Looking back, this story that I am about to share was one of the most impactful moments I had this summer. Even though the story itself isn’t that exciting, and no big life decisions were made, this was the moment where I truly knew why God chose to bring me to camp this summer.
When it comes to camp, there are some girls that I immediately connect with, but with other girls, it takes a bit longer for me to figure them out and learn how to communicate with them individually. I have a very outgoing nature, and am often the one that is doing silly dances and jumping around at the opening ceremony on the first day. Some girls absolutely love it, and my loud energy invites them to be silly and have fun from the beginning. However, some girls are more introverted, and prefer to sit on the sides and observe. And, if I’m being honest, my high energy can be pretty nerve wracking to girls that are more shy and quiet. This is why I am so grateful for the co counselors that I had, because we all have different personalities, which allowed us to be able to connect with all of the girls that we had this summer.
Sunday nights, after the girls all went to bed, my co counselors and I would do a quick debrief, and talk about which girls we felt connected with, as well as the ones that we couldn’t quite create a good bond with. There was one girl in particular that stood out to me; she was pretty shy, but she was a beautiful listener, was very respectful, and had the sweetest smile that told you she was filled with joy. I had tried to start a few conversations with her, but I could tell that our personalities didn’t mix too well. I understood that she might not open up quickly, but I knew that I really wanted to invest in her and get to know her.
So, throughout the week, I took little moments to start conversations with her, and see how she was doing. She was always very kind, and had good insights on everything, but she wasn’t much of a talker. It was disappointing, but I also have to remember that I am never going to become best friends with every single camper that I have this summer. There are some girls that I have been able to connect with on a deep level, but there are some girls that I was never able to have a good, raw conversation with, and that’s okay. All week, though, I knew that I really wanted to get to know her story, so I learned how to read her, and began to understand how she feels loved.
On a side note, I think one of the biggest things you have to learn in order to really connect with the campers is to figure out how each and every one of them feel loved. For some girls, dancing with them during the opening ceremony makes them feel comfortable to be themselves. Some loved it when I sat with them during meals and told funny stories and silly jokes. I had some girls that loved it when I had one-on-one conversation time with them, and that was really important to them. Every person feels loved in a different way, and once you are able to learn how somebody else receives love, you can really create a meaningful connection with them. Personally, I am big on words of affirmation, so telling me that I am important to you and am valued in your eyes is always a great act of love to me. In addition, getting me a small snack or drink always brightens my day, and shows me that you really pay attention to what makes me happy.
Anyways, I struggled all week with finding out how this girl feels loved. Thursday came, and I was beginning to feel defeated. I was not able to really connect with this girl, but I didn’t want her to leave camp at the end of the week and not feel loved and seen by me, because I want to make every camper feel the love of Christ through the staff.
That night, we had an outdoor chapel, which is something that I always love. It is so beautiful to worship at the edge of the lake, and look up at the beautiful sky. It really helps me understand God’s power and majesty while I am singing about it while looking at the earth that He designed. Those outdoor chapels always hold a special place in my heart.
After chapel, our campers all headed over to our cabin, where we were going to have our CrossTalk, and have a good conversation about what we learned that night. On the way up, I ended up walking beside this girl, and I asked her what she thought about chapel that night. She said that it was good, and that was about it. Then, after some silence, I asked her what she was thinking about. I feel like more extroverted and more outspoken people always share what’s on your mind, but when it comes to more quiet people, you often have to ask them what they’re thinking about in order for them to share it with you.
She told me that she was nervous for the upcoming school year, and when I asked her why, she began opening up about how she was anxious about her friends. At this point, the rest of the girls had followed my co counselors in the cabin, leaving the two of us sitting right outside the cabin in the grass. As she was explaining her situation to me, I learned that she didn’t really have any friends at school that were really loving to her and being good influences to her.
For those of you that know me, or those of you that are regular readers of the blog, you know that a big part of my testimony was my struggle with loneliness. Because of some unhealthy relationships that I experienced, I had a season of life where I felt like I didn’t have anyone that loved me or truly cared about me, and it was really tough. This caused me to question my worth, and ever since, I have become dedicated to making sure that no one else ever feels that way. So, when she was telling me about her struggles with friends and being alone, I realized why God brought me to camp. God uniquely crafted my story for two reasons: so that I would grow in Christ, and encourage others to grow in Christ. The connection that I had been searching for with this girl wasn’t an ice breaker, or a fun story, but our lives. I had already experienced a lot of things that she was going through, and I was able to truly understand her perspective and give her support.
Once I told her my own testimony with loneliness and finding fulfillment in my relationship with God, I could see her view me in a different light. Even though we have differing personalities, the Lord put us together to relate to each other on a spiritual level. So, that night, we were able to have one of the most beautiful conversations of the summer. We chatted about loneliness, finding the right friends, and learning what people in our lives are truly loving us and investing in us. I was able to pray over her, and ask God to provide the most loving and encouraging friends for her next school year. One of the coolest parts, though, is the fact that after our deep conversation, we ended up chatting for such a long time! All week, I had been struggling to really get to talk with her, but all of a sudden it came naturally, and we talked about so many things! We talked about our favorite vacations, and even learned that we might have vacationed in the exact same house! It was almost a shame when we joined CrossTalk, because I wanted to keep hearing her perspective on life and get to know her better, but it was a huge blessing to have been able to make that connection with her.
I am so grateful for that conversation, because I got the opportunity to share my own story to be able to help and comfort somebody going through the same things as me. Your testimony is the best way to be able to connect with others, and show them who Jesus is through your own struggles, circumstances, and unique identity.
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