My week at Camp Grace: A holy echo

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 million angels fall, face down on the floor, all to echo holy is the Lord! My heart can’t help but sing, with all of heaven roar, forever echo holy is the Lord!
Those words are the chorus to a worship song called “Echo Holy,” by Red Rocks Worship, and it captures some of the atmosphere of my week at Camp Grace in Douglas the last week of June — a week filled with fun, learning and worshiping the Lord. My week at camp was truly an echo of holy and a glimpse of heaven!
It was one of those times where you’re part of something much bigger than yourself. Those times where you’re working toward something that isn’t just about you. Those times are some of the most rewarding, encouraging and uplifting times. 
As a Christian, I am always part of something bigger than myself. But I oftentimes fail and forget to remember that perspective, and to seek Christ and His kingdom the way I should. But having the opportunity to be a counselor at Camp Grace, after attending there as a camper for a few years, gave me an opportunity to remember that I am truly a part of something much bigger
than myself. 
Going into the week, I was honestly quite nervous. Having never been a counselor before, I wasn’t sure how it would all work out, and I also felt very unworthy to serve God in that capacity. As a human with my share of struggles and shortfalls, I was very aware of my faults going into the week. But, like Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 12, Christ’s power is made perfect in weakness, and He can still use an imperfect human like myself to further His kingdom and share Christ’s love to those around me, not through my own power, but through God’s. I sure didn’t do it anywhere close to perfectly, and I had my share of ways I failed to focus and allow God to use me the ways I should’ve, but God has a way of still working and encouraging even through that. And I know that He used every single camper, counselor and cook to encourage and work through the week in some way or another. 
“But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” 2 Corinthians 12:9-10. 
I was one of the counselors in the junior girls’ cabin, composed of girls who are about 10 or 12 years of age, and it was definitely a challenge! They were sometimes rambunctious and didn’t always want to memorize verses, but they were also so sweet, open and kept me entertained. 
Since Camp Grace had been such a blessing and encouragement in my life during my few years as a camper, it was exciting to be just a small part of making the week happen. Even though I wasn’t personally involved in leading anyone to Christ, and I didn’t get a chance to have as many in-depth conversations with my campers as I could’ve, there was just something amazing about having a different perspective of camp than I had as a camper. During the week we had staff meetings where we would share about our campers and what our prayer requests were, and it was so cool to hear other counselors share about struggling campers in their cabins who experienced such a noticeable change in attitude and openness during the week. 
There are so many different activities and classes that occur during the week, and I thoroughly enjoyed the Bible classes I sat through. One of my absolute favorite parts about camp, though, is the singing. Just hearing every kid raising their voices loudly and joyfully in worship of our King was so inspirational, I can’t even begin to describe it. 
I think one of the lessons I took home from my experience as a counselor is the reminder that God is active and working in this world, and we are His hands and feet to be used to minister to those around us — and what a fulfilling experience that can be! I hope that the lives of many kids were touched and that God will continue working in their lives during the year. And I sure am excited to go back next year and see what amazing things God will accomplish!