Summer camp: A time for swimming, sunburns, group games, team building activities, new friendships, and lifelong memories. Last weekend, our student ministry, Oneighty, loaded four buses with over 60 students and 43 adult staff members and spent three days at Sky Ranch Cave Springs Camp in Quapaw, Oklahoma. New friendships were made, and old friendships were strengthened. We laughed until our abdominal muscles ached, we had adventures on the 2300-foot long zipline, we rode horses, and we chilled out in the natural springs that are so cold it makes one wonder how fast hypothermia sets in. We ran and screamed our heads off while slathering each other in shaving cream, flour, and soaked horse oats, and we pushed the rules of the giant slip n' slide as far as they could possibly go without anyone breaking their necks.

We had a blast.

But that's not even half of what happened on those camp grounds that weekend. Friday and Saturday evening we gathered in the little chapel on the hill to worship our God and hear His word being preached. Within those four walls, something amazing took place.

First, repentance. Even as a staff member who has grown up through this youth group, I was challenged to "run ahead" and "climb higher" as my pastor preached on Zacchaeus. As a group, we pushed past everything holding us back, whether it be music, relationships, or the opinions of others, and decided to run as hard and as fast as we can towards Jesus. We became determined to become seekers and to go to higher levels in our relationships with Christ. We threw "normal" out the window and embraced the fact that the world will hate us because we follow Him.

After repentance came unity. With one voice we praised Him, and when we did His glory fell over us in a powerful way. We praised until our legs ached and our voices gave out. We cried real tears as students prayed over staff and staff prayed over students. We felt God's presence so strongly, and it was all because we were in one accord, harmonizing together with the same goal and expectation: more of God in our lives.

Here is a low quality video of high quality praise. His love is relentless!

Words can't describe the atmosphere in that chapel on Friday and Saturday night. Even looking back over what I've just written, my words seem dry and inadequate, because there is no way I could tell you what it was like. It is something that must be experienced personally. There was a power, a love, a joy, and an anointing so strong that filled the room and weaved from person to person as the Holy Spirit had His way. Thankfully, a personal experience like that is possible for us all, and the same power, love, joy, and anointing can be felt and experienced even in our own homes.

Some of the students at camp had never experienced God's presence like that before. Some of them gave their lives to Christ for the first time, and some of them dedicated their lives once again. Some of them were filled to overflowing with His Holy Spirit, and some of them, as our pastor said, went to a higher level than ever before. Lives were changed, hearts were mended, chains were broken, and spirits were refreshed, all in HIS presence. He was right there with us throughout every single moment.

God put a fresh burden on the staff for these students, reminding us why we take four buses out every Wednesday night to bring students to Oneighty, why we spend hours planning, preparing, and executing various events and outreaches to see lives changed and souls saved. Our hearts are full of love for these that have been entrusted to us, and as one, we will move to bring more teenagers to Jesus.

We left the camp grounds exhausted, sunburnt, and full of life in Christ. We left in unity, a family of brothers and sisters with a loving Father who constantly draws our hearts to His. Yes, Camp Oneighty 2017 was so fun, but it was so much more. It was not just a summer camp, but it was moving, refreshing, and life-changing.

I am thankful beyond words for all that God did last weekend. He truly is amazing. My prayer is that people around us realize His presence is real and that He is accessible at any time and in any place, that we carry this same spirit into this school year in such a way that there is a noticeable difference in our lives and in our ministry, and that this unity in Oneighty grows stronger as together we run ahead and climb higher in Christ. All glory and honor goes to Him, our loving and perfect Father, Friend, and Couselor.