As a Camp Director I have a lot of jobs. More than I can even begin to list and some that often surprise me. In my experience I have been a nurse, plumber, carpenter, banker, logistics coordinator, bus driver, garbage man, cook, pastor, teacher, coach, salesman, marketer, lifeguard, finder of lost clothes, and many many more things. However, my most important job is that of spiritual leader. The camps I have run proclaim Jesus as King of Kings and Lord of all. I believe firmly that the only way to salvation in to come to a relationship with Jesus Christ. That being said it all has to start with me. This summer we will have over 600 campers and around 30 staff all of whom I know from the bottom of my heart need to know Jesus. My desire is that all of them would leave camp not only knowing Jesus as their Lord and savior but being certain of it. And again, that all starts with me.
I must give myself to prayer and fasting, I must live out loud a life that is worthy of being imitated. The last few nights God has woken me in the middle of the night for prayer. Last night God took me on a journey through the bible that eventually brought me back to Exodus 17. This is a powerful chapter that has 2 big stories. The first is the water from the rock story where the children of Israel are complaining that they had been brought out of Egypt to die because of lack of water. Moses was then instructed by God to strike a rock and water flowed and people drank. Moses named the place Massah which means testing. The second story is about the battle with Amalek. During this battle Moses was instructed to go to the top of a hill and hold his arms up and when they were up the Israelite’s were winning when he didn’t they were losing. It got to the point were he was exhausted and others held his arms up for him. The battle was actually being fought by Joshua and this is the first mention of him in the bible.
Both of these stories describe the kind of leader I want to be. One who listens to God and does what he says but also a leader who is honest when people are not obeying. Ultimately its the second story that really resonates with me. I actually used this as my verse last summer for camp, the idea that I would hold my hands up and as long as I did we would prevail. God, surprisingly, brought me back to this last night. So again, this will be stance. I will hold my hands up to God, so we can have victory, however that is a lot to ask of one person and if you are reading this, its where you come in. I will get tired, I will grow weary, I will get faint and you have to hold my hands up for me. Pray for me, lift me up, encourage me. I’m not asking for myself either, I’m asking because I care about these campers and staff who are under me. Pray for me because I need it, pray for me because what I am doing in Kenya is important. God has called me here to lead and God is calling you to help me lead. So, I am asking you in all boldness to pray for me every day because I know there is power in it. (James 5:16, I Tim 2:1, Eph 6:18, Phil 4:6)
Brett and Bronwyn 