Rain, Lakes, and Memories

I'm driving down Main Street in Nostalgiaville right now. RUF Fall Conference trekked to Windermere Christian Conference Center this weekend- the sight of Ascend Camp waaaayyyy back in the summer of 2012! It's exactly the same as it was 15 months, 9 days ago.

Except for the driving rain and absence of shower-phobic teenagers...

Coming back here, if only for 2 days, reminds me of all the lessons learned, trials endured, and memories made here 2 summers ago. That week was one of the best in my life. The launch of Ascend Camp, I think, spawned some doubt and uncertainty among some as to whether or not it would work out. 

Lemme tell ya, it was a SMASHING success. God was hard at work in people's lives that week- at least He was in mine. To be honest, I learned just as much going throughout my day as I did sitting under the preaching of the Word. Getting to interact with students and leaders from different churches and different states gave me new perspective on how people (besides me) live the Christian life. And everyone knows that getting away for a few days and focusing on fun, fellowship and learning from the Word is perhaps the most refreshing experience for Christians young and old. It drowns out the din of social media and worldly entertainment and allows you to focus on creation and the God who made it. 

If this semester is a novel, this weekend is, at most, a misplaced comma. Insignificant in and of itself, but meaningful in the grander scheme of things. Learning about the Christian meta-narrative and how it affects the Christian worldview has been encouraging thus far, but I'm finding my mind in another place.

I can hardly turn left or right around here without remembering those nights last summer. "Yep- played basketball right here." "Yep- broke a bone right there." " Yep- made a new friend on that bench." It's remarkable how much my life changed here. I hope my life changes a little more this weekend.

It also reminds me of all the friends I made that summer that I'm not around anymore. (Miss you guys, BTW.) We're all a year older now, but part of me feels guilty coming back here without them. 

Thoughts are definitely swirling in this cluttered mind, but one thing ain't goin' nowhere:

I know my Redeemer lives, and no matter how much things change around me, no matter the challenges I face on a daily basis, I know He stays the same, and because He lives in me, He's already conquered those challenges on my behalf. All that's left to do, for my part, is to surrender to Him and let Him conquer through me. That's never easy, but it's ALWAYS  worth it.