CAMP TAYSIDE!

This years camp has to be top of my camp experience lists! Just thinking about camp takes me to so many happy places. I will attempt to share some of my joy with you all.

For a start all the kids we took down had an absolute blast! Shaun Main didn't want to leave camp and Andrew Main once again was a big hit with everyone. Lewis Emslie won every ones hearts with his "sweetness" and he loved his first time at camp. Adam Swanston never stopped smiling the whole time we were there. The girls were no different. Amy sang at "camps got talent" and blew everyone away with her voice, she ended up winning the show. Beth was glued to the hip with her cousin Shaunie. Elaine thrived in the whole atmosphere of camp and I pray her heart is close to the kingdom. Jenny has even more reasons now to be sad when she leaves in August. Holly was every body's friend and assumed her peer group to be the 14-18 year olds. Hannah loved the sports and games and her team won, which means for the last 2 years Hannah has been in the winning team. Fenella was amazing! She was a servant from beginning to end. From teaching to kitchen staff to mother to physio. It was lovely for me to catch glimpses of her through the week and think to myself - WOW, that's my wife!

I want to focus on the spiritual side of camp. I can only say that I was inspired to teach some of my best lessons ever! I have no doubt that I was being used powerfully and that God's word was certainly living and active during the week. God was at work on the hearts of many during the week and it was especially evident on the Thursday when Josh Jones committed his life to Christ and that night was baptized into Christ. I cant adequately express the how beautiful that night was and how heavenly the cam was. In the guys devo later that night we gave the guys the chance to stay up all night if needed to talk about their questions and needs in light of Josh's commitment to Christ. That night we just knew the spirit was active and groups begun forming with guys sharing and questioning spiritual things. It was very late when we finally got to sleep that night, but the sense of AWE was obvious as we witnessed hearts responding. I had the joy to spend time with two young men who were convicted and wanted guidance. I know in both cases they took huge steps forward in their journey to committing their heart to Christ and I will be keeping an ear out for some good news soon. The next morning was to be my last lesson and I felt a need to be more focused on those who were still outside of Christ and to try and show them their need for Christ and their plight to be without Him. The response was good and it wasn't till later that we began to see the the impact of the Word. I am confident that over the next weeks there will be lives coming to Christ. What a joy to have been a part of such an amazing week and for the kingdom to have made some huge strides forward.

The staff at camp this year were amazing! And the responsiveness to the Word is hugely down to the way the staff constantly gave of themselves and made the campers their focus. I have huge hope and anticipation that God continues to be active in His people and have witnessed firsthand what can be achieved when we allow God to have the reigns of our hearts.

Leaving camp was heart breaking! Most of the campers and staff we know we will see at some point over the year, but we had to say goodbye to Chrissy and Robin. Just writing that has filled my heart to tears. We are going to miss them soooo much. It was a joy to be shoulder to shoulder with them and be touched by their passion for the kingdom. We find comfort knowing that they will return to Scotland at some point in the future, but for now that seems to be an eternity away. We anticipate good times to come!

Well, that has barely scratched the surface, but I hope you can get the tone of how good camp was and how God was so obvious to everyone there.

Take care and God bless!