Safety and souls, this is my prayer for our campers, staff and guests.  I pray for these two things two times each day. Once in the morning and once at night before going to bed.  There is nothing more important when people are a part of a SpringHill Experience than their safety and their spiritual nurture and transformation.

There are only a hand full of things I pray for regularly twice daily.  They are things like my kids, my wife Denise and other specific people and situations God has placed in my life.  Why twice daily?  It’s because these are the things that are heavy on my heart and I have a sense of responsibility for them as God’s steward.  I pray regularly for other things of course but just a small number make the “twice daily” list.

That’s why yesterday I took a walk around Rust Lake at our Indiana camp (and because of the fact it was so beautiful outside I didn’t want to sit  in an office any longer) and prayed for summer camp, our campers, staff and guests.  It was appropriate to pray for S2 during this week since we are in the middle of staff training.  This week and the previous three weeks  is where we prepare our staff to provide an S2 experience for everyone who comes to SpringHill.

It’s our way of acknowledging that God generally answers prayers through His people.  This means we need to do our part to cooperate with God in answering our prayers.  Prayer doesn’t allow us to run from our responsibilities, it forces us to acknowledge where the ultimate source of all good things comes from yet do the part He has called us to do in fulfilling those things.

Please join me in praying for S2 for everyone who has a SpringHill Experience this summer.

Yesterday as I was on my way down to staff training at our overnight camp in Indiana I stopped by our Day Camp at Brookside Church in Fort Wayne.  Our Camp Director, Danae Durling, gave me a tour of the location and also the opportunity to see staff and campers.  It was obvious kids were having a blast on day two of camp.

One mother had come early to pick up her son so he could go to a baseball playoff game.  This boy was having a great time with his friends and his counselor until his mother told him he had to go.  Then it was all tears.  We never want to see kids have sad tears at camp, but this one touched our staff.  This boy’s tears were because he did not want to leave camp – even to play baseball.

We are thankful for the experience and the impact it is having on this boy but we also pray that the same impact will be had by the over 4000 Day Campers we expect this summer.

The good news for this camper?  He is coming back to SpringHill today and has 3 more days of camp.

I finished my day in worship with our staff in Indiana. A huge thunder-storm rolled through as we were together.  As we sang  “Hallelujah grace like rain falls down on me” we could all hear the patter of rain falling on the club room.

After worship most of the rain had stopped and we stepped out onto the deck overlooking the lake.  The sky was bright pink and fire orange.  Across the lake there was an incredible rainbow.  It was a powerful picture that not only does God’s grace like rain fall down on us but also reminded us of another reality of which we sang “hallelujah, all my stains are washed away, washed away”.  A great ending to a great day.

Today was our opening day of SpringHill summer camp.  Camp opened for our overnight camp in Michigan followed by opening days on Monday in three day camp locations,  Brookside Community Church in Dyer, IN,  Liberty Bible Church in Chesterton, IN and River Oaks Community Church in Goshen, IN.

My day started with the opportunity to speak to our summer staff  at staff worship.  I shared about “God as Our Personal Revealer” focusing on His primary way of revealing Himself through Scripture based on James 1:22-25.  I provide three challenges to our staff. First to read all of Scripture, secondly to believe  in faith that it is God’s Word and finally to live it out, to obey what it says.  By the way if you have never been to one of our staff worships either in Michigan or Indiana you need to attend if you are in the area of either.  Sunday’s throughout the summer at 10:00 am.

Following staff worship Todd Leinberger, our Michigan VP and Camp Director, Kayla Kiley our Michigan Communication Coordinator and myself had lunch with Rick and Dawn Northrup, parents of one of our now more famous campers Colin (story to follow later this summer).  During lunch we were all able to share stories about Colin and how God has used him to make a difference in the lives of many, many people.  Frankly, lunch was one of those times when I am reminded of the incredible privilege to do what I do.  These folks are great people and their son is being used by God to make a difference in the lives of others.

Finally I was part of greeting campers and parents.  What a day.  Lots of new campers.  Staff was very fired up, each area having created its own song to great campers and their parents.  Having kids at camp is why we exist at SpringHill.  It really is the essence of our being and the calling God has given us.

Summer camp is finally here and the universe now seems to be in balance.