I spent many summers as a child and teen at Christian Camps like Word of Life Island and even spent a summer working for one. I loved every minute of my time there and I’ve found that a lot of people have similar memories of their time at a Christian camp. Some are funny and some are spiritual but all are nostalgic memories of our childhood summers.

1. Campfire services.

The fire is bright. The music is powerful. Someone preaches a message about love, forgiveness, and Christ. It’s always an emotional night at camp, and I was always that one girl who left crying. Maybe you’ve been to countless services like this and they all blur together in your mind, or maybe one stands alone in its impact on your life. Either way, you remember what it’s like to throw a stick in the fire.

2. The 5 Bs.

Christian camps value modesty. That means not showing Butts, Boobs, Backs, Bellies, or Bra-straps (or other underwear-aka guys who sag their pants). Sometimes we followed the modesty rules willingly, and other times we rolled our eyes and fought to wear shorts just a half inch shorter.

3. That 1 leader.

Ok, we all did it. You know you had a hopeless crush on the worship leader or the lifeguard or 1 of the counselors. They were older, they were talented, they were cute, they were godly and thirteen-year-old you totally “loved” them.

4. Comedy and skits.

At Word of Life we had a night dedicated just to comedy, but I know other campers sat through endless crazy antics and skits put on by their counselors. We laughed so hard when they threw pies at each other, cracked jokes that may or may not have been appropriate, and generally acted out to get a reaction.

5) Weekly theme songs.

Every camp had a theme for the week and with a theme comes a theme song. You had it memorized by day 2 and you definitely both loved and hated it at the same time.

6)Hand hugs.

Christian camps mean no PDA. So if you or your counselor was one of the lucky ones that were dating someone else at camp the closest you got to a hug was the hand hug. A high five and putting your thumb around the other person’s hand was the cutest thing in the world at camp.

7) Meeting new people.

Campers and staff came from all over the state, the country, and even the world. You bonded with your cabin mates, your teammates, and anyone you happened to talk to during your weeks at camp. I was blessed to meet people from everywhere from Texas to Spain to South Korea.

Going to Christian summer camp impacted my life in so many ways, and while your memories are uniquely yours, I hope you enjoyed some of the same experiences I did