I have returned!

Well, I don't know where to even begin. God has done amazing things in my life, as well as everyone who went to camp with me.
After the six hour car ride, all 2700ish students at the camp were in the auditorium that we would spend a majority of our time in for the next four days. As the lights went out, a great cheer errupted. Everyone stood as the band started to lead us in worship. Just standing there at the beginning, it was amazing to be around so many other believers that were my age and to worship God.
The first few days were rough. The schedule took a lot of getting used to as well as where everything was located and how long it took to walk from place to place. As a side note, I'd like to thank my small group leader Paul, who was our Daddy Duck leading us from place to place. But anyway, by Tuesday night, our hearts were prepared for one of the most convicting and challenging messages to be directed at us.
David Nassar was our speaker, and he gave us illustration and story after illustration and story to show that GOD IS EVERYTHING. He talked about how he loved his wife and kids, but they make lousy Gods. God is everything, and he deserves NOTHING BUT to be praised 100%. He doesn't deserve to just be put on the top shelf of our life, because a shelf can share room with other things. He deserves to be on the THRONE of our lives and NOTHING ELSE. Every single one of us in the youth group was convicted in a specific way. As we were dismissed, David Nassar asked that we be silent except to sing the closing song (Everything, by Tim Hughes) with Fee, the band leading us.

Be my everything,
Be my everything,
Be my everything,
Be my everything.

Christ in me,
Christ in me,
Christ in me,
The hope of glory,
Lord you are everything.

As we walked out, I was weeping as I sang. I knew how God wanted me to respond, and it broke me. When we got to the room where we did our church group time, Bryan opened up the floor by saying if the Spirit had convicted us with something specific, we should quietly come up and write it on the board in front of us. After everyone finished, Bryan asked if any one of us wanted to share what we had written and why. I was the third to speak, and I was still broken and crying. I shared that I had been bitter and self centered. I had remembered everything bad that anyone had ever done to me, and I had trouble forgiving them. As I spoke, people laid their hands on me and held my hands, and for that I am so grateful. Thank you to everyone there who understood and encouraged me, and thank you to everyone who forgave me for specific things I had done to them and for not forgiving them.
That Tuesday night, our youth group grew closer than we had ever become. We shared our struggles, prayed about them, and we all walked out of there elated and free. Free from the lies of the devil, and free from any kind of dislike for one another. That night, I was happier than I had been in months, probably even years.
The next night, Wednesday, at church group Bryan opened up the floor for anyone to stand and share what God had taught us this week. When I talked, I told how God had helped me release my bitterness and how He had shown me that He was everything. I told about how I had come to this camp with a broken friendship, and the night before, we had each heard the call of the Spirit to forgive each other and not be enemies any longer. I also shared about how during camp I found out that at least two different people were suffering from depression at the same time I was. I wished our youth group had been as close as we were that night because we probaby would have been able to each get out of our depression faster through prayer with one another. I also said that I hoped our group would continue to become closer so that we would be able to lean on one another when more trials were to come.
To close, if I had to describe my camp experience in one sentence, I would say, "God is everything, and I'm not alone," because now I know that I have incredible Christian friends who are there to pray for me, to encourage me, and to hold me in their arms when I cry, as they did many times over the course of this camp.
Standing in the love of Christ,
Lady Brainsample

PS Thank you to anyone that sat through this very lengthy blog post. If any of y'all have any questions, please leave a comment and I will reply to the best of my abilities. And as always, comments are greatly appreciated anyway!