A Breaking Heart

    Well, I was about ready to go to bed for the night after a fun night of some sand volleyball with some students, but suddenly I feel my heart breaking. I just wanted to capture my thoughts in this moment. I enjoy this feeling whenever it comes along. It makes me think more according to my purpose. This isn't a broken heart in the sense of "Susie broke my heart". It's in the sense of life is oh so short, oh so precious, and oh so unpredictable. And I know there are a lot of people that don't realize this.
    I know there are students at Campbell County High School that do not know this. I believe the Lord wants to love these students, but they keep trying to do things their own way. Not to say I am any better; I try to do a lot of things my own way. We all have this void in our hearts. A void that we absolutely need to fill. Some try to fill it with their friends. Some with romantic relationships. Some with drugs and alcohol. Whenever I try to fill my void with something besides God I just end up feeling broken. Nothing fits in this void other than what was made to fit in it—Christ, God in flesh.
    I read in scripture that when we die we face judgement, by which we will either spend eternity in heaven or hell. I read that the only way to get to heaven is through Jesus Christ. One of my high school friends that hasn't accepted Christ could die tomorrow. It is crucial that these students hear the good news that is the gospel. What they do with what they hear is beyond my control, all we can do is share the gospel and for those who accept it help them grow in their faith, let God use us as instruments to help grow these students.
    It breaks my heart seeing students throw themselves into the chaos that is life as a high school student. Trying whatever they can to be loved or accepted by those around them. Getting all worked up because someone they thought they'd spend forever with dumped them. Seeing them make friends with people that would gladly stab them in the back to work their way up the social ladder. We make everything important to us that, in the grand scheme of things, is not really that important. We try to take control of things we have no control over, and when these things go wrong we blame ourselves. I don't believe life was intended to be this cruel. Everyone working against each other for themselves rather than working together for all of us as a whole.
    In 6 days we are leaving for our summer camp trip. Forty something students from Campbell County will have the best week of their life. Not just because it is a fun week, but because they are away from the chaotic world they know. A world that seems to be falling apart. Everything just feels right at a Young Life camp. Seeing students gathering in the club room to sing songs they may not be caught dead singing on their own time (for guys especially, Party in the USA). There are so many other things I want to put here, but it may ruin the fun for someone who reads this that hasn't gone to a Young Life camp yet. Let's just say there are activities that bring students together as one and let them be who they are.
    Most importantly, throughout the week these forty something students will have the gospel broken down for them into chunks that they can take piece by piece and digest. There will be cabins of guys and cabins of girls having open discussion about these chunks of the gospel. As leaders we pray that God will use us in these times, that he'll give us the words to answer questions students may have. We pray that we would also just listen to what students have to say. Speaking aloud is a good way to process information, and some of these students may have never had someone willing to listen to them. We pray the Spirit would be present and guide conversation.
    At the end of the week these forty something students will have an opportunity to respond to the gospel. Some may not accept the gospel at that time, and that is okay. All we can do is share the gospel, we can't choose for them how to respond. Some will accept the gospel at the end of the week. We hope to connect those who do accept the message of the gospel in small group bible studies where they can continue to grow together.
    I'm very excited for this camp trip, yet also anxious. It will be physically and spiritually exhausting. If you are the praying type, I ask that you pray for the camp trips that will be taking place this summer at Young Life camps around the country. Spiritual warfare is something I have trouble wrapping my critical mind around, but that is what is taking place this summer at these camps.