My family and I just returned from Pine Cove Family Camp. It was our first experience of a family camp. For those of you unfamiliar with the concept, each family spends seven days in a campgound, complete with log cabins, nature (including scorpions in the showers), and no electronic devices. Although the enthusiastic reception of 50 bouncing counselors cheering their excitement of our arrival just about sent my husband AWOL, we embraced the situation, unpacked our bags and stayed for the duration. Wow! Were we glad we did. It was incredible!
Why Family Camp? We decided to begin the summer differently. We had heard our neighbors and friends describe their uplifting and restful family camp experiences and decided to try it ourselves. Family Camp is an environment where each of you hears the word of God, makes new friends, eats really good food, and just has fun. The staff orchestrates time for couples to connect WITHOUT their kids as well as planning hilarious adventures for families to participate in together. Our children were surrounded by powerful Christian role models and I didn’t have to prepare 49 meals in a row for the six of us!
Not only did I eat very well, play until dripping with sweat (the kind where re-applying the deo doesn’t help a bit), and laugh until my sides hurt; I was challenged to daily forfeit my own desires to embrace the desires God has over my life. Not the Kumbaya-type of experience I was expecting.
For a person committed to wholehearted pursuit, I thought I had this one down. Hah! Oh, no. Definitely not. I came home with two CLEARLY defined areas I need to die to today. And then tomorrow. And the day after that, and the day after that…. Until my life is marked by submission to Him in everything I am. One of these areas, I had no idea was even an issue! It was a powerful experience.
This week, I was able to get to a place where I could be receptive to the Word of God outside of my normal chaos. Although the theme of losing your life is not appealing to many Christians, it encapsulates the essence of pursuing Christ in a manner worthy of winning the prize Pauls speaks of. My desire today is that you, too, can find a place outside of the chaos to listen and receive a specific Word for you in your sphere of influence. My place this week was in the woods of east Texas, but I know full well, it can happen on your own back porch. Where might you find yours?
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Family Camp Adventure


