Camp Mosaic 2015: The Little Things

If I could choose a theme for my meditations on my week at Camp Mosaic, I might pick "little things." I could choose leadership, flexibility, diversity, or even humility (I had a first grader teaching me soccer!), but the little things seem so much more important.

First, my role this week and in all the preparation is new for me. In the past, I have done little, but what I have done, I can humbly say that I have done well. Jesus tells us that if we are faithful in the little things, we shall be given more. In all of my service, I try to be faithful, doing whatever is asked of me, no matter how insignificant. My reward is a new task, one much larger and important, but for which I have been given the strength necessary, prepared by my time in more obscure roles.

Second, the children running about in the field chasing soccer balls and spraying me with the hose are certainly little things. But they have big smiles and bigger hearts, which makes my difficult duties a joy. Each of them is precious to their Creator and desired by their Savior. If I can be a part of them coming to a saving knowledge of their King--be it by witnessing to them directly or by doing field work so that others are free to do so--then it will be more than enough for me.

Third, I believe that it may be time to rethink a widely accepted saying about not being able to "see the forest for the trees." Certainly, getting our heads out of the details to see the big picture is important. But I think that, while the big picture is our motivation, the little pictures are our inspiration. Perhaps there is a time when it is more important to see the trees than the forest. After all, if your "big picture" is to end world hunger, then what is one sandwich given to someone in poverty? If your big picture is to bring the world to salvation, what is one game of soccer with a first grade boy from Iraq--regardless of my soccer skills (or lack thereof)? We must think in large terms to set our goals, but we must take time for the little things; else the big things will never be accomplished.

The big picture motivates us to do the little things which reap little rewards which inspire us to keep doing little things until we achieve the big picture. Will we ever see the world come to know Christ? Sadly, no. But we must keep the goal in mind to motivate us every time we are bogged down with the details. Conversely, when we are overwhelmed with the immensity of our mission, we must focus on the little things, the moments and memories and minute victories that inspire us to keep going.

The week's game time was full of moments. Watching children squeal as they melt a block of ice with their hands, kicking a soccer ball with a few first graders, standing over a bucket as the children shuttle water across the field in a cup of holes--they are all moments that seem insignificant. But perhaps, because I took the burden, someone else was able to connect with those children, enabling them to share the gospel. If my purpose is to facilitate a setting in which children can come to the Shepherd, then I will gladly labor in the heat and humidity all week.

Like my week at Camp Mosaic, time speeds past me, and if I do not make a conscious effort to experience and enjoy the little things, then I will miss out on so much more.

Camp Mosaic 2015: Seeing God's Hand

This past week, July 13-17, was one of the most difficult but amazing weeks of my life.

For the past two years, a few families from our church have gone down to Clarkston, GA, to help missionaries working there with Camp Mosaic, a VBS for the refuge children living there in the "most diverse square mile in America." We have organized the crafts and games to go along with the theme and Bible stories the team in Clarkston has already put together. We are basically there to take the burden of crafts and games off of those already there so that they can strengthen connections with the kids to share the gospel. Another family has taken care of the major planning and execution details the past two years, but they stepped down from that position this year, leaving the leadership roles vacant.

Sometime back in early spring, I was approached by one of the moms who has been part of our team in the past two years. She asked if I would like to co-lead with her. I was flattered that she thought so highly of me and I eagerly agreed. I assumed I would be sending emails, rounding up a few supplies, and helping here or there.

I was wrong.

I was a leader. That meant getting my hands deep into the entire process, from gathering our team until the last night of camp...and beyond, until our team reports later this fall. Every step of the way, I was either first or second in line, spending several hours working to compile checklists of everything we needed and had to get done. I helped choose crafts and I had help choosing games. We planned a craft night, which I spent showing everyone what needed to be done and then putting duct tape handles on cardboard shields. I co-led the team meeting preceding our week at Mosaic.

Already, I was overwhelmed. If someone had handed me the list of everything I was going to do, I might have declined. Thankfully, each task was gradually placed on top of my stack, enabling me to find ways to work through everything. Some weeks were very hard. Sometimes I wasn't sure I would be ready in time.

But Camp Mosaic week arrived and I was ready...I hoped. I wasn't planning on leading the children in games. My intent was to brief my team and then let one of the dads explain the games. I got all the supplies out and talked with the dads and youth workers about the games we would be playing and my plan for the evening. The plan was good, except for one problem:

Things did not go according to my plan.

The first group, fifth and sixth graders, entered the field and I had to take charge immediately, breaking them off into teams and essentially making it up as I went along. I gave the instructions and got my fellow team members busy facilitating the games. With a few minor bumps, that 35-minute session went very smoothly, and I gained a confidence boost.

My first mistake. Our next shift was composed of about twenty-five children, from four years old up to first grade. None of them wanted to play what I wanted to play, and my patience plummeted as I tried to keep them from running out over the entire field and getting into the water.

The next two groups, second and third graders and then fourth graders, were much easier, and I got a good feel for what needed to happen for the rest of the week. At last the camp day ended and I could go home and cool off.

The following four days followed a similar pattern, with me as leader, improvising most of the time. It was very hot (in the mid-nineties every day), and most days, my energy was drained before we were halfway done. By the end of the week, my team and the children were all exhausted and their excitement and energy had taken a dive. It was hard to be leader and not get to interact with the kids as much as I wanted.

But it was worth it.

Even in the chaos (and it was chaos), I was able to see God's hand in our work. The first day, on a nearly cloudless evening, a thick cloud covered the brutal sun, giving us enough relief from the heat to make it through the evening. The next night, a storm rolled in just after camp ended and the kids were home, and not a minute sooner. On all the days but Wednesday, we had a place to relocate the games in the event of rain, but there was no backup plan for Wednesday. God kept the rain away not only on Wednesday but on every other day as well, making it much easier for the entire camp to function smoothly. When I didn't think I could go on, He gave me strength and perseverance to finish what I'd started. He put willing and able helpers on the field with me to support me and take over when I needed a water break.


If I could take a few things away from this experience, it would be these:
~The harder I hold to my plan and my agenda, the less likely it will be carried out. The more flexible I am willing to be, the more efficient (and fun) everything will turn out.

~Despite the fact that I was younger (and perhaps far less qualified) than the other adult leaders out there, God put me in that leadership position, and I should not let anyone look down on me (including myself) because of my youth (1 Timothy 4:12). Just because I am young does not mean that God does not want to use me in a big way.

~Sometimes, it's more important to let go of my plan and the big picture for the sake of a moment in the small picture. When I let go of trying to plan games for the youngest group, I got to spend precious time with a little Iraqi boy playing soccer. It reminded me why I do what I do.

~If God calls me to something, He will not strand me to carry it out on my own strength. He will guide me and help me every step along the way.


There is nothing more empowering than being able to see God's hand in the work He has called you to do.

The Happiness Trap

Several weeks ago, I was going through some struggles, some with myself and some with others. I was down, but God was able to speak to me and show me a lot of things about me and about Him during that time.

But my mood gradually lifted and I was soon feeling pretty much normal. It got harder to hear God speak...harder to want to hear Him.

That's when I realized that maybe the greatest obstacle to our walk with God might be our happiness. I'm not talking about the joy found only in the love of Christ. I'm talking about the happiness that we can get from the world. Not the satisfying happiness, but the kind that can trick us into complacency.

I always knew it, more or less, but it hit me that Satan is using my happiness to turn me AWAY from God. When I'm unhappy, God is the first One I go to. But when I'm content...when things are going my way...I don't feel like I need God. I put Him next to my spare tire. I don't forget about Him--I've grown up in such a faith-saturated environment that I don't run the risk of forgetting--but I don't pursue a relationship.

Now, I am aware that some people may be pushed away from God during hard times, but that isn't something I've had to deal with so far.

But it's so mind-boggling that, when we finally get the happiness we prayed for during the storm, we turn away from the Giver of that happiness. You've probably heard the analogy, but I really like the image of a child on Christmas, gleefully opening gifts and paying no attention to the parents who loved the child enough to give the gifts.

King Solomon realized that earthly happiness is a trap:

"give me neither poverty nor riches;
feed me with the food that is needful for me,
lest I be full and deny you
and say, “Who is the Lord?” (Proverbs 30: 8b-9a)

 Isn't it hard to walk by faith when the sun is shining? Isn't it hard to depend on God when your pantry is full and your air conditioning is running and your Wi-Fi is connected?

I do not ask God to take away all those things. Rather, I ask Him to keep earthly happiness from distracting me from true happiness. I am just beginning to understand how long I've let the world make me content...and I'm nowhere near the point where I can truly say that God is the only source of my joy.

But I am confident that God will bring me closer every day as I seek Him and the happiness only He can give.