Defining Moments Pt. 2

From the time I was in 3rd grade and onward, every summer was an exciting one. The first week in June was always 'Freed Camp', and starting when I was in high school, mid-July meant a week tent camping in North Carolina. The first time I went on the NC camping trip, boy was I in for a surprise! Firstly, I didn't like anything that we had to eat. Chili - no. Fettucini alfredo - no. Sub sandwiches - no. I thought that I was going to be miserable the entire time! Secondly, there were no showers in the outhouse. Thankfully Mr. Tim rigged up a MacGyver-like shower that would do for a week, but for someone who'd never 'roughed' it, like I said, I was in for so many surprises.

That week taught me a lot of things-- and more than to like fettucini alfredo (and that Tuna Helper tastes better than Chicken Helper in that respect) and sub sandwiches. Since the title of this post is 'defining moments', obviously there is one instance that has stuck with me ever since.

Mr. Tim was all about teaching us life lessons. Everyone there was required to participate in devotionals, help fix dinner, and even clean up afterwards. Every single person had to pull their weight on a trip like this if it was going to work. On one such occasion, I was helping Mr. Tim with KP (kitchen patrol). Mr. Tim, Jessie (my bff growing up) and I were talking and laughing and throwing soap suds at each other and having an all-around good time. And then, I said it. I said a phrase that I had said so many times before: oh my goodness.

The moment could have passed. Mr. Tim could have turned a deaf ear toward the innocent, childish phrase. But he didn't. In that moment, he went from joking and playing around, to serious. It wasn't an 'in your face' kind of serious, but instead he stopped and he asked me what that meant.

What do you mean what does that mean?! I'd never thought about it --and who hadn't heard that phrase to know what it means! And yet, Mr. Tim probed some more. He asked me if I thought it was disrespectful. Again, I'd never thought about it; after all, I was a young, immature high schooler who frequently said before she thought. The discussion continued and I came away from that situation thinking three things:

1: You need to think before you say things.

2: You don't need to take the Lord's name in vain.

3: You can take the Lord's name in vain without even saying His name.

How many times had I said the phrase? Countless times, I'm sure. How many times had I intentionally been meaning to say, "Oh my God"? Probably zero. How terrible did I think it was to say, "Oh my God"? Pretttty terrible. And yet, I'd been using a euphemism for His name multiple times throughout the day. What was worse is that I never thought about it: I never thought about God one single time when I uttered the phrase. After all, I wasn't saying Oh My God or even lessening it with Oh my Gosh. I was saying goodness! That was different, right?

It was in that moment that I decided that I needed to hold myself to a higher standard. If I was going to be pleasing to God, I needed to respect Him. I needed to show Him that I awed Him and revered Him, and that I didn't think His name was something flippant that I could use as an exclamatory thought, especially in light of Jesus saying we would be judged by our idle (fruitless) words (Matt. 12:36).

On that very day, I got a rubber band and placed it around my wrist, then popped myself every time I said it. After a few days, my arm was SORE! I couldn't believe how many times I thoughtlessly used God's name (or a euphemism) in conversation! And yet, after about a month, the phrase was completely removed from my vocabulary.

But obviously it still had lasting effects. To this day, I cannot hear the "Oh My God" phrase without shuddering. I am constantly aware of it, even when people try to substitute God's name with euphemisms/synonyms like "gosh", "goodness" or, "word". And every time I hear the phrase? I think about Mr. Tim. I think about him looking at me and asking me if I respected God. I think about him being saddened that I, a Christian, would use such a word/phrase so flippantly. And while I know that what people think doesn't matter, it was apparent to me on that day that he was just the human representation of what God must have been thinking every time I said it.

I am so thankful to have had Mr. Tim in my life. I could probably write a novel over all of the things that he taught me, and yet I cannot think of an instance that has affected me more than this one.

Today, think about the words that you say. Think about the ways that you proclaim who you are. Are your words confirming your Christianity, or causing others to question it? We will be judged by our words, so let's all use them wisely and respectfully.

Tragedy and Mary

I have already done one post on Jesus' mother, Mary, and the things we can learn from her. In the wake of Friday's tragic events, however, I simply cannot get her off my mind. And here's why:

Mary knew tragedy.

John 19:25 says, "Now there stood by the cross of Jesus His mother...". Not only did Mary know tragedy and heartbreak, she experienced it first hand. She watched her son hang on a cross and suffer indescribable pain. She watched as the blood trickled down His brow; she heard Him cry out in pain; she looked on as His body hang limply after He'd given up the ghost (Lk 23:46). We read this story and we focus on Jesus--and rightly so--, but imagine for a moment that you are Mary. No mother should ever have to experience this! And yet, she was there, experiencing what no one should have to, for her son.

Surely we have all muttered (or at the very least thought) that no person should have to go through what those 40-something parents are having to go through. Their innocent, beautiful children were slain in an unexplainable, evil act. They are, without doubt, suffering immensely. But they aren't the first.

Mary watched as her beautiful, innocent Son was brutally murdered. She was there as the crowds chanted, as the soldiers prodded, as the darkness gathered. She saw firsthand, much like these parents are seeing now, the evil that was in the world.

And yet, because of all that Mary had to suffer on that day, we can all have hope--yes, even those parents of the children whose lives were cut too short. You see, because of the cruel death of Mary's innocent Son, we can all have life (John 3:15-16). Because of her Son, we can know that those innocent lives from Sandy Hook will be in a land with no more death and no more pain (Rev. 21:4). We can have full assurance that God will avenge their untimely deaths (Rom. 12:19), as He will avenge and ultimately purge all of the evil this world has ever known.

Mary was not crushed on the day that her Son died. Instead, Mary knew that He would rise again and claim victory over death. We, too, can know that victory will be ours. In the last day this earth will ever know, Jesus will once and for all claim victory over death--and all of those who will be faithful to Him can claim a part in that victory (1 John 5:3-5).

With every fiber of my being I hate what happened on Friday. I hate that those children we taken from this world in such a cruel and painful way. I hate that people are hurting. I hate that people are blaming God. I hate that the world that we live in is so evil. But, I can find peace in the midst of this tragedy, and if you will turn to God, you can too. Let the words that Paul wrote to the Thessalonians in 1 Thess. 4:13-18 comfort you.

"But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God wi ll bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words."

Death is not the end. Undoubtedly Mary knew that as she watched Jesus hang on the cross, and we can know that ourselves in the face of tragedy. Whether we are taken brutally from this life, die peacefully in our sleep, or are alive when Jesus comes back and all of world is destroyed, we can have a hope (expectation) of heaven for our final abode.

Please continue to pray for the hearts of those affected by this tragedy. Pray that they can give their lives over to God so that they can experience the peace that passes all understanding (Phil. 4:7) and have the hope of reuniting with their children one day.

A Month of Thanks: My Home Congregation

For the final November Friday Month-of-Thanks post, I'd like to mention a few things and people that are especially dear to my heart.

I grew up at the Maysville congregation in Gurley, AL. Until college, I'd never even visited anywhere else really. In which case, all of my early ideals and expectations about the church and the people that make up the church were formed at Maysville, and by some especially outstanding individuals. It is to those people that I dedicate this post.

First, let me start with Mr. Tim. Tim is the preacher there, and has been since I was in the 2nd grade (aka since I was old enough to really listen to the preacher). I remember when he first got there--he took the youth group (not just the older ones, but the younger ones that he always paid special attention to) to a skating rink. I remember holding hands with Mr. Tim so I wouldn't fall. I also remember him passing me off to his son--who was my age--and I was highly irritated by it. Little did I know that Mr. Tim was fostering a relationship that would grow to be one of the very best I would have while I lived there.

From an early age, Mr. Tim took special care of me and my sisters. After all, we were the same age as his three kids. Though I knew that he loved and cared for me personally, the ways that he taught me and influenced me generally came from a public setting. Be it "Freed Camp" when he would walk through what the hymns we sang meant or in North Carolina were he would give sage spiritual advice while making us clean up the 'kitchen'. Whenever I was around Mr. Tim, I was learning something.

When I got older, I started understanding more of what he was saying from the pulpit. It's not that I hadn't been listening; it's just that Mr. Tim is one of the most intelligent preachers I've ever heard, and he makes you dig so much deeper into a text than you would normally. When I was younger, I couldn't quite appreciate or grasp it, but as a teen and then college-aged young adult, I craved his sermons and what new thing I would learn.

I know that I wouldn't be the person that I am today if it hadn't been for him. If he hadn't taken me in to his own family, if he hadn't taken special care of our young and impressionable souls before I was technically youth-group aged, if he hadn't provoked me and urged me to be better spiritually, and if he hadn't always believed in me. The most influential thing he ever did was introduce me to Freed-Hardmen, where I met my godly, spiritual husband. A million thanks could never be enough for Mr. Tim.

The second person I need to mention is Lonnie Jones. I'm sure a lot of people recognize the name, as he is a remarkable public speaker. But most people don't know Lonnie like I know Lonnie. He came not long after Tim did, meaning I was still very young. He taught most of our classes on Sunday mornings and Wednesday night, and always spoke to us at camp. He took us on countless youth trips where he was speaking, played games with us all the time, and even opened his home to us nearly once a week for as long as I can remember---fostering the greatest friendships I've ever known.

Lonnie kept us involved. In high school, it's easy to get distracted by different things and hectic schedules and boyfriends and friends and having a car and everything else. Lonnie made spending time with the youth group fun, and something you always wanted to do. There were always tons of us hanging out at his house, or going out after Wednesday night services in the summertime. Lonnie just helped make us like spending time together, because he knew that if you had close friends at church--you were more likely to be there.

One of the key ways Lonnie influenced me--I didn't even realize until recently. You see, I started teaching the teenage girls class at East Hill in September. Sure, I'd taught classes before, but only the little ones (3-5yr olds). When I started teaching kids who understand sarcasm and jokes and, well, me, I started seeing Lonnie's influence. He taught me, through the hours of lessons I heard him give, that studying the Bible doesn't have to be boring---that it shouldn't be boring. Every scripture has a practical application, and it is the teacher's job to practically apply that to the age group. I am definitely no Lonnie, but I'd like to think that this is the approach that I have in the girls class. And I know that a lot of my style comes from him.

Finally, I'd like to thank the 'older' youth group kids. When I was in 3rd-6th grades, my oldest sister and her friends were in high school/college. But they didn't treat us like outcasts, or like the annoying children we were (see for reference mine and Jessie's ski trip video--wow). What they did was include us. They took us on trips to Sonic. They sat with us on the way to 6 Flags. They played games with us and taught us songs at camp. They braided our hair. They taught me alto (thanks Lacey!). They made it "cool" to be in the youth group, and while that's not what having a relationship with God is about, at 10 years old, I needed that perspective. I needed something that made me want to be there, and that group of people were it.

It didn't stop, either. All throughout their college life, they would come back and hang out with us. I can remember the summer between my freshman and sophomore years of high school especially well--going to concerts, hanging out every Sunday and Wednesday night, taking trips together, learning cool music (I still attribute my love of Sister Hazel to Leah and the mixed CD she made for Julia). Those people helped me so much at a time that could have been so difficult. They all still mean the world to me--even if they never knew how much I looked up to them. So thanks Lauren, Leah, Lacey, Juls, Chad, & Weaver. You guys are remarkable. And also..."look at the bones!!"

Leading Ladies: Miriam

Chances are you're familiar with the birth of Moses. During those days, the Pharaoh had ordered that all  of the male children be thrown into the river (killed) while all of the female children could be saved. You see, Pharaoh was afraid that the nation of Israel was becoming increasingly too large and powerful, and would soon overthrow his nation.

Moses's mother, after giving birth, decided that she would hide him instead of casting him into the river. For three months she hid Moses, no doubt growing only more attached as the months went on. Finally, she felt she could hide him no more, so she made a basket for him and she placed him in the river. It is at this point that we are introduced to our leading lady of the day: Miriam.

There are only three verses that directly deal with Miriam in this context (Ex. 2:4, 7-8), but the lessons we can learn are innumerable.

The story tells us that Miriam stood at a distance to see what would happen to Moses. When Pharoah's daughter goes down to the river and finds the baby, Miriam immediately and somewhat impressively makes her presence known and even manages to go get Moses's own mother to be the nurse for him, even though he will now be known as the princess's son.

So what can we learn from Miriam?

First, she was obedient. Do you think that it was Miriam's own notion to go and follow baby Moses as he floated along in the river, or could it have been her parents' request? Miriam ran the risk of being killed, put into slavery, or a number of other punishments as a result of protecting this male child. Still, she obeyed. The Bible tells us that "all who desire to live godly will suffer persecution" (2 Tim. 3:12). Regardless of what physical consequence we could suffer for being obedient to the will of God, we must submit to Him. Times are changing, and in our lifetime it may very well be that Christians will be severely persecuted, even to the point of death (as is already the case in some countries). Should it come to that (and God forbid it does), Christians must be willing to suffer, even to die, in order to keep being obedient to our Father.

The second lesson we can glean from Miriam is that we, as children of God, have a responsibility to our siblings. As a young girl, Miriam took care of her family. Her boldness helped to save one of the greatest leaders of all time. Without her, Moses may have been brought up entirely Egyptian, and the nation of Israel may have been in bondage for years and years. While we must take care of our physical families, we also have a responsibility to our spiritual family. As Christian women, we have an opportunity to look out for our brothers in Christ. Miriam looked after Moses to ensure that he did not fall into physical harm, and we can do the same for our brothers in a spiritual way. We can wear modest clothing, keeping them from the temptation of lust. We can keep ourselves from impure situations, guarding them from the schemes of the devil.

Third, we must be clever. Had the Pharaoh's daughter looked over at me, I may have been tongue-tied or scared or simply run away. Not Miriam. She thought on her feet, and told the princess that she would find her a Hebrew nurse, then cunningly went back to her own mother, never giving away what was happening. We know from scripture that Satan is a master deceiver (Eph. 6:11, 1 Pet. 5:8, Rev. 20:10). We must always be on guard, ready at any moment to side-step his schemes.

A final lesson we can learn from Miriam is that we cannot let our age hinder our service. As a young girl, Miriam made a great impact on the nation of Israel. As younger people (I mean, I'm only 24!), we have the same opportunity. We can use our talents and energies to impact our nation. America is turning, so rapidly, away from her Creator, and we must use any way we can to try to turn this nation back and save it from destruction. Had Miriam decided to do nothing, Moses may have perished, or at the very least, never have known his Hebrew heritage. Instead, Miriam was obedient, brave, and cunning, and we need to be the same way today.

Dress to Impress

No doubt you've heard the phrase 'dress to impress'. Generally, the term is in reference to the opposite sex, a future employer, or some other person wherein it would be to your benefit to impress them based on looks. My post today is hardly like that at all; instead, I want to seek ways that we can dress to impress God.

I've already written a post about immodest clothing, and if you haven't read it, you can check it out here. Instead of focusing on the negative too-this and too-that, I want to talk about what we CAN put on to be pleasing to God as His children.

First things first, let's notice what Galatians 3:27 says:

"For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ."

When we became Christians/children of God, we put on something from the very start: Christ. Sometimes, though, we tend to cover up Christ and put back on a few things that we supposedly put off. Colossians 3:8-9 tell us what some of those things are.

"But now you yourselves are to put off all these things: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds."

In order to be impressive to God, we cannot be clothed with (dressed in) anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy and filthy language! If we have any of these things still on, we may be impressing the world, but we aren't being pleasing to God.

I hate negative posts, though. I hate being told what I'm not supposed to do, and then just leaving it at that. When we are seeking to be pleasing to God, I don't think we can simply eliminate the bad things from our hearts; instead, we must replace those negative, worldly things with good, Godly things. So let's see what we should put on that will impress God:

"Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which you were also called in one body; and be thankful." - Colossians 3:12-15

Paul tells us that there are numerous things that we can put on in order to be pleasing to God:

• tender mercies - Really, this phrase is talking about the "bowels of compassion" or simply, compassionate feelings. To be pleasing to God, we are going to be people of compassion. The World English Dictionary defines this term as "a feeling of distress and pity for the suffering or misfortune of another, often including the desire to alleviate it." If we have truly put on Christ and are 'dressing to impress' God, we are going to see the sufferings of those around us and do our best to alleviate their burdens.  I find it interesting that the list starts here, because if we can manage to put on this attribute, the others should fall in line.

• kindness - We should all know what this means, but let me use another verse to show us a little more clearly: "But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior." Titus 3:4-6. We can see from those verses that God's kindness was demonstrated to us by sending Jesus and the Holy Spirit. What an awesome example of kindness! Since we have received such a kindness from God, we should also demonstrate that kindness toward others. 

• humility - Peter tells us that we should be 'clothed with humility'  because 'God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble' (1 Pet. 5:5). In no way and at no time do I want God to resist me. However, if I have chosen to live a life that is prideful--perhaps not confessing my sins to others, perhaps thinking I'm better than others because my struggles are not the same as theirs (ie: homosexuals)--God will resist me. We must be people of humility if we want to receive grace from God. 

• meekness - Galatians 6:1 tells us that if one of our brothers or sisters are overtaken in a trespass, we are to restore them in a spirit of meekness/gentleness lest we also be tempted. What an amazing characteristic to put on! When we are meekly and gently correcting and exhorting our brothers and sisters toward righteousness, are we not being extremely pleasing to God? When we are hatefully condemning and trying to 'scare people into heaven', I don't think we are. In order to be like Christ, and in order to be impressive to God, we must be people who are meek. After all, those are the people who will inherit the earth (Matt 5:5).

• long-suffering - This is a tough one for me. Patience is a learned virtue, and it is one I am still working hard on perfecting. I love the order where this falls in the list, though: "Long-suffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another." It seems the people that require the most patience are either the ones who 1: are so incredibly hard to 'bear with' (ie: put up with) or 2: are the ones who have wronged me and require the most forgiveness. In order to be like Christ, though, and in order to be pleasing to God, we must extend patience to all. After all, God is so long-suffering with me and my continually sinful walk. How can I expect Him to be long-suffering with me if I will not extend the same amount to others?

• forgiveness - Jesus tells the story of the wicked servant in Matthew 18. After the story, He wraps up by saying, "So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses." (v.35). Jesus is the standard when it comes to forgiveness (and everything else). The first words He uttered on the cross were "Father, forgive them". Even in the midst of the worst pain and agony, Jesus had a forgiving heart. The scary thing is: if we don't have that kind of heart, God won't extend His forgiveness to us. So, in order for us to look like Christ and impress God, we must be people who always forgive. And not only when it's easy and convenient. There was nothing easy and convenient about dying on a cross. There was nothing easy and convenient about leaving heaven and coming to earth to be tortured. Surely, then, we can forgive others when they call us names or steal our boyfriends or break our hearts or hurt our families. 

• love - As if the list hasn't been inclusive enough, Paul concludes by telling us to put on love, which we know incapsulates all of the characteristics mentioned (1 Cor. 13:4-8).  However, love appears to be the most important thing. While Jesus showed extreme forgiveness and compassion and long-suffering toward us, love is what brought Him from heaven in the first place. Nails aren't what held Jesus to the cross; no, it was His love for us. If we want to be true Christians and to really 'put on Christ', we must put on that deep, abiding love. 

So if those are the things we're supposed to put on, does it really leave any room for questions? Will I wonder, "hmm, this dress comes a few inches above my knee but, ehh, it's ok." or  "well, this show has a lot of fornication and homosexuality on it, but it's really funny and they don't cuss a lot so I'm sure it's fine." No. We will be seeking out clothes and entertainment and friends and spouses who help us wear Christ well. We won't be involved in the things that cover Him up and put Him to shame. 

I'm 15 Today!

On this very day 15 years ago, I gave my life over to Christ. I don't think I've ever put my story in blog form, and in case I look back in 10 or 15 years and feel like I didn't know what I was doing when I was 9 years old, I'd like to be able to read the things that were going through my head.

It was a Sunday morning. Both of my sisters had been baptized not too terribly long before that day, and while the preacher was speaking I decided that I needed to be baptized, too. During the invitation song I walked down front and indicated that I'd like to be baptized. I remember the preacher asking me if I believed that Jesus Christ was the Son of God. In my squeaky nine year old voice I said yes, and I was whisked away to the preparation room to get changed.

I remember exactly what I was wearing that day. It was my favorite blue dress, kind of slinky, and surprisingly in style since most of my other clothes that my mom let me pick out were absolutely atrocious. I got changed into the outfit, stepped down into the baptistry, and my dad baptized me. After services I was met with tons of hugs and smiles, but I just remember my hair being soaking wet.

There is one thing that really sticks out to me about that day. You see, July 26th is my oldest sister's birthday, so after worship we were all going to my grandmother's house for lunch. I remember very distinctly walking into her house and thinking how cool it was that I hadn't sinned yet.

I know that I had a very limited knowledge of all that Christ had done for me. I know that I couldn't fully comprehend all that I was doing, and just how much I needed this washing of my soul. But I knew what sin was. I knew where sin sent you. And I knew that I once had had sin, and now I did not, because baptism washed it away.

When I'm 80 years old (God giving me that time) and have hopefully reached a much greater level of understanding, I hope that I can look back at 9 year old Emily and be proud of her, knowing that she didn't know everything, but she knew enough.

9 year old Emily saved my life. She wasn't perfect (and I'm still not!), but she knew that she needed a relationship with Jesus. That relationship faltered a lot (and still does!), but she never gave up. I know that I've posted about the time that I really started taking the relationship seriously (you can read it here), but had it not been for the courage and willingness and humility of nine year old me, I wouldn't be where I am today--because Jesus' blood wouldn't have cleansed me then and wouldn't have continued to cleanse me every single day since.

Today, as a 24 year old, I understand a little better--though definitely not as much as I hope to. And today, I am so very thankful for Jesus' blood and the way He has cleansed me and will continue to so long as I live faithfully for Him.

15 years ago wasn't about me inviting Jesus in through a prayer. It wasn't about me deciding I was saved then being baptized to show everyone else. It was about a young girl knowing she had ugly sin stains and so she submitted to what God wanted for her--to be baptized into Christ so that He could cleanse her and she could be added to His body.

When did you become a Christian? Are you still living for Him? Have you become a Christian? If you haven't, I would love to talk to you about it!

Camp Rules for Life

Growing up, I attended a congregation that did not go to any huge Christian camps. Instead, our preacher and youth minister took a group of about 100-125 of us to the campus of Freed-Hardeman University where we were able to spend a week with the people that were in our own youth group.

There are so many memories that I could share with you from my years at "Freed Camp". Every year from the time I was in 3rd grade, that first week in June at Freed Camp was a staple. And looking back, I can still envision the piece of paper that Mr. Tim gave to us regarding the camp rules. After all, we had to know what to/not to pack. 

Thinking back, these are the rules that helped shape my life. As a pre-teen, I didn't understand some of them. As a teenager, I didn't especially like some of them. But now, as a twenty-something, I respect and appreciate them so, so much.

1: No electronic devices. Period. We couldn't even bring portable CD players/mp3 players for the 3 hour bus ride up there! Don't even ASK to bring some kind of personal gaming device. Nothing was allowed that would promote time alone. The entire week centered around getting to know and getting invested in the people around you. And if you thought that meant only the people you regularly hung out with, you were mistaken. Preteens spent time with teens, annoying boys spent time with girls that had cooties, teenagers spent time talking to the junior counselors and counselors, and everyone had an age-appropriate Bible class that required interaction. 

One of the problems I see with young people today is that they aren't forming relationships within their youth groups. In order to grow and thrive, you need those relationships. You need to form deep, spiritual bonds with people so that they can help you remain faithful during a very difficult time. Plus, forming bonds with people of every age, and even with people with personalities you might not normally want to--you are learning how to function in Christ's body. As adults, we are very aware that there are certain groups of people we feel more comfortable sitting or conversing with, but as the body of Christ, we are called to all be in fellowship. Learning how to get along at such a young age (when getting along with anyone for an extended period of time is tough) will be such a benefit later in life. 

2: No immodest clothing, at all. No spaghetti straps, no shorts that didn't go down to your knee, no white t-shirts going to or from the pool, no low-cut shirts, nothing tight, nothing see-through. There are two instances that vividly stick out in my mind in regards to "camp attire". Every year before camp I would have to go to Old Navy and stock up on boys gym shorts, because they just don't sell girls shorts that are long enough. But, if you were going to play walleyball or raquetball or basketball or anything else (and you were going to play--group activities were mandatory, even if you weren't athletic), then you wanted shorts. And, unless you wanted to be sent back to the dorms to change, you had to be wearing something appropriate. The other instance that stands out in my mind was when my preacher called out some teen girls and made them go change their shirts. They were pretty low cut shirts, but they had something under them. Still, he said that it drew attention to them and he was not going to have that. All these years later (probably about 10), I still remember that conversation and I still think about it when I get dressed. How important to have people who will challenge young people to dress in a way that reflects their Savior!

Aren't these great regulations for all us to continue practicing? I simply won't wear things that I wouldn't have been able to get away with at camp. Why? Because if I couldn't wear them there, and I wouldn't want for teenagers to wear them now, why would I promote that on my body? Why would I wear something I wouldn't be comfortable with every single person copying? 

3: Spiritual things come first. Every morning we would get together and have some "wake-up" songs by Lonnie (and you better be on time if you don't want to be singled out!), then we'd all go to breakfast together, then we would all come back and have a devotional. After the devotional, we would break up into Bible classes that lasted about an hour. After our Bible class, we came back together and had another devotional, and by that time it was time for lunch. Our entire morning was spent praising and learning about God. After lunch, we had group activities that always had a spiritual application thanks to Lonnie. Then, it was time to play sports or do crafts for a couple of hours, then we would go swimming (separately, of course). After swimming we had dinner (and you had better take modest clothing or else you would not be permitted back into the dining room), and after dinner we had about 30 minutes to shower and then be back for yet another devotional. The majority of every day was spent focusing on the spiritual, as it should be.

What a great lesson for life! What percentage of your day is spent focusing on the spiritual? Maybe Sunday's the majority is spiritual emphasis, but what about Monday through Saturday? How much time are we devoting to prayer? How often do we praise God through song? How many times do we get out our Bibles and study from His word? I know that I can learn a great deal by looking back at the schedule I kept when I was at camp. In my adult life, I definitely need to do better. 

4: You do not act silly when you are praising God. When it was time for devotionals to start, we would have periods of 20 or 30 minutes where we just sang praises to God. During those in between moments when it's oh so tempting to cut up or laugh or yell out the number that you want...we just couldn't. Those moments were precious, because we were offering the fruit of our lips to God. It wasn't a time to joke around or act up. It wasn't a time to sleep or nod off. It was a time to focus. 

I am so thankful that I was taught at such a young age that when it comes to praising God or worshipping Him, it is a time of reverence. In an age where everyone wants to be entertained and "get something out of" worship, what a great thing to acknowledge why you're there--it's not for selfish reasons at all. 

5: Respect your elders. This wasn't a suggestion. If someone older than you came in the room and you had a seat on the couch or in a chair, you got up. If a counselor of any age told you to do something, you did it. There was no such thing as usurping authority, because the threat of making your parents come get you was real (and even happened on occasion). 

In the church today, there are countless people who disrespect the elders. Jesus Christ has given authority to specific ones in the church (and it's His body, so we don't really get a say on whether we like it). Yet some people bash the elders, completely disregard what they say/ask, and speak ill toward them. I wish I could say, "Respect your elders. This is not a suggestion." If they show you something in your life that you need to change, change it. Don't act like the 13-year-old who doesn't think her shorts are too short and defiantly states she isn't changing. Have a heart that wants to submit. 

There are so many other things that I could tell you that I learned from my time at camp. Instead I will close with two valuable lessons that I learned:

 Spiritual people are more attractive. Everyone knows that the camp atmosphere produces severe crushes for young people. The thing is, at a camp like the one I went to, no one was really drawn to or attracted to the person who cut up during class or zoned out or was rude. Instead, the boys in the youth group who were the most sought-after were the ones who would lead prayers or songs. The ones who always brought their Bibles and would talk to you after Bible class to share what they'd learned. 

Why aren't more people interested in dating/marrying spiritual people? Why are spiritual people not the most attractive outside of the camp setting? I am so, so thankful that I learned that lesson so many years ago, otherwise I may have been tempted to go to Freed-Hardeman and find a "man" who slept during chapel or skipped all the devotionals or slacked off in Bible class or refused to be a leader at the Henderson 5:45 student-led service. 

You have a responsibility to those younger than you. I can remember being a 3rd through 7th grader and how fun it was to hang out with the "older kids". I'm sure we were annoying and I'm sure we didn't add much of anything to their camp experience. But wow, did they make mine that much more enjoyable! I remember hearing Mr. Tim talk about how if the older didn't invest in the next generation, the youth group would fall apart. 

I wish this lesson could be taught to every single member of the Lord's body. Take responsibility for those younger than you, because they are the future of the church. If you're 80, teach those that are 60 what they can do to fill your shoes, etc. etc. 

What kinds of things did you learn as a child that you are so thankful to have learned?