Impact Summer Camp!

It was a blessing to attend Impact Summer Camp this year in Hillsdale, MI. It was my second time at camp and I didn't expect to compare it to last year, each camp was unique and both impacted me in different ways. This year God reached my heart on a different level, I cant really explain how as i'm still trying to unravel what God impressed on me while I was there. Honestly, last year I felt the focus of camp was more on myself while I was there, (myself recieving the Holy Spirit, myself getting healed, myself being led to altar calls, etc.) It was definitely a great time for me to recieve all that God had for me as one of His children. But this year I went to camp as a much more mature christian. I loved the theme of camp which was re-charging your heart and Josh Joines gave great revelation into what it truly means to love and renew your heart. I enjoyed the first night service but by the second day I felt a little strange, like why didn't I feel led to the altar every time like pretty much everybody else did? Why did it seem like everyone was being amazingly changed and I wasnt?

I continued to check my heart about this. I figured I better get things straightened out because camp only comes once a year and I wanted to be overflowing with what God had for me by the end! Soon enough I figured out just what the problem was. I was limiting God! He had me there for an important purpose just like everyone else. I realized that all week, I had really helped some important people in my life along in thier walk with God! God used me to encourage and help so many people while I was at camp. I also saw the fruit of my labor, the past year was such a year of training for me and I had been merciful and compassionate in some hard situations but at camp God freed the souls of some people that I had been praying soooo hard for all year! I couldn't stop praising Him for everything He has done, and will continue to do!

Josh Joines was excellent while speaking on true love and compassionate hearts towards others. He said "compassion is not a feeling it is an attitude inside of us (from Jesus)" We already have the gift of compassion inside of us, we must practice that constantly even when we don't feel compassionate because feelings don't matter. I think what hit me the hardest at camp was that we need to live out what we believe every day because He shed every drop of blood for us! Think about it for real! Jesus knew he was going to be crucified and that it would be intense, terrible pain and suffering to go through so that we would be right with the Father. He got nails drilled through him so that we can LIVE! He died so that we wouldn't have to go to freaking hell! I don't deserve that...nobody does. But He had so much compassion for us that He didn't care what it took to save our lives so that we could have freedom and joy and peace. Psalm 147:3 says that God heals the brokenhearted. He heals our hearts and re-charges them so that we can continue to love Him and love others. Camp was such an encouraging experience, I know I will definitely take what I learned and have it in my heart to express outwardly every day of my life, hope you do too! :)