JUNE 21 - 25
SAGEMONT CHURCH
JUNIOR HIGH
Houston, TX - www.sagemontchurch.org
THEME: BEHIND THE SCENES
SUMMER CAMP _children.pre-teens.teens
DISCOVERING DESIRE
By Jackie Farris, Summer Ministry Team
I
regard the time I have spent at Camp
Tejas as a blessing full of beauty
and growth. I have learned a lot this
summer as God has continued to work
in me. Also, I have been taught something lovely through the children I serve
daily. It is amazing to see how much the
youth look up to adults, though I hardly
consider myself to be an adult. They imitate and re?ect the actions and words
of those they look up to.
Throughout the last year God has
stretched me and exposed the sin buried deep within my heart. This summer
I came with no expectations but to grow
and know God more. It has been incredible to experience Him eagerly and with
passion. When I arrived here I saw that
I lacked a desire to know Him more. It
was something I knew I couldn’t ?nd
on my own, so I asked God to help me
yearn for His word and company. As I
have matured in my relationship with
my God I have seen the people around
me in a different light. The ones that
stand out to me the most have been
the children. It is a true saying to have
faith like a child. They seem to accept
the reality of heaven and the gospel
without questioning the notion of predestination or other trivial theological
terms. Also, being so young they long
to learn and discover. I desire that aspiration for life that, for children, appears so instinctive.
The most beautiful thing I have witnessed this summer is seeing a child
come to know the Lord. At this acceptance of Jesus Christ the inborn faith
is given purpose and direction. Being
an example for them I myself have
to “...live a life worthy of the calling I
have received. Being completely humble and gentle; being patient, bearing
with them in love” (Ephesians 4:1-2).
They are naive in their age and life experiences and are simple in their faith.
It is hard to be young in this day and
age. We are exposed to so much as
the world continues to give approval of
sin. The ?esh desires that which it was
born into. When children do not learn
to desire something that is not of this
world they fall into the temptations of
sinful man. James 1:14-15 reiterates
this saying, “...but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is
dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth
to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown,
gives birth to death.”
A child’s life is so precious and impressionable, and the kids that come to
Camp Tejas are in a place away from the
normal everyday exposure to our sinful
culture. Though they are here for a short
time, God can imprint in them a desire
for something eternal. As a leader I can
be an example to the young hearts that
desire life and adventure. And, a life
lived in Christ is an adventure that exceeds man’s expectations.
Check out how you can be
involved with our Summer
Ministry Team on page 34.
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881264 Camp Tejas Mag.indd 4
12/8/2006 2:38:33 PM