WINTER CAMP 2009!

I LOVE the snow! But combine 4 ft of snow, close friends, M.O.W., Kurt Gebhard lovingly yelling at you, weird Jewish food, late nights, “who-sir-I-sir”, blown circuits leaving ladies without their precious blow-dryers, mucho candy, crazy games, Matt and Dan wearing tight snow bibs, awesome music, watery-eyed heartfelt conversations with big man Kurt, two broken ankles, sledding, snowball fights, pies to the face, the one step beyond show, cabin time, Jon’s documentary, pterodactyl (lol you don’t want to know), new faces, black ice, lots of coffee, Patrick’s marvelous acting career, winter coats, beanies, staff meetings, four days away from all the beeping, ringing, scheduling and responsibilities of life, add uninterrupted time to dwell on the amazing grace of the cross……
…and you get the “goldilicious” W.C. of 2009!

Those four days in the mountain were such bliss; we had SO much fun! Yet the greatest part of any camp is watching God change lives. There is certainly nothing more thrilling than the work our Savior does within hearts; in the lives of students and in my own heart. The question winter camp forced me to ask of myself is “Do I really STRIVE in my pursuit of Christ?” Am I pursuing Christ with all out exertion? Indeed, the church today is filled with astounding indifference and apathy. We do not see our sin as we should, with Christ and His purity as our point of reference. We do not abhor iniquity; rather, we accept that our hearts love wicked things. Instead of running from sin we choose to liken sin “as to sport,” and we “drink sin like water.” Undeniably, we are like dogs that return to their vomit. We do not see our friendship with the world as hatred towards God.
I luved Kurt’s illustration of repentance:
Picture a room beautiful and bright, completely surrounded by darkness. The darkness naturally represents our slavery to sin. In darkness we experience the never-ending, unsatisfying, cruel, brutal, unproductive, ensnaring sin of our own appetites. The light, however, a representation of the life that Christ longs to give us; one filled with peace, fulfillment, freedom, productivity, and joy. What is my response to Christ? Do I run from the darkness? Am I standing at the entrance of the room filled with light, peering into the darkness? Am I like the moth circling the light bulb? Am I the cockroach scurrying for the cover of darkness? Or, do I run into the light, close the door behind me, deadbolt it, throw the key away, and push every piece of furniture I can find in front of the entrance barricading myself from the darkness?
My desire is that I will be SO in love with Christ that the sins which so easily entangle me begin to just fall off. That I will be so focused on Christ darkness will fade from my sight. That I will pursue Christ with such zeal that there will be no time for lesser things. My desire is that Jesus will take over my entire life. I want to live IN CHRIST, to pursue HIM and live for heaven.

ROM 6:2 “How shall we who died to sin still live in it?”