It’s extremely difficult to encapsulate all of what camp has meant for me since my first year way back in sixth grade. It’s been a place of personal growth, both through my journey in life, learning how to become a man and what that means as well as through the Lord; through all the times that I have gone astray and became a lukewarm Christian, as we all do, this camp has been the lasso pulling me back to the Word through its many chapel sessions and daily devotionals. Most importantly, it’s the place where I initially came to Jesus and got saved! Hunter, the camp counselor who gave me the instructions on how to enter Christ’s kingdom, has been a mentor of sorts to me. He’s always been there for me especially when life was not looking the greatest for me.

My dad passed away when I was a junior in high school and of course, during that time I wasn’t in the best mindset. Hunter was one of the first people to help me and guide me to the Word again, and though you never truly get over those types of situations, the love I felt from that year from Hunter and the camp came only behind my family and my friends from school. The sense of community I felt has to be my favorite experience.

The late-night talks before (and at times after) lights out with my friends Sam, Ben, Austin (or as we call him ET), Diego, and Ish along with others. The times when we’d be walking around the camp together, at the time being complete strangers to now, three years later, these same guys are nothing less than friends for life. The intense gravity of the Friday night football games, the times I’ve seen my buddies cry and go through hardship but still have the courage to share the details with us. The times I’ve joked with those same people on the same night they were so vulnerable, even the strange mixed feelings of hopefulness but sadness that I felt every year waking up on the last day of camp.

These experiences have not only shaped me but have frozen me in that position. Lincoln Lake Bible Camp has effectively created a culture that is for studying the Word but also for studying and loving one another, looking past differences and past the one week we are together in the year. The memories from this camp are so vivid and powerful and are something I will cherish and hope to share!