This summer was beautiful. Actually, it was the hardest summer I’ve had in a while but it was also full of the most beautiful moments, moments that could’ve only been from the Lord. Before summer began I prayed to be stretched. I prayed for new experiences. I prayed for a summer that would challenge me. I got everything I prayed for and then some. At the end of each summer season I spend time reflecting and debriefing the happenings of camp; laughing at the chaos, looking for things to improve, making a mental pros & cons list, and figuring out the age old question, “what were some of your favorite moments from summer?” Well here it is folks, one of the most beautiful moments, and yes one of my favorites, from this summer: Every Thursday at Discovery Camp is our “decision day”. Our chapel times are all together, both younger and older units. We have a time of worship, the speaker presents the gospel, does an alter call, we pray, pass out plastic heart beads, have some more worship, and then I come up to explain the bead/dismiss for the next thing. This bead is as big as your nail and meant to hang on the camper’s nametags. It is a representation of a decision campers make to ask Jesus to come live in their hearts and a reminder that they are made new through Christ. One particular decision day, Major Regina Shull’s birthday to be exact, I went up to explain the beads and to send the campers out to their next activity. Got to the microphone, gave a little speech about spiritual birthdays & that we should go out and celebrate, and sent the campers on to the next thing. Later that day at campfire, the campers had a chance to write down prayer requests, ask questions, and get them answered by their counselor or another staff member. It is a time to talk about the “what’s next” to following Christ once making a decision. At the end of the night I collected all the cards and spent some time reading through them. As I am leafing through there was one that stood out above the others; “mom today I’ve been reborn”. Instant. Tears. On this particular night I shed tears for the beauty of coming to know Christ, the beauty in wanting to share that with the person who brought you into this world, and the beauty of simple words. Gosh, I have learned so much through the eyes and words of campers. We’ve been made new, let’s celebrate.