Fan The Flame

This past weekend I've been asking God about what I should do for this Wednesday at FSM. I had ideas,but they just didn't feel right. One thing I did know was that it had to do something with camp. I just didn't know exactly what. Well, Sunday night I did some fishing out in the river and that's when God hooked me with it. After catching a 5 pounder! Just kidding! It was last night that I felt I needed to talk about our students commitments, experiences, emotions and just get in deep with everything about camp this year. That's when everything made sense, I started remembering articles and books I've read on helping students reignite their experiences at camp. There was one particular article in Group magazine that I remembered that talked about this. It mentioned something that I believe is very heart-wrenching for any youth worker. That is watching students who've had a "life changing experience"at summer camp slip-slide back into their old habit patterns. Nothing changed. The camp high wears off, and those powerful moments with Jesus faded into a hazy memory. You see at camp for most students everything is different. Jesus seems so real, so close and following Him makes total sense. But by the time they pack their stuff in the car and drive home, and take the first decent shower of the week, reality sets in. For some nothing has changed. Everything goes back to normal. I believe that any summer camp, missions trip, retreat needs to have a lasting impact. If not it morphs into little more than a feel good vacation. Why can't camp life be the standered for everyday life? So this Wednesday students will be challenged and taught on how to "Fan The Flame". When we came up with Firehouse for our name I thought of one verse. Jeremiah 20:9. Despite facing troubles, persecution and being overpowered Jeremiah still had to speak of His name! How awesome is that! There is a fire in all of us that God gives and yes alot of times that fire seems to go out. But God is an eternal fire! The fire that never goes out! Our students need to know that everyday of their lives. That yes they will stray off, but it doesn't have to be that way. We can learn from our mistakes and rely fully on our Creator and not ourselves. God sent Jesus to pay the ultimate price, death. He died so we all could live. So let's ignite that fire! Let's fan that flame! Wednesday it's getting HOT, thank you Lord! Peace Out!