Camp – The Nexus

Morning Musing: Luke 6:32-36

June 13, 2025June 12, 2025Leave a comment

“If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. If you do what is good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. And if you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners to be repaid in full. But love your enemies, do what is good, and lend, expecting nothing in return. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High. For he is gracious to the ungrateful and evil. Be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful.” (CSB – Read the chapter)

Well, we survived the week at camp. Really, we only had to survive three full days. Monday and today were barely half days. Camp days always feel extra long (because they are), but the week always feels like it rushes by at breakneck speed. We’re all tired—I suspect most of the kids will sleep a fair bit of the journey home—but it’s a good tired. Yesterday, we came back to the theme from day one: Loving God. This time, though, we dove deeper into what it looks like to love God. Most notably, it looks like loving the people He loves. That’s easy with the people we are inclined to love. It’s harder with the people we aren’t. So naturally, that’s where we focused. Let’s take a closer look.

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Morning Musing: Isaiah 55:8-9

June 11, 2025June 11, 20252 Comments

“‘For my thoughts are not your thoughts, and your ways are not my ways.’ This is the Lord’s declaration. ‘For as heaven is higher than earth, so my ways are higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.’” (CSB – Read the chapter)

Day two of camp is in the books, and it was another fun day of worship with music, Bible study, good food, and tons of games. I even won a round of Gaga Ball. I will likely be paying for my victory for the next few days, but it was satisfying all the same. The theme for the day was the importance of putting God first. We looked at several stories throughout the day of different times and ways people put God’s will and ways first including Jesus Himself. At worship tonight, the camp pastor mentioned another verse that helps us understand why this is something that makes sense to do. Let’s dive into that just a bit more today.

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Morning Musing: Mark 12:29-31

June 10, 2025June 17, 2025Leave a comment

“Jesus answered, ‘The most important is “Listen, Israel! The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.” The second is, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” There is no other command greater than these.’” (CSB – Read the chapter)

Something a little different this week. I have the privilege of chaperoning some of our kids to camp this week for what I suspect will be the final time. That’s a little bittersweet, I’ll confess. It’s a lot to do this each year, but it really does make for a fun week. Like the last few years, this week we’ll take a break from our normal fare to explore a bit what the kids are learning this week. These will likely be pretty short reflections as time is fleeting at camp, but as least you’ll get the gist of it. Without further ado, here we go.

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Morning Musing: Colossians 3:16

July 26, 2024August 4, 2024Leave a comment

“Let the word of Christ dwell richly among you, in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another through psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.” (CSB – Read the chapter)

Camp is always fun. It wears you out, but it’s always worth it. There’s just something about getting away from it all and doing life in a different setting that helps you focus in a bit more closely than usual on what matters most. Sometimes getting above the fray lets you see things a little more clearly, or at least in a new light. On our fourth and final full day, the camp pastor shed some new light on an old verse for us. It was a good reminder about another of God’s great gifts. Let’s talk about a forever family.

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Morning Musing: James 1:16-18

July 23, 2024Leave a comment

“Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. By his own choice, he gave us birth by the word of truth so that we would be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.” (CSB – Read the chapter)

I’m away chaperoning camp this week with some of our awesome kids. I’ll still plan to post something each day, but it is going to be short and not about Exodus. Instead, I’ll give you a look into what we will be talking about this week. The theme for the week is Wow Factor, and we’re talking about the kind of things God does for us that make us say, “Wow!” First up and as we talked about tonight, God gives us good gifts.

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