Come As You Are, But Choose Not To Stay That Way

This past Friday, I came home from a two-week experience at SpringHill Camps. Now this place has been my summer home, my summer sanctuary, for the past nine years. Every year I come home completely changed and in awe of God. Most of the time you only go for one week, but in high school, you have the opportunity to go for two. Also, when you go in high school you get to serve the camp alongside participating in the activities. This is one of the many things I love about this camp: They teach and encourage service. I get to give back to the camp that has given me so much. I also get to serve God’s Kingdom in such a special way by serving this camp and to help them make it a life changing experience for so many kids. This camp has my whole heart, and I pray that I will be able to come back as a counselor.

There were many things we learned this year over the course of thirteen days, but there were a couple things that stuck out to me the most. The first of which was community in Christ You know, we were made for community. When God created Adam, He said “It is not good that the man should be alone” (Genesis 2:18). Even Jesus Himself had a community. From the very first day of camp to the last, I constantly prayed that all sixty-one of us in my pod would be able to develop a true community in Christ. This is one thing that the counselors consistently pushed for. And you know what? I believe that God pulled through. I believe that a community was built. In just two short weeks, I was able to love sixty other random people like a family. I was able to watch as Christ moved in the hearts of these people and open their minds up to Christ-filled friendships. I was able to see God’s love in each and every one of them. It was amazing and so encouraging. If this can happen in just thirteen days, imagine the type of community that will be built over nine months. I am even more excited to start developing fellowship and community with my squad and the people in Cambodia, Thailand, South Africa, and Guatemala.

The second thing that stuck out to me was God’s invitations to us. Everyday God sends out an invitation for us to take up our cross and follow him (Matthew 16:24). But God doesn’t only send that invitation. Each day He sends us small invitations to do something for Him and His Kingdom. He invites us to talk to the person who is alone or to pray for the one who is having a bad day. All we have to do is say “yes” and allow Him to do miracles through us. But there is more to it. God is also waiting for an invitation from us. He is waiting for us to invite Him into our lives, to invite Him to use us to move mountains. There are so many invitations that we miss out on because we don’t take the time to listen for God’s voice. Or maybe we just decline these invitations because we think it’s weird or embarrassing. This is something I need to work on: saying “yes” to God’s invitations. However, I am looking forward to the invitations that I have already accepted. It’s been almost a year since I accepted the invitation to go on the World Race. I keep saying “I am going on the World Race” when in reality God is taking me on the World Race. He invited me, and I said yes. This is His trip. I am just tagging along. I cannot wait for all the invitations to come in the next year, and I am praying that I will be able to say “yes” to each of them.

Finally, the motto for SpringHill this year was “Come as you are, but choose not to stay that way, for the summer will end, but eternity will be changed forever.” I honestly love this saying. God accepts us just the way we are; nothing needs to change to go to Him. However, once we do go to Him, we are forever changed. And the thing is, it doesn’t stop. God is constantly changing us. This is the mindset I am hoping to enter the World Race. I don’t want to follow God on the Race expecting to stay the same. I want to be changed forever.

SpringHill has taught me a lot over the last nine years, but these are some of my favorite lessons this year, and I pray that they will continue to change lives for many years to come. 

With love and blessings,

Ali Goolsby