I run in the path of your commandments, for you have set my heart free.

Psalm 119:32 WEB

Summer has arrived! Here at Deep Spirituality, we believe Summer is a great opportunity for growth. We realized, after some “fireside chats,” that we can spend most of our time being captive to our fears, insecurities, guilt and dysfunction. But we want to have our own Summer of growth, to focus on how God can help us break free from our insecurities so that we can build a great friendship with him. We’re so excited to announce our theme for the Summer is “Freedom!”

One of the best experiences we’ve had in middle school and high school was going away for summer camps. Camp gives you an  opportunity to get out and get away from it all to build memories, make friends, and focus on God.

Coming to camp is exciting, but we know it can also be nerve-wracking. We remember all too well the combination of excitement and fear we felt as we got ready to leave home. So we put together a list of the 6 steps to help you have a successful summer camp experience.

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1. Ease Your Anxiety

We know, this is easier said than done! We all get anxious sometimes about meeting new people and sharing honestly about our hearts. Proverbs 12:25 says:

Worry takes away your joy, but a kind word makes you happy.

The Bible has a solution for worry in this Scripture – you need some kind words from your parents and friends! Take some time this week to talk to your parents or your close friends about the worries you have. You’ll probably find that your friends share those same worries, and you’ll feel relieved and happier going into camp.

2. Make Friends

The generous will prosper; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed.

Proverbs 11:25 NLT

Another quick tip – the more you think about refreshing others, the more you will be refreshed. Who can you be a good friend to at camp?

3. Listen For “1 Thing”

Stay focused; do not lose sight of mercy and truth;

Proverbs 3:3 – The Voice

We know, if you’re attending a spiritually oriented camp, they can cover a lot of Scriptures and topics, and that can be overwhelming. Just try to listen for “1 Thing” in each class that stands out to you. It might be something new you learned about God, or something you learned about yourself. Set aside some brief time where you can write down your “1 Thing” after every class session.

4. Be Grateful For Your Parents

It’s easy to run all over during the Summer and not slow down to chill and appreciate the people in your life. But you want to make sure to take time to be grateful to your parents, because in Proverbs 1:9 is says…

What you learn from your parents will bring you honor and respect, like a crown or a gold medal.

Proverbs 1:9 – Easy-to-Read Version

Your parents care enough about you to send you to a camp where you can be yourself and have fun for 3 days. Camp gives you an opportunity to grow and build your own relationship with God. Be grateful your parents support you in this journey, and take their help. You won’t regret it.

5. Believe

There has never been the slightest doubt in my mind that the God who started this great work in you would keep at it and bring it to a flourishing finish on the very day Christ Jesus appears.

Philippians 1:3 MSG

Do you ever get negative on yourself and doubt you can change? We do too. But God promises that he won’t give up on you – he can help you change the things you want to change. Make a decision to believe this as you go to camp.

6. Remember

With all my heart I praise the LORD! I will never forget how kind he has been.

Psalm 103:2 – CEV

We hope you will have such a great time at your Summer Camp that you want to bring the memories with you the rest of the year. Remembering good things that have happened helps us remember how kind God is to us. So write things down! Write down big things, little things, funny things, happy things, anything you want to remember from camp. Record your memories and look over them after you get home from camp.

Video: https://deepspirituality.com/6-steps-to-having-a-successful-summer-camp-experience/

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This article was created by a member of the Deep Spirituality editorial team.

Deep Spirituality logo

This article was created by a member of the Deep Spirituality editorial team.

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6 Steps To Help You Have A Successful Summer Camp Experience 6