Tuesday, July 10, 2007

Cornerstone

I am spending a week up at Camp Cornerstone on the campus of Oklahoma Christian University. I believe (if I remember right) that this is my fourth year to be on staff at this awesome camp. Since I have been in youth ministry I have worked at Zenith and Cornerstone as a teacher and staff member. I have always loved Zenith for the amazing level of fellowship that I get from the other youth ministers and their wives. It is one of the rare camps that uplift both the teenager and the minister. Most camps will focus so much on the kids that the ministry staff who puts it on are dead at the end of the week. I believe that Zenith is so amazing because everyone is lifted up, not just kids.

I laughed so hard at Zenith this year. It was the kind of laughing that is memorable. I spent the week with some of my best friends, Allen Carr, Trevor Cox, Jerred England, and Benny Nowell, along with their lovely wives. I have very few people in this world that I can truly cut loose and cut up with. We all need that in our lives at some point, especially in ministry. Kindred spirit is hard to come by when you are taking a paycheck to do full time ministry. So, I cherish the times I can spend with these great people.

Camp Cornerstone has been awesome like usual. I love this camp for the awesome kids. I have always told people that if Granbury hired another youth minister that I would take the middle school in a heartbeat. They are at such a moldeable age! I was talking to one of the dorm moms today and she was complimenting us (youth ministers) for putting up with these kids like we do. My response was "just laugh and love them!". I believe that is what they need. Of course they are annoying and awkward. They are going through puberty! There is no doubt that I went through the same stages that they are right now. All we can do is love on them and laugh with them. It is so cool.

When Jesus told us to accept him like a little child, I understand that better after being around kids like this. They aren't too cool to love Jesus the best way they know how. It teaches me to love in a more open and honest way. I am not too good at that, but I know that if I follow Christ's command, I will look a little dorky and awkward. But no one will doubt my heart.

Let's be like these middle school kids! But please, use deodorant!

Chris

4 comments:

Niki said...

And shower more than once a week...and use our built in filters before we speak...and...just kidding Chris.

Glad you are having a good time this week. I miss the days of saying goodbye to you at Zenith knowing I would see you again in 3 short weeks at Cornerstone. ~sigh~ ;)

We LOVED the time we got to spend with you at Zenith this year. All the feeling are mutual my friend!

Natalie Brooke said...

Yeah, I'm pretty sure I'm a little dorky and awkward all the time. Maybe that's why I fit in so well with kids :)

But you know, that's okay...especially when the spirit moves us out of our comfort zone in an effort to show the love of Christ. Good thoughts!

It was a blessing to get to see you, as always! Since you brought it up, I read and posted now! So...I expect you to read and comment on it now...
J/K!

Talk to you later.

Unknown said...
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Unknown said...

Awkward and Annoying, Thanks alot Crobey. But Actually I'm not a middle schooler I am a high schooler so I am technically Perfect. Hee Hee JK, Love you lots Crobey, Kayli