"I don't have to jump off of that pole to prove that I trust God."

We woke up ready for our last full day at Young Life camp. Time flies when you're having fun here. We headed across camp for breakfast and got there just a little bit early today.

 

A group of boys that had stayed up almost all night talking were outside. They had finished a whole pitcher of hot chocolate together this morning. Boys on this trip love heart to hearts and deep talks.

It's been sweet getting to lead alongside JD, Stephen, Ryan, Abby, Ryan and Hannah. These people are passionate about their kids and about their relationship with God. I love this part of YL, that we're all in this together and part of a team. I'm thankful that we'll go home together and work alongside even more leaders that care about these kids.

I love my girls Ella and Nina. It's been so nice to have some Camp T people here with me this week. One thing all three of us love at Tecumseh is how much you get to know kids from other cabins through clinics and activities. That's harder to make happen here but we still got to see each other a lot.

Our cabin went to do the Quantam Leap early this afternoon. You climb up a telephone pole, stand on top and then jump off and try to whack the bell. Most of our girls harnessed up and completed the challenge.

Many of the boys came to watch our girls and everyone was good about cheering people on.

A few girls really didn't want to climb... "I'm Haleigh Devoe and I'm confident in my relationship with God. I don't have to jump off of a pole to prove that I trust him." Hannah and I love her... even if she didn't climb the pole.

It's times like this afternoon that make me so thankful for this huge crew of kids that came together this summer. Some of them have been friends for years and others have become part of this family just through Young Life.

It was really fun to see each girl make it all the way up, even when their legs were shaking and they didn't know if they would make it. Then they'd jump and fly through the air like Peter Pan.

Even though I've known all of the girls in my cabin for a long time it's sweet how much better I know them after this one week. When I started being a YL leader a long time ago someone told me that a week at camp is like a whole years worth of contact work. I think they were right.

Because the power was off yesterday we couldn't get the Gutter for Libby's birthday. So today after we finished the Quantam Leap our cabin headed to the snack bar to get ice-cream. This gutter full of ice-cream is awesome. Libby got all the toppings today-- bananas, cookies, sprinkles, four kinds of candy, cheeries, hot fudge and whipped cream.

We all dug in together again and it was delicious. I don't know why eating things together really fast is so much fun but it always is. After every bit of the food was devoured the girls headed out to do different things all over camp.

Hannah and I got to chat with Katie, our work crew friend, and Mary Margaret, a head leader, for awhile and it was so fun. We have slowly gotten to know these two this week and think they're both awesome. Today we were glad we could just hang out and talk with them for a little while. Maybe we'll end up at another camp together in the future.

Tonight was the "dress up" night for dinner. There's no strict dress code but usually the girls wear dresses, skirts or nicer shorts instead of our usual running around clothes.

We had time before dinner to take pictures on the lawn with everyone. Because none of the kids had their phones the leaders got to talk a lot of pictures. For about fifteen minutes all of the kids were shouting my name to take a picture of a group or just them and a friend. I promised I'd put all of them online...

 

 

We finally got big cookie for dessert tonight. It was as delicious as ever. I could eat that every day and never get tired of it.

All of the skit characters came out to sing One More Day from Les Miserables at the end of dinner and it was AWESOME. I loved it.

In an unprecedented surprise, everyone got a free copy of Sam the musician's CD. We were all stoked.

I really like when we tell girls to make fun poses and then they look this fun.

I found my friend Nina and got another pic with my fav co-leader Hannah. I really wish I could see both of these girls all year long.

Tonight at Club we played one of the most hilarious and simple games I've ever seen. Six kids were pulled outside while JoJo hid in the crowd. The kids were let back in and they ran all through the crowd trying to find him. To win you had to be the first person to grab JoJo by the shoulders and yell, "I FOUND YOU JOJO!" We played several rounds and it was so much harder than you would expect to find JoJo in this crowd.

We sang one of Sam's songs again that I really love the lyrics of. It's always good to be reminded of this truth that God is going to be with us no matter what.

After the Club talk all of the Work Crew kids and bosses came out on stage. They shared their name, job and where they were from. Two of the kids also shared their testimony. Then as we sang the final song of the night each person on stage pulled out a piece of cardboard with a word that told has God has worked in their life. It was similar to the cardboard testimonies that leaders shared this morning and really cool.

When we got back to the cabin tonight we were visited by Katie, our favorite Work Crew girl. She brought us a snack and shared her testimony with us. Her story is so applicable to our girls and they soaked it up. Then they got to ask questions and hear more about what HS has been like for her. I'm so glad we got to know her better this week.

We had one more late night cabin time, round of hugs and bed time story. It was sad knowing that tomorrow we would have to leave to go back home.

"I peed in a cup and dumped it in the creek. I wasn't going to wait in that line."

Thursday morning we woke up to the news that we should sleep in. Breakfast wouldn't be until 10:00 today because there had been a flash flood the night before and part of camp was underwater. Our power was off and the water wasn't working in the bathroom. We weren't sure what to expect when we went outside.

The whole lake had flooded. The creek running into it was a raging stream at this point which had washed out a bridge and was pouring out water. The volleyball courts were now a pool, the walkway to the slides was gone and the water was full of mulch, sticks and other debris. All of the campers just stood watching the lake.

We ate a breakfast of cereal and fruit inside. The camp director told us that everyone was safe and that though they were working to fix everything, they didn't know when that would happen. Thankfully the people who had been in danger that morning were all okay and totally taken care of by God's safety.

All of camp had free time in the morning because so much of the camp was closed and the staff was running around taking care of things. Hannah, the girls and I hung out in the meeting room and played Fishbowl and Psychiatrist, two of my favorite games.

Today was also awesome because it was LIBBY'S BIRTHDAY! I've been friends with Libby for three years and was so glad we got to celebrate with her today. The flood definitely made it a birthday she'll never forget.

A ton of our girls broke out their jerseys today. We're really into matching around here.

A lot of the morning we got to spend just hanging out and talking with friends. Not a bad way to spend the day at all.

I got to do my one on one talk with Sophia Lipka. She goes to Cathedral and just started coming to Young Life last semester. I was so glad I got the opportunity to get to know her better.

The storm brought out the crafty side of Chad, Jacob, Haleigh, Brian and Nick. They all worked on friendship bracelets from the craft barn.

After lunch we all headed to the Club room. Even without electricity, the camp managed to pull together enough generators to put on the party. Everyone was excited to be doing something all together.

One of HSE's strengths is waiting outside the Club room every single time. Today we played the scenario game and took lots of pictures while we waited.

Even without all the videos and air conditioning and bright lights, Club was still awesome today.

We had Cabin Time after club and then took a group nap because we were all so exhausted. I hadn't had caffeine all day either so the sleep helped my headache. When we woke back up we had power again which was an awesome surprise.

Dinner was delicious and ended with a Big Brownie-- a pan of warm brownie topped with vanilla ice-cream. We all dug in at once and ate every single morsel.

They pulled leaders and kids up on stage for a game at the end of dinner. They boys had to use pitchers to fill their leader's sweatpants up with ice. Whichever leader's pants weighed more at the end of the time won. They could barely walk they were so heavy.

I'm so thankful for all of the kids that got to come on the trip this week. It's incredible how many people have gotten involved with HSE Young Life in the past year. Natalie, Pidgeon and Audrey might not be in my cabin this week, but they are each such incredible girls and I love that we get to share this whole experience. They've been some of the main characters of YL back at home and I can't imagine them not being here.

Tonight camp was full of kids just playing everywhere. It wasn't about the fun of the blob or zip line or slides or high ropes course. We were just having a blast outside together. Sometimes we forget that life to the full can be as simple as that.

It's so cool to see the guys breaking out of their regular friend groups and hanging out this week. They've been having awesome cabin time conversations and growing so much in their relationships with God and one another.

I just love Hannah Blachly. It's been such a gift to get to lead at camp with her for two summers in a row. She continually inspires and encourages me in my own walk with Christ. Just a sophomore in college, she is already doing big things in the world and loving the people around her well. She's one of those people that I hope I'm friends with forever.

Somehow I barely saw Nina and Ella today. Thankfully we found each other right before Club tonight.

We were stoked to be back in the Club room tonight with AC, power and WORKING BATHROOMS! It was great to have everything back up.

At the end of Club tonight Crock invited everyone to go find a space in camp by themselves. For the next twenty minutes we would each sit and pray or think or respond to what we've been hearing in the club talks all week long. It was pitch black outside but the stars were shining brilliantly.

The work crew started singing a worship song to signal the end of the twenty minutes. Next everyone went back inside the club room for a concert from Sam, the special musician of the week. I sat outside talking with Hannah about life and these girls and Young Life and God's plans. It was one of my most honest and vulnerable conversations of the summer.

Back in the cabin everyone was hyper and somehow Abby, a leader and hair stylist, ended up giving me a haircut. It just seemed like the perfect opportunity. Before long three other girls got their hair cut too.

We went to bed after midnight with the usual routine of hugs and a bed time story from Cold Tangerines. We only have one full day left at camp, time is flying.