Twenty-nine students, seven leaders, sleeping bags, pillows, sleeping pads, and tents for all, plus food, games, and firewood. All crammed into five cars and one small U-Haul trailer. Seasoned graduated seniors stood in a group sharing playlists and games they’d brought for the car ride. Incoming freshmen scampered back and forth between parents, each other, and leaders asking various forms of the same question, “when are we leaving?”
Fully packed and ready to go, I went back and forth between church buildings and the car I would drive all week. Shoes and sandals, shorts, sunscreen, bathing suit, more shorts, a sweatshirt, and more sunscreen? Check. My Bible, my journal, a pen, my pillow, and my sleeping pad? Check. Snacks, a water bottle, and directions to the campground? Check.
Feeling one hundred percent prepared as we sat around the campfire that first night my friend, mentor, and the pastor to students looked at each of us and asked, “What is the point? Why are you here?”
I'm posting over at Deeper Story today, and you can read the rest of the post there.
2 comments:
Hi Haley- I read your blog entry over on deeper story. I love how you emphasize being more Christ-like. Thats totally the key to finding balance and peace within out times! I was wondering if you believe the only step to salvation is confessing that Christ is Lord and the only True God?
Hope you are having a lovely day! =)
Lindsey, thank you so much for reading and for your question. I think that yes, as far as basic salvation is concerned, we are told, "If you declare with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved." [Romans 10:9-10].
Does that mean I don't think we should do anything else beyond that? No. The Bible also says that faith without works is dead [James 2]. Faith comes first and the works follow, as one pastor put it.
I don't know if that answers your question. If you have more questions or want to talk further, you can email me at haleycloyd [at] gmail [dot] com.
Post a Comment