This is not your mama's youth camp....

Many of us have had the chance at one time or another to go to a youth camp or retreat to hang out with our friends, make new friends, and learn more about God. This week my 16 year old son is away at an annual youth camp event.

  My husband and I went up for the evening service and brought along our daughters, our nephew, and another young girl from our church. As the service opened, several groups shared their talents by presenting drama and dance ministry. When it came time for worship to start, the teens rushed the front of the room like the hottest band in the country was playing. They worshipped loud and long.
  The speaker challenged the listeners to go beyond our concepts of what we think we know about God and to seek to have an encounter with Him. The service closed with the teens once again rushing the front to sing with and pray for each other. I squeezed my way up front to stay close to the young girl we had brought along.
   As I was standing there singing with the crowd of mostly teens, I caught a glimpse of my son. Eyes closed, hands raised, singing "Set a fire down in my soul that I can't contain, that I can't control. I want more of You, God. I want more of You, God". Then I noticed several of the teens from our church praying for each other, hugging each other and crying as God moved on their hearts. My nephew was right there in the midst of them.
  I had lost sight of the young girl that we had brought along, and when I located her I saw her standing with her hand over her heart, eyes closed, joining in the song that was being sung. I was awestruck by how these kids were responding to the presence of God. They may not understand the how or why of what happened here, but I know that it is something that they will not soon forget.