Getting Resaved this summer

I know you can only get saved once and that's it-you are a Christian. Its a feeling of being resaved even though it wasn't a real second time.

This summer I got baptized. I realized after my baptism that I know I was saved at seven, but I was saved because I wanted to be like my family and the answers to my questions before I was saved were enough.

My mom told me once, that you asked God to be in your heart, but you never asked for him to be the Lord of your life.

After my baptism, I realized that I am more of a Christian then I ever was. I started thinking about my chrysalis and how much it meant to me then and how much it means to me now.

I really felt I was a saved all over again. My friends at camp were so loving and proud of me for asking God to forgive me and become the Lord of my Life!!!! I actually declared that I believe in God twice  that week in front of everyone. I felt so blessed. I had thought about having my church I go to youth group baptize me, but God told me to wait for camp. He was totally right!!!!!!

One friend in particular really helped me in wanting to get baptized. My first year at camp her and I were talking during evening activity one night about me getting baptized and being Christians. She gave me a compliment last year that has blessed me and will for the rest of my life!!!!!!!!!!!!! She said," You are AMAZING and DON'T let anybody tell you ANY DIFFERENT!!!!!!!" When I finally decided in about March of this year to get baptized, I realized doing it at Camp would be awesome since she encouraged me to have it there.

Then I got a Facebook message from her saying that she couldn't go to camp and I cried for an hour. I said to God, "Why did you have me wait if the reason can't even happen?" I even thought about not going to camp this year. Then God spoke to me and said, "That's not me, that is the enemy trying to get you to not get baptized. Go to camp, you will meet other people and they can witness your baptism. Shea is not the only one that will witness it even if she did go." I told my mom, I will go and I will meet other people." She said to me, "That's a great attitude to have!" I went and after my parents left after helping me make my bed and get me registered, I get another Facebook message from Shea saying," I have a surprise for you!" I immediately  went out of my cabin and looked for her. At dinner I'm eating and see someone looking in the window looking for Brad. It was Shea!!!! I immediately jump up and ran to hug her!!!! God brought my friend to camp. Brad and my Cabin mom let me even switch cabins to be in with Shea!!!!!

Then Jake formed our "Families". He saw Shea and I sitting with each other and he put her on my "family". Then we went into our groups and met each other. Jake told us to say something about being there that week. I said," That when she told me she wasn't going, I thought about not going, and then when she showed up, I knew God wanted me to be here!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Shea said. " That makes me feel so awesome!!!!!!!!" I was so glad on the inside that I made her feel that way!!!!!!!

Wednesday of that week comes. That's when I declared in believe in Christ the first time and Shea leads the encouragement circle.  When I was the middle getting compliments, Shea said, " You are great friend and I love you!!! You always take my advice when I give it to you!!!!!" That blessed the socks off of me!!!!!!!

Thursday of that week came, and everyone dressed up for the last night!!!! Shea and I always have girlie conversations on that night!!! I love it!!!!!!!

She even invited me to her birthday party in August on that night!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Friday of that week came. BAPTISM TIME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was so excited to finally have Jesus be the Lord of my Life!!!!!!! We get our awards for the week, then my parents show up. Then Jake calls me up to get in the water!!!! I got baptized in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy spirit and for the remission of my sins!!!!!!!!! Jake dunks me, and I come up a brand new person and I felt like one too!!!!!!!! The whole audience screamed whoooooooooo and clapped for me when I came up from underneath the water!!!!! Then I get out of the baptistery, and every camper and adult hugged me even though I'm wet. A girl that was a guest all week-her name is abby said," I will hug you, I know I will get wet, but I DON'T CARE!!!!!" I wanted to cry, but I didn't!!! Shea comes to hug me and says," I'm so PROUD of you!!!!!!!!" Then it came time to hug my mom, and I squeezed her!!!!!

I didn't want to leave camp that day at all, but I had to so I did!!!!! I cried when we left. I even had to go back to get my purse!!!!!!!!

Then in July, I got to back to Camp for their missions week. I learned so much!!!!!! I had a cool experience while I was there. Mark was talking about how baptism isnt just an act-it doesn't save you!!!!! My cabin mom's little four year old asks her mom," Do people get baptized in that water over there?" Her mom said yes. Then she asked," Has anybody gotten baptized this summer? Her mom said, "I'm sure but not this week!" Then I said, "Emmmma, I did!!!!!!!!!" I loved that I got to tell a little girl I got baptized!!!!!!

I didn't want to leave camp especially this time. I cried saying goodbye to Brad because I know that it was my last time seeing him!!!!!!!!!!!


I had a great summer at camp, CAN YOU TELL?!!!!!!!!!!!

Camp year #2

I had such an amazing week at camp. In fact I want to go back before the summer is over for their missions week. I learned so much. The dean couldn't had said it better- the camp has played a huge part in my spiritual development. It has done that for sure. I got baptized yesterday. This school year was so hard for me that I felt that God wasn't there for me. God was always there for me, but he has come back according to my feelings. I feel so blessed and different. Thanks God and camp friends.

Chrysalis

At this time last weekend I was in the place that changed my life. My friend was going on the a weekend that I went on in the fall of my freshman year and I was working it. Having him go on the walk was a real blessing to me. My friend is an absolutely different young man than he was before this!!!The week before the walk, I thought I was losing him. He was going through some really tough stuff and he wouldn't let me do anything. He was pushing me away. Then the sunday before the walk, he got himself back. He was really looking forward to going on Chrysalis. Then it finally came. I spent the night at the campground the night before since I was working it. I had some time out with my friends, then I went to bed. I couldn't sleep for anything. I kept thinking about how Dominic was coming in the morning and I couldn't stop praying for him. Throughout the night I was thinking that he will be a butterfly in Christ in two mornings. God changed his life. We had my sweet 16th birthday party yesterday and he got me card with religious words on it. It says, "Because God created you...you are a very special person in this world...Because He loves you, there's no end to all the good things He has in store for you. And because He made you so wonderfully, you are a true blessing to everyone who knows you. Wishing You a Birthday Filled with Happiness". He also got me a gift card from target that is a butterfly!!! That shows me that Chrysalis was the best time of his life. He will remember that he is a butterfly in Christ for the rest of his life. On this walk, we give people apage letters. Those letters show the candiates that people care and are praying for them. I am really surprised that Dominic didn't know about them because I have my letters on the wall in my bedroom. He never asked that they are for and he was totally surprised by his letters. I am so thankful to God for letting me co sponser him with my mom. I used my allowance to pay for most of his fee. I feel so blessed that I was able to be a huge part of his weekend. Even though I was doing behind the scenes work, I was still there!!!! Thanks God for letting me be there!!!!!!! Overall a great weekend. It will be in my heart along side with my weekend for the rest of our lives!!!!!!!