10,000 Reasons & Psalm 103

10,000 Reasons is a pretty well-known worship song and has been used in a variety of venues.  Just this summer I’ve sung it with our congregation, with about 900 high school students at a CIY MOVE Conference and with about 100 junior students at our week of summer camp.  We used it as part of our song set yesterday in our morning service and it seems to really connect with groups of all ages.

Before we sang it yesterday, we played about the first two minutes of this video where Matt Redman (who helped write the song) talks about the story behind the song.  Since I’m not a song writer, I find it interesting to hear about the process writers go through.  I like what he shares as it gives the back-story to the song we love to sing and points to Psalm 103 and what it says about worship.

Redman also gives a good reminder that God is always giving us reasons to worship Him.  Whether we are young or old, on the mountaintop or in a valley, loving life or struggling to get through the week, God provides numerous reasons to worship him.  A good reminder not only for our Sunday worship sets, but for how we live Monday through Friday.

Another Great Week of Camp

I spent last week at Butler Springs Christian Camp leading the Basketball 2 week (for students going into 5-8 grades). This was my 10th summer leading this particular week. Some of the things have changed – like those who serve on faculty and of course those who attend.  The facilities and grounds continue to be upgraded, but there are a number of things that stay the same.

One of the highlights of the week was the number of students who responded to the invitation to become a follower of Jesus. Since we spend about 5 days together, we offer a formal invitation at the end of the week and encourage the students to be in conversations with their family leaders about what it means to follow Jesus.  I knew a handful of our campers were doing that, but didn’t expect 16 students to come forward.  We had 11 baptisms take place before we left the camp and several were planning to be baptized at home churches.

One of our high school students baptized a girl from her camp family.  One grandpa who served during the week had the privilege of baptizing his granddaughter.  It was a great way to end the week.

Another highlight was the faculty with which I served.  Several of my faculty members have been doing camp as long (or longer) than I have.  Many of us have served multiple summers together and they are such a benefit to the week.  One of the couples who serve with me didn’t have kids when we first worked together.  Now they have four kids and their two older boys were part of the week.  Some of the faculty are teens who used to be campers a few years ago and have now come back to serve.  I’m so grateful for the time and energy they give to the students throughout the week.

I think this year more than ever the hearts of our adults were touched by the campers we got to know.  There were a few students who came from some difficult backgrounds.  While we didn’t know a lot about what home was like, we saw enough to know that these students needed love, compassion and attention paid to them.  I’m so grateful for the adults who came alongside those students, encouraged them, became a friend to them and showed them the love of Jesus.  Even when our patience was tested, our faculty continued to lovingly serve.

I know that God was working before our week of camp ever started and He is working now.  He simply gives us the opportunity to come alongside what He is doing and for five days interact with the campers He brings.  I’m thankful for that chance.

 

Here’s to Camp!

It’s been a little while since I’ve posted anything on the blog, but one of my reasons/excuses is that last week I was gone at camp. And it was a great week!

Turns out this was my 9th summer leading the Basketball 2 week of camp at Butler Springs. Our week is an interesting mix of basketball camp, cheer camp, science camp and Kids Cafe (cooking) camp. It sounds a bit different, but it works!

I had a great group of adults who served as faculty and we ended up the week with four baptisms in the camp pool and two more taking place at home. We had several campers from our home church as well as several faculty. My son and daughter served on faculty along with Joe’s girlfriend.

Here are some pics from the week:

Families discussing the theme for the day from the book of Ephesians:

Some of the basketball skills stations

One of the baptisms at the end of the week:

U of L Elite Camp

This past weekend Syd attended the Louisville Women’s Elite Basketball Camp. Even though she was limited in what she could do, she had a good day with the team and coaching staff. Hard to believe that a year from now she will be a student at Louisville and an official member of Card Nation.

She sent this pic with the team and the coaches.

Fab 5 Camp in GA

Syd took part in the Fab 5 Camp in Georgia over the Labor Day weekend.  The camp was put on by Peach State Basketball and she had a good weekend there.

Ty Freeman took photos through out the weekend and posted them on his smugmug site.  Here are a few of the cool action shots he captured.

Great Week of Camp

Last week I had the privilege of leading a week of camp at Butler Springs.  This was my 7th year of leading the basketball camp.  We combined with a karate, science, cheer leading and Kids Cafe (cooking) camp to make one big week of nearly 200 people.  The week was made up of about 140 junior high students plus the adult faculty.  It was a super week.

One of the downers of the week were the number of injuries we had.  We actually had two students go to the hospital, which was definitely not in the plans for the week.  Other than a few hurt knees, wrists and elbows, the rest of us managed to survive the week pretty well.

One of the highlights  of the week were the decisions that were made.  We had seven students that came forward to be baptized; 6 of them we baptized in the camp pool before we left on Thursday and the other was to be baptized at home.  We also had a student come forward to recommit herself to walk more closely with Jesus.

 

I have the great opportunity to work with some adults who love working with kids and they are some of my favorite people.  Some of the faculty have been with me all 7 years I have led and a few of them pre-date me.  It’s a great group of people.

We put together a highlight video of the week.  Not a great video by production standards, but it does provide a peek into the week.

Thanks to all who were a part of it!