Thursday at Camp from the heart of Angela Gudahl

July 14^th, 2016

            Greetings everyone, I write to you with a joyful heart and droopy eyelids. Today started as a typical day of camp would- camp dance, icebreakers, English lesson 1, break, English lesson 2, lunch, activities, sports, break, evening program. However, this specific evening was special. During the evening talk, the gospel was preached loud and clear, and every camper heard the message: God desperately           wants a relationship with you. After the gospel was shared, the campers went through numerous stations that we call the labyrinth. These are stations that challenge campers to think about different aspects about the reality of Jesus dying on the cross for them. At the end of the station, campers can either decide to go into the cafeteria to talk to someone about the decision they just made, or go home.

            This evening sounds simple enough when I try to explain it on a blog post. In all reality, the evening was indescribable. I was given the amazing and humbling privilege of being able to see God answer prayers for a specific camper right before my eyes. This camper was a challenge, but many of us had been praying and believing that our God can change her heart. And as I sat in the cafeteria, waiting to see if any campers would come in to talk after the labyrinth, I just prayed over and over again “Jesus, please please please, just bring her in this room. I believe you can do it.” 

She was the first camper to walk in. My entire body got the chills like I had never felt them before. She knew little English so someone from the Polish youth group went and talked with her. She said that she wanted a relationship with God. God knows her heart, but I pray that this is so real, and so good, and I am so overwhelmed by who our God is.

At the end of the night, we all got to debrief our day and the different conversations we had. There were so many of them, full of goodness and the Holy Spirit. One other camper who accepted Jesus as her Savior tonight said to her foster sister (who is a follower of Christ) “We have the same Father now.” Praise Jesus!

There were so many other stories, other campers coming to Christ, good conversations, hard conversations, real conversations. God knows all of them. And the angels in heaven are rejoicing. And on this day we all have some new brothers and sisters in Christ. And maybe all of you won’t get to meet them here on this Earth, but one day we will be standing before Him and praising Him together. My heart is so full and so overwhelmed. God didn’t have to pick us to be used, but He did. He is so faithful.

Oh God, the glory is Yours. Your kingdom has come. The battle is over. Jesus, in Your name we rise. The glory is Yours. The glory is Yours.

Angela Gudahl