Sky Ranch. Two words that bring an incredible measure of joy to my heart. If there was ever anything in my life that caused me to believe that God works out all things, even the tiniest details, for His glory- it would be the story of how I arrived at Sky Ranch and what happened there that summer.
The end of my freshman year of college found me quitting my job as keyholder at Lifeway Christian Bookstore and looking to get away for a summer to “find myself.” I started looking at different Christian summer camps at the request of my mentor Janelle, who had told me that it would be a great summer and just what I needed. Originally I applied, interviewed, and had hoped to land a job at Camp Ozark. They did not offer me a job. As a last second scramble, right before summer arrived, I faxed off interviews to as many camps as I could find online and received an invitation for a phone interview from two of them, one of them being Sky Ranch. I first received a job offer from the other camp and was about to take it when I was offered a job at a closer, more established, and better paying (I won’t lie.. haha) camp called Sky Ranch. I accepted and looked forward to a summer of relaxing, playing with kids, and forgetting about my problems.
I could make this story very, very, very long but I don’t think it is wise. You can ask me for all the details if you really care, and haven’t heard them already. As it happened, camp did not turn out to be the stress-free summer I was looking for, but rather a summer of growth, stretching, and leadership training. I learned so many things that summer that I cannot even begin to list them off: what it means to be a leader, what it means to be a servant, how to love someone well, what true community is, how to lovingly correct someone, how to handle conflict, how to sail (thanks, JP!), how to give every ounce of energy and effort you have to a ministry, and the list goes on.
When I recall my summer at Sky Ranch, I refer to it as the period in my life where God grew me from a boy into a man. I can now see it as the period of my life where God was growing, shaping, and molding me into the person and leader that I am today. I thank God for Sky Ranch and for getting me there- all in his perfect timing and wisdom.
Have you had a period of time, or a circumstance or situation, that God used to absolutely change your life? Please comment and share!
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