplant.  He was in and out of the hospital, often in the ICU as his condition seemed to worsen and his body seemed to fail.  Throughout these months I didn’t see Paul much. But every time I did he was smiling.  Every time I heard about him he was encouraged not discouraged.  Every time he communicated, it was with great hope and optimism in spite of the multiple life-threatening scenarios that seemed to engulf him almost on a weekly basis.  To my knowledge, he never blamed God.  He never whined, never asked why.  Rather, he persevered, consistently, constantly, daily, hourly.  Regardless of the circumstances he never lost faith, never lost hope, never lost joy, and never gave up or gave in. 

Paul’s conduct in the face of the potential of premature death is exactly what the authors of 2 Peter and Hebrews are exhorting the believers to adopt in their walk through life.  In the days of the early church, life was difficult for believers; there was real persecution, real prejudice, and real hardship.  Peter is absolutely clear in his teaching that perseverance is a requirement of a maturing and enduring faith.  This summer at camp, you will not be persecuted like Peter and the apostle Paul were. In all likelihood you will not face a life-threatening illness like my friend Paul was. But you will be challenged.  You may not like everything you are asked to do.  You may be required to work harder than you are imagining.  Amidst all of the fun, you may be required to persevere through personal doubts, insecurities, fears, thoughts, and commitments that are difficult.  Remember this fact.  Take hold of this requirement.  To be mature and complete and effective as a believer and as a summer staff member, you must persevere.  There is nothing in scripture that says perseverance is optional.  There is nothing in scripture that says everything about the walk and path of a believer is easy or comfortable.  Quite the contrary, actually.  You are going to have more fun this summer than you can imagine…but I guarantee you, you’re also going to have to learn to persevere…and you will be much better off for it…guaranteed!!!

As my friend, Paul’s condition worsened, and it became very difficult to find a suitable kidney donor.  His outlook seemed bleak, that is until his wife, Sharon, requested to be tested as a potential match.  Unbelievably she did, in fact, match.  So after some very tough, touch and go circumstances involving Paul’s overall condition, he and Sharon checked into the hospital in Houston, Texas and a kidney was removed from Sharon and placed in Paul.  So far, so good.  Last Sunday, as I looked up at the choir, there they were, side by side, rocking, rolling, and gyrating to the goodness of a loving God.  Thank you, Paul and Sharon.  You have both taught me a lot…a whole lot.

CWE Pre Camp Devo #5

2 Peter 1:5-6a

“For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge;  and to knowledge, self-control...”

James 1:19-27

My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.  Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you. Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.  Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.  But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do. Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless.  Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

“THE COACH”

“ARE YOU KIDDING ME?  ARE…YOU…KIDDING ME?”  This is what I thought to myself after hanging up the phone inearly May 2011.  “This is unbelievable, simply unbelievable,” I continued to privately whine.I had just received a telephone call from my close friend, Mark Turgeon, the Head Basketball Coach at Texas A&M.He dropped the bombshell that he was resigning his position, effective immediately, to take the head basketball coaching job at the University of Maryland.  Not only did I like Mark, not only did I love his family (his son Will isone of our campers), and not only did I think he was a dadgummed good basketball coach, but the timing was absolutely terrible.  All the significant coaching changes take place in March, or at the latest early April.  In other words, all of the good basketball coach replacements were surely gone.  “What a debacle,” I thought to myself. 

Nonetheless, soon enough, a search for a new coach began.  After a brief but intensive search, a new coach was named.  His name…Billy Kennedy, the former head basketball coach at Moorhead State University (where in the heck is Moorhead State?).  Though I had visited with Coach Kennedy briefly over the phone before he officially accepted the position, I still had no real concept of who he was. But the fact of the matter was he was now our coach.  He was now my coach.  And so it was that a day or so later I hopped in my little Cessna 182 and flew from central Arkansas to College Station to welcome and meet our new coach, Billy Kennedy.  What I found was the genuine article: no pretense, no self-centered ego, no glad-handing.Simply a quiet, genuine, confident, disciplined man…and a believer.

I got to know Billy very well, very fast.  My wife and I travelled with the Aggie Basketball team on an overseas pre-season trip.  I watched him as he interacted with players, with other coaches, with officials, and with regular guys like me…and I liked it.  And I liked him.  I watched as in early October, on the eve of his first ever Division 1 basketball season, he announced that he was taking a brief leave of absence because he had been diagnosed, in his mid-40s, with early onset Parkinson’s disease, a potentially debilitating disease of the central nervous system.  I watched as he dealt with the doubt of fans, players, school officials, and others.  I watched as he recovered.  I watched as he returned to coaching and I watched as he endured the perfect storm of things that can go wrong to a collegiate basketball team.  Multiple devastating injuries to key players, the unexpected and ill-advised transfer of a key freshman, the consequences of a severely overrated team to begin with, and the multiple losses that occurred as a result of all of the above.  And as I watched, I learned.  As I watched, I gained a deep respect.  As I watched, I saw the confirmation of a witness that was expressed without many words.  I saw a man who practiced self-control in the worst of times, when most of us would have blown a gasket, thrown a pity party, or otherwise lost control. 

Peter and James are very clear in today’s scriptures.  They tell us the excellence of our faith, of our goodness, and of our knowledge must be accompanied by self-control.  A lack of self-control, exhibited by temper or a lack of self- discipline, is the easiest way on earth to discredit our witness as Christians.  This summer you will be challenged by kids, by peers, by supervisory staff, by me, as well as by heat, by the intensity of the summer, and by physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual exhaustion.  Regardless of how much good you have done, if you do not exercise self-control…patience, a disciplined tongue, a steady work ethic, and a positive attitude…all your witness, all the good you may have done, risks being lost in an instant. 

This characteristic(self-control) that Peter says is a requisite of all effective believers(and, therefore, the effective summer staff member) requires great discipline, great courage, great security, and most importantly, the great power of the Holy Spirit.  Your prayer for this summer should be that God will use the laboratory of camp to provide you with the ability to learn and practice self-control.  To not do so is to risk, as Peter says later in his epistle, being ineffective and unproductive in your walk.

As for the coach, his consistency of character, including self-control, provided him the opportunity of witness during what I would consider likely the most difficult time of his life… professionally, personally, emotionally, physically, and perhaps spiritually.  He never reacted poorly to the negativism thrown his way, the doubt publicly expressed by some, or the unfortunate experiences of a first season gone awry.  Now, as he approaches season 2, he exhibits no outward effects of Parkinson’s disease.  He and his staff have assembled a stellar recruiting class.  His remaining players understand his demands, his requirements, his commitment, and his personal interest in their lives.  And everyone who knows him marvels at his ability to maintain his composure, his focus, his self-control when almost no one else could.  Watch out SEC, here comes Billy Kennedy.

CWE Pre Camp Devo #4

2 Peter 1:5b

” For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge”

Psalms 119:66

“Teach me knowledge and good judgment, for I believe in your commands.”

Proverbs 10:14

“Wise men store up knowledge, but the mouth of a fool invites ruin.”

“THE FIANCE”

The first time I can recall talking to the guy, I really didn’t connect the dots.  It was at a 30^th birthday party for my daughter, Angela, at the home of a close camp friend, Sarah.  The guy seemed like a nice enough guy—he is an Aggie (always a plus with me).  I spoke to him as he stood outside by the garage, with Sarah’s husband, Bryant.  I remember that much. 

Sarah and Bryantmet at camp through a set-up orchestrated by Angela.  Now happily married, they live in Houston.  Unbeknownst to me and, more importantly, unbeknownst to Angela, Sarah and Bryant were returning the favor (the “set up” favor).  I talked to Bryant and this guy(named Stephan) for a while about Aggie sports and that was it…or so I thought.  Fast forward a month or so to December and I hear my daughter is dating someone, reluctantly at first, but dating nonetheless.  By Christmas I find out that the guy’s name is Stephan and I am reminded by my wife that I met him at the birthday party.  O.K., so now I am starting to figure it out…that is why this guy Stephan was at the birthday party to begin with. 

I really don’t get to meet the guy as my daughter’s boyfriend until mid-March, when my daughter is finally convinced that her mother and I are not going to run him off.  And instead of just meeting him, we spend an entire weekend with him and my daughter in Chicago (NCAA basketball tournament).  When your team loses its first game on Friday and your return flight is not until Monday morning, there is a lot of time left to get to know someone.  And that trip is when I first really started to get to know Stephan, who is now my daughter’s fiancé. 

There are lots of things I like about Stephan.  He is patient, kind, absolutely adores my daughter, and is committed to the selfless type of love that every husband should have (and every summer staff member should have).  Those are the types of things that are important to the father of the bride (and the guy in charge of a summer camp).  But something else, maybe not as important but impressive nonetheless, is how much Stephan knows about a lot of different things.  He is smart, yes, but I am not talking about intelligence.  Instead, I am talking about knowledge.  Stephan knows a lot of stuff about a lot of things.   From baseball trivia to politics, from architecture to art, from pop culture to ancient history, he is just a reservoir of knowledge.

As Peter continues to encourage and instruct believers regarding their responsibilities to the Kingdom of God, and as we begin to prepare for our amazing opportunity of working all summer with kids, he (Peter) adds another building block to the life of Christians and summer staff members.  Today he tells us that after you have settled the matter of your faith and after you have sought to be good, you must then seek knowledge.  To be effective at camp this summer and to be effective as a Christian (as long as you are on this Earth) seeking knowledge that can only be provided by scripture is required.  Our faith settles our future, our goodness starts us on our journey as witnesses to the difference Christ can make in our lives, and knowledge provides us a roadmap of where we are going.  I can have a gas tank full of goodness and be driving a luxury vehicle of faith, but at some point, I need to know how I am supposed to get where I need to be in order to complete the journey, the journey of an effective believer.  All of us need to make it a habit to know the Word so we can speak the Word, but more importantly, so we can live the Word.  Kids respond positively to deeds and attitudes, not words. Without knowledge we don’t have the necessary roadmap to get us where we need to go as witnesses for Christ. 

As this summer approaches create a habit, if you haven’t already done so, of getting to know how Christ wants you to live your life through what is in His Word, this summer and beyond. Only through knowledge of His Word, can you have knowledge of all that Christ is and all that He wants us to be.  Only through knowledge of His Word, can you begin to be conformed more to his holy likeness.  God’s Word is truth and only through the knowledge of truth can you live the effective life God wants you to live.  The life-long quest of every Christian is to know God more deeply, more fully, more completely…this summer and beyond.

As for Stephan, the walking encyclopedia, last October we had lunch, at his request.  He was probably hoping for a 10-minute conversation and my permission. What he got was 2½ hours of my knowledge…and then my permission.  Welcome to the family, Stephan.  You are a good man.  Welcome to camp, summer staff member, it’s gonna be quite a ride.  Believe me.I “KNOW.”

CWE Pre Camp Devo #3-Summer 2012

2 Peter 1:1-5b

“For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness…”

 “THE BLESSING”

We first met her about 6 years ago.“We” meaning my wife, Susan, and me.  She wasn’t really my first choice for the job.  My first choice had been Grace, but Grace had just accepted a new position in Colorado, so she wasn’t available.  Almost as an afterthought, Grace had mentioned a good friend of hers who was working in a marketing position that required a lot of travel.  Grace thought this friend might be ready for a change. So, “what the heck,” I thought, and I called her. 

The occasion of my call was that our long time Administrative Assistant, Mindy, had recently married and was unable to relocate to Arkansas for the summer.  Well, if you are going to work directly for Susan and me, you have to relocate because we relocate.  It’s just that simple.  She agreed to come in for a visit, so we visited.  I thought the interview was o.k., not great—certainly not bad—but we needed an assistant and of the three people I interviewed she seemed to make the most sense.  She must have thought so too, because when I offered her the job she took it. And that is how Katie Kasmiersky Hoercher came to work for Susan and me six years ago.  And now she is leaving.  Well, not now.  Not until the fall when her husband, Patrick Hoercher, who Katie met and married through their mutual Camp Ozark work experience, begins a second graduate program in theology, this time at Duke University.  Oh, and by the way, Katie will give birth to their first child about a month after they relocate.  (Talk about a lot of change in a short amount of time.)

I am happy for Katie, I am mad at Patrick for stealing her away (just kidding…kind of), I am sad for us, but most of all I am thankful.  Thankful that Katie has been a part of our camp family and my own family for these past 6 years.  Thankful that Katie has been such a wonderful part of what we do for the past 6 years.  Thankful that she has made such a profound impact on the camp experience and the people of camp, and thankful that Katie has been able to keep me straight for the past 6 years when my schedule has been really, really crazy.  Most of all, though, I am thankful for Katie because she is such a good person. She is one of, if not the, most pure-hearted people I have ever known.  You know most of us, to one extent or another, lose(or worse, never truly gain) that pure-heartedness that results in seeing the best in others, thinking the best of others, doing the best for others, and being the best you can be. 

In today’s scripture, Peter tells us that after we have settled the matter of our faith, without knowing anything else, without being a biblical scholar, without being part of a growth group, without the experiences of a lifetime, a believer can (and should) be good.  But what does that really mean? Goodness? To be good? Dictionary.com defines goodness as moral excellence.   Peter is telling us that as believers, in order to live the life God wants us to live, we must always strive to be virtuous, to live and practice the golden rule, and to be above reproach.  Look folks, goodness is not rocket science.  It’s thinking, speaking, and doing what is best for others.  It’s encouraging others, praying for others, and living a life above reproach.  You don’t have to have an ounce of knowledge to know what is good, what is right, what is just, what is merciful. And you don’t have to have an ounce of knowledge to practice it.  Peter knew that. That’s why he exhorted true believers to, first of all, practice goodness. 

This summer you can choose to grow in goodness…or not.  You can choose to live a life of moral excellence…or not.  You can choose to think, act, speak, and live a shining example of goodness…or not.  The choice is yours. But understand this: Peter was clear.  True practitioners of the Christian faith strive to be people who are first of all, before anything else…good.  Show me your theology, Peter says, and I will ask to see your goodness.  Speak your words, Peter says, and I will ask to see how you treat the children.  Sing your praises, Peter says, and I will ask to see how you respond to temptation, to trial, to dealing with difficult situations. Growing in goodness is the mark of growing in faith.  Peter knew that and so do you and me. You can’t fake goodness, and you for sure can’t fake it at camp.  The kids will see right through you. Goodness is such a simple concept yet such a difficult lifestyle.  Pray for the strength to practice real goodness this summer…and beyond.

As for Katie, I have hired her replacement, who is no doubt s going to be great,(in no small part because Katie is working overtime to make sure her replacement knows everything possible about the challenging task of managing me…and Susan).  But regardless, I am going to miss Katie greatly.  Not her work, though that has been outstanding. But more so who she is and how she is: a good person, a pure-hearted person, a person who manages to put up with me and keep smiling.  Thanks, Katie. You have truly been A BLESSING (I am still mad at you, though, Patrick).

CWE Pre Camp Devo #2

2 Peter 1:1-5a

“Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ have received a faith as precious as ours: Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.  His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.  Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.  For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith…”

Hebrews 11

“Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.  This is what the ancients were commended for.  By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.  By faith Abel brought God a better offering than Cain did. By faith he was commended as righteous, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith Abel still speaks, even though he is dead.  By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death: “He could not be found, because God had taken him away.” For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God. And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.  By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that is in keeping with faith.  By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going.  By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God. And by faith even Sarah, who was past childbearing age, was enabled to bear children because she[b] considered him faithful who had made the promise. And so from this one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore. All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth.  People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own.  If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return.  Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.  By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had embraced the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son, even though God had said to him, “It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.” Abraham reasoned that God could even raise the dead, and so in a manner of speaking he did receive Isaac back from death. By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau in regard to their future.  By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of Joseph’s sons, and worshiped as he leaned on the top of his staff.  By faith Joseph, when his end was near, spoke about the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt and gave instructions concerning the burial of his bones.  By faith Moses’ parents hid him for three months after he was born, because they saw he was no ordinary child, and they were not afraid of the king’s edict.  By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter.  He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin.  He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward.  By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger; he persevered because he saw him who is invisible.  By faith he kept the Passover and the application of blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn would not touch the firstborn of Israel. By faith the people passed through the Red Sea as on dry land; but when the Egyptians tried to do so, they were drowned.By faith the walls of Jericho fell, after the army had marched around them for seven days.  By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient.   And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson and Jephthah, about David and Samuel and the prophets,  who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies.  Women received back their dead, raised to life again. There were others who were tortured, refusing to be released so that they might gain an even better resurrection.  Some faced jeers and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment.  They were put to death by stoning; they were sawed in two; they were killed by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated—  the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, living in caves and in holes in the ground.  These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised, since God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.”

 

“THE CADDY”

 

The first and only time I met him, the wind was blowing at least 30 mph straight off of the North Atlantic Ocean. Though the sky was a deep, deep blue, it was the wind that concerned me on this day.  This was the day I was set to play Lahinch, one of the great old links golf courses that dot the west coast of the Republic of Ireland. 

He was short, had a very ruddy complexion that was weathered and wrinkled by exposure to the elements on too many days exactly like this day.  His name was Hugh and he was a professional caddy.  As a matter of fact, Hugh, who was 58 years old, had been a professional caddy for 51 years, beginning when he was a young boy of 7 years old, and spentevery day of every one of those 51 years right there at Lahinch.  My friend Bob and I had decided to spring for a caddy because we had been told in no uncertain terms that to fail to do so would produce a miserable experience.  Now, let me say in advance, I am not a very good golfer.  As a matter of fact, good golfers who are my age tend to scare me.  Anyone my age who has the time to be a great golfer must not have the time to be very great at anything else…at least that’s my reasoning.  Although the course was extremely difficult, the wind ridiculously challenging, the terrain unbelievably hilly, and the rough about 3 feet tall, I did in fact have a really good experience that day and the main reason, perhaps the only reason for that was Hugh.  Because of his tremendous experience and knowledge, Hugh knew that golf course better than he knew the back of his hand.  He knew exactly where I needed to hit every shot, exactly what club I needed to use whether the wind was in my face, at my back, or blowing straight sideways.  He also knew exactly where and how to find every ball that went astray into the tall rough and every encouraging word to say to make an old duffer like me feel like he was doing at least something right. 

I scored better than I should have…way better.  I had more fun than I can remember having had playing golf in a long time and I came away from the experience completely satisfied.  None of that could have occurred on that blustery day in Ireland if I hadn’t made one crucial decision before I ever hit my first shot…the decision to fully and completely trust Hugh, to have faith in his wisdom, even when it defied my own logic and seemed to make no sense. 

In today’s scripture passages, Peter exhorts all believers to understand that in order to lead a meaningful, purposeful, fulfilling life, we must begin by trusting in Christ.  We must begin in faith.  The entire 11^th chapter of Hebrews is spent challenging believers to live a life of faith, not simply a life of initial belief, not just a life of trusting when it is convenient, but a consistent, daily life of faith in the Father, through the Son.Nowhere will this exhortation be more important than this summer at camp.  Nowhere will this challenge be more important than this summer at camp.  Nowhere will this lifestyle be more difficult, at times, than this summer at camp.  Camp is fun, make no mistake about that.  But it is also an exercise in faith…in trust.  At times you may think you are not suited for the camp experience, the pace, the noise, the heat, the lifestyle.  You must trust.  You must exercise faith.  At times you may not understand what your purpose is in being at camp this summer.  You must live faithfully, day by day.  At times a child or a peer or a permanent staff member may challenge your patience, your resolve, your commitment almost to the breaking point.  You must live by faith.  And, if…if….if…IF you choose to trust in God’s purpose and plan which without question is bringing you to camp this summer, then you will in fact grow.  You will in fact change. You will in fact see the purpose. You will in fact have fun. You will in fact make memories.  You will in fact experience joy, unparalleled joy that only comes from trusting and acting in faith.  Now faith is being sure of things hoped for, certain of things not seen.  Can you imagine how your life might change if you really, really lived by that simple creed every day ?  Wow!!!!  This summer you can start.  This summer we can start.  Before you can begin to experience the richness of the adventure that lies ahead, you must settle once and for all, the answer to these questions: do you really believe?  Do you really trust?  Do you REALLY have faith?  Your answer could determine the richness of your life experience, not just the richness of your summer experience.  And, oh, by the way, if you are ever so lucky as to play Lahinch on the west coast of Ireland, ask for Hugh, and do exactly what he tells you to do.  You won’t regret it.

Pre Camp Devo #1--Summer 2012

Matthew 4:18-20

As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew.  They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen.  “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” At once they left their nets and followed him.

2 Peter 1:1-9

Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ have received a faith as precious as ours: Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.  His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.  Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.  For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge;  and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness;  and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love.  For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.  But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins.

“THE APOSTLE”

“You are going to do what?” the mother likely said.  “And just exactly how does this ‘plan’ of yours have anything to do with the rest of your life, not to mention the rest of the next decade, which is just about how long you are going to be in college and on my payroll at the rate you are going?” chimed in the dad.   Believe me, it happens.  These are not unusual responses from wonderful parents when informed by their offspring that they have chosen to spend all, or at least a portion of their summer working at, of all places, a summer camp.  And to be honest, to those who have no frame of reference regarding the camp experience, it is not too difficult to understand how they may have been a little shocked when you told them about your summer plans. 

But, as shocked as some (certainly not all) of your parents may have been regarding your plans for this summer, I would venture to say it pales in comparison to the shock experienced by an obscure biblical character, one so obscure that she is never even directly mentioned in the scriptures.  I am of course referring to Mrs. Peter.  Yeah that’s right.Mrs. Peter, the wife of Peter the apostle.  Other than the fact that she existed and could cook, we really are not told anything about her.  But let’s consider Mrs. Peter for a moment.Can you just imagine the shock that Mrs. Peter experienced when some of the local townsfolk came home one day and told her that her husband was long gone?  Yep, that’s right. Long gone, without even bothering to say goodbye to her or the children.  No, he had not run off with another woman, and no he did not have a little too much “grape juice” after a hard day of fishing and run off with a bunch of hooligans.And no, he wasn’t taking her and the children for granted.  The fact of the matter was, she was probably told that a man, a mysterious man about whom stories were circulating, had walked by Peter and his brother, Andrew, and simply said “Come, follow me.”  And without blinking an eye they had thrown their nets down, hopped out of the boat, waded to shore,and  were gone.  Gone on the greatest adventure of all time, three years serving the Master in His physical presence, and many, many more serving His kingdom. Wow!!! Talk about a shock to the old planned out life.

Now listen to me young people, I am certainly not going to tell you that the adventure you have signed up for this summer rises to the magnitude of that of Peter and the other apostles, and I doubt that regardless of how little your parents know about the amazing experience of camp, they could ever be as shocked (or as understanding as Mrs. Peter—talk about selfless love).  But I will tell you this:you have signed up for an adventure, one that may be, can be, dare I say should be, the most amazing adventure of your life so far.  It is an adventure, not unlike that of Peter.  It will require faith, goodness, knowledge, self-control, godliness, brotherly, and last, but certainly not least, love. 

Not coincidentally, for the next 10 days we will be looking at these characteristics described by the apostle Peter in his 2^nd letter.  And so, as we begin our preparation for this adventure we call “camp,” we look at the exhortations of Peter to all believers.  First, let’sbriefly look at the author himself, the man Peter…THE APOSTLE.  Peter is my kind of guy and I personally think he would have been a great camp guy even though God obviously had different plans for Peter.  Study his life and you will find he wasn’t perfect but his motives were almost always pure.  You will find that whatever he did, he tended to go “all in,” so to speak, just like you will be asked to do this summer.  He started off by trusting that he was doing with his life exactly what God wanted him to be doing, just like you must trust that this summer, you are doing exactly what God wants you to be doing.  It might not have made sense to a lot of people, maybe not even to those closest to him, but it made senseto Peter, because he knew God was calling him…and nothing else mattered.  With his trust established, he proceeded to focus effusively, act boldly, care deeply, love fully and commit totally, just like you will be asked to do this summer…and that was enough for God with regard to Peter and it is enough for God with regard to you. 

Peter went on to do mighty things in his life. He went on to fail miserably at times. But mainly he went on to become a great man of God without any evidence that, skill wise, he was anything other than an ordinary fisherman.  After serving Christ faithfully during Christ’s life, death, resurrection, and ascension, knowing that the time for his own death was near, Peter, this ordinary fisherman, who did extraordinary things, exhorted the believers to stay strong, to live boldly, to serve mightily, to walk humbly, and to pray without ceasing.  For the next couple of weeks we will look at what Peter, based on the bold adventure of his own life, told all believers. And we will apply it to your adventure this summer.  Some of you may be a little unsure concerning what is about to come….REMEMBER PETER. Some of you may have second thoughts about what you are getting yourself into…REMEMBER PETER.  Some of you may not understand the challenges you are going to face, or the growth that can occur, or the satisfaction you can receive…REMEMBER PETER.  Camp can be a life-changing experience for kids.  We want that…badly.But it can also be a life-changing, life-defining experience for you.  We want that just as badly.  Oh, and for the record, I really don’t know how it turned out regarding Peter and Mrs. Peter, but I can just about bet that Peter’s journey was an enriching journey for the whole family, just like it will be for you a key member of our 2012 camp family.  I can’t wait!!!