My Ultimate Prayer

Now that school is over, one of the many things that the youth are looking forward to is Youth Camp. By Youth Camp I mean a church organized camp that lasts from 3-5 days, usually held out of town. It's a ground for fellowship and creating bonds between the youth outside a structure.. exploring  and experiencing God in congregational worship, unconventional preaching and teaching, team-building activities and other whatnot's.. This is usually open to both believers and non-believers as it is also evangelical in nature..

Now that our own church's youth camp is fast approaching, many participants are putting up statuses of how excited they are for camp.. I know how it feels to be excited for camp.. I may not have gone to a lot, but the two that I've gone to were enough to make me stay.. Enough to make me long for more of that experience and encounter with God.. I really hope that they would also be excited for church or youth service at least.. Not only during summer but every week.. every month.. every year..  Church is as exciting as camp, in fact church is more real, more tangible.. I am not saying that the experiences one could get in camp is unreal, in fact camp experiences are really life changing.. they are beyond ordinary.. But what happens after camp? Does it really stop there?

The problem (for the lack of a better word) with camp is that it introduces this culture of "Hype". A camper usually experiences this hype, like a never ending rush of adrenaline, and this is what excites him/her through out the 3-5 days.. They sing, shout, jump, clap their hands, cry, kneel, raise their hands, *insert other possible verbs here*.. And these hypes up their experiences..

But how many are really consumed? How many really encounter God? How many really understand what's happening? How many really worship? How many really fall in surrender?

Camp is such a beautiful experience.. It really does bring people closer to God and indeed many lives are touched and changed..  But I really hope that these children would want more than what they just experience in camp..

My ultimate prayer is that these campers would have a real and genuine face to face encounter with God.. That it would be so real that they would be consumed and that they would really surrender their lives to His will, not only during camp but everyday.. I pray that they would have such a consuming experience that they would long to experience that everyday.. and that they would search for that experience everyday.. not only when they are dry and thirsty but when they are plump and quenched as well.. I pray that they would always long to experience God not only congregational but on a personal level as well.. I pray that they experience His love and His grace and that may they discover what it really means to be saved.. :)


I hope to see these campers grow in their spiritual lives after camp.. It may not be in our church but wherever they are.. I hope that they would be as excited for church as they are for camp.. I hope that they would always treasure the things they learn and that it would fuel them in their walk with God..

I just really pray against "Hype".

This is just me.. I hope I don't offend anyone with this post.. But if I do, please please let me know.. and which part/s.. and I will re evaluate the things I've said..

Agape,
Kyle

There are some things you cannot control

When I was younger, I wanted to be older.. Now that I'm a bit older, I'm kind of wishing that I didn't rush "growing up".. I kind of wish that I lived in every moment while I was at it.. But of course, beyond wishing, there is nothing left to do but that to accept that it has passed, that they already happened the way the did..

Not to sound "old" or "wise" or anything and not to state the obvious but I cannot emphasize enough how important it is to "Live in the moment" because you really do just live once.

I know what it's like to be in high school and want to be in college.. As much as college is "fun", high school is a very different experience.. High school is fun and "less" serious and your responsibilities are not as serious.. In high school, you can make mistakes and it wouldn't cause you so much.. You can make mistakes without looking so stupid cause your experimental stage is during those years.. But hey, I'm not saying that you use your youth as an excuse to do stupid things.. things that would cause you your life, especially.. What I'm saying is, while you can, enjoy your youth because responsibilities really do get more serious by the year.. Enjoy geometry and chemistry and algebra.. Go to school events and parties.. Go to prom and take loads of pictures of you and your friends.. Document every field trip.. Participate.. not out of obligation but out of curiosity, of a desire to learn, to experience, to be a part of something and to achieve something..

When in college, enjoy the life.. Enjoy the sleepless nights and all the days you can barely walk in school because of all the stress from school work.. Enjoy the college parties.. Participate in every USG activity possible.. Attend every class you can.. Learn as much and beyond what your teacher can offer to teach you.. Make as many friends as you can and keep in touch with them.. Be 17.. then 18.. then 19.. then 20.. (and so on, depending on your stay in college :p) Let each problem sink in.. and then be proud of yourself when you've overcome them.. Be successful! And don't forget the people that helped you in getting there.. Get high grades not for any one else but yourself.. but don't let your grades no matter how low or high they are define you and your capacity.. Set goals.. and make them happen.. Enjoy every moment of being a student because there is nothing like it..

The working world is very different, I hear.. It's "nothing like" we dream, hope and expect it to be.. It can be glamorous but it can be disappointing too.. It's not a walk in the park and finding a job is definitely no joke.. I've not much to say cause this field is not my expertise, but I hope you all get what I mean..

So there, I cannot reiterate it enough.. Live your life.. as fully as you can.. because life only happens once.. and whatever has passed cannot be brought back.. You may get another shot at it, but it won't be the same anymore.. Because every experience is unique and each one has a story and a lesson.. that can and just might shape you into becoming a better person.. One that you can be proud of..

Agape,
Ky