You Are Here for a Purpose!

What on earth am I here for?

Rick Warren inside the dust cover of The Purpose Driven Life says, “You are not an accident. Even before the universe was created , God had you in mind and he planned you for His purposes. These purposes will extend far beyond the few years you will spend on earth. You were made to last forever! Self-help books often suggest that you try to discover the meaning and purpose of you life by looking within yourself, but that is the wrong place.  to start. You must begin with God, your Creator, and His reasons for creating you. You were made by God and for God, and until you understand that, life will never make sense.” 

“It’s message is that every person has dignity because they are made in the image of God means that every life has a purpose. God has a special calling for everyone. Yes, there have been many other books that make this same point. But Warren pressed home the point again and again in almost every chapter. In a world where so many feel their lives are filled with meaninglessness, insignificance, and uncertainly, his message that each person’s work and life has unique value struck a chord.” (Michael Cromartie, vice president of the Ethics and Public Policy Center in Washington).

Consider the following verses:

  • Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.“
  • Ephesians 2:10, “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”
  • John 17:4, “I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do.“

What did God put us here on the earth to accomplish. Of course it has to be something for His Kingdom purposes. How amazing is it that God has a plan for your life? You can discover My Mission in my blog is to develop students to become the next generation of Christian leaders. 

Interested in more? Listen to a great sermon, Purpose by Paul McIlwraith from North Park Church in London, Ontario from March 1, 2020.

Spiritual Fathers

If you grew up in a Christian family and your dad was a good spiritual father/mentor to you; please don’t take that for granted. Not all of us had that opportunity/privilege. Sometimes we have to reach, seek and find those men to be our spiritual fathers. 

Before I move on, please understand that my dad is an amazing man, I love him very much and his wisdom and knowledge of SO many things has been a great benefit to me as a child, teen and adult. 

Recently on my way home from a camp fair I stopped to see a man I consider to be one of my spiritual fathers. He showed me how to teach and live the out Gospel in front of people! He lived it and expected us top live it as well. Plus work hard, get up really early (the horses ate before we did), eat well, drive a team of horses and wagon, play well and much more. He had such an influence in the way I now lead at camp, including how I do devotions with my staff. Straight from the Word! To discover what the Bible says vs man’s opinion. 

He has been a leader, coach, example and mentor to me and many others who came after me. He is generous with his time. I like that he took the time for everyone and was interested in what genuinely makes them tick. He shared his faith openly and his journey with God and it is an encouragement. I thank you for your steadfastness and humility. He has a demonstrated strength and love for God, His ministry and His people and a passion to serve. 

His leadership, wisdom and practical strength have impacted countless campers and staff who have attended Rocky Ridge Ranch, friends and colleagues for many years. He entrusted me with great responsibility and I now lead the next generation of Christian leaders in a similar way. 

I trust that he looks back and sees the amazing accomplishments and impact that he has had and the faithfulness of our God. Know that I for one am very grateful!

I wondered on my way home, was it more meaningful for him that I came, or for me that I went… I believe we both won for the visit!!

The Fun Doesn’t Stop after 5:00 pm!

Of course, the fun doesn’t stop after 5:00 pm! Dinner is at 5:30 and it is often a themed meal like Twin Night, funny dress up, one utensil, and Friday is NOPA! Then we have chapel, Tuck Shop and evening programs. 

  • Let’s start with dinner. We are revamping the menu this year but past meal ideas have included Sub Sunday, taco Tuesday, pizza, pasta, BBQ night and roast chicken (as a sample of our dinner menus). Plus lots of fixings and desserts!!
  • Twins – campers and staff try to look like each other by dressing and accessorizing the same.
  • Monk – this meal starts out quiet as everyone tries not to make any noise or say anything. It’s really a challenge to make it work. It’s amazing how loud the juice machine sounds when there is very little other sound in the Longhouse. The first one to talk does the dishes for the table.
  • Theme – a dress up meal specific to the weekly theme. Campers and staff put on all they have to become a character relating to the theme.
  • Backwards – you dress with your clothes on backwards, walk into the Longhouse backwards, eat dessert first then your main meal. You can also give thanks at the end of the meal and walk out backwards of course. Campers still have to clean their table at the end of the meal time.
  • Mystery Utensil – using any old kitchen cooking utensil available. Campers draw out of a bus bin as they enter the Longhouse. You could end up with a spatula, egg beater, tongs or something stranger. A pasta meal is one of the funniest to watch for this one. 
  • NOPA– each Friday night at dinner for Blast and Sizzle we dress up and have a nice dinner together. Almost everyone dresses up in something nice. We’ve even had a few tuxes.
  • Plus our meal time freeze game, mail call, and cheering for everything!!

Evening Programs

Chapel – Each week a different pastor is invited to teach at camp chapels.  They are also available for the campers and staff to talk with and seek counsel from. Our camp pastors are quite involved at camp taking their meals here and being involved in program. Chapel times at Widjiitiwin are a long standing tradition. As a Christian summer camp, we feel it is important to teach campers about God and to have them experience a worship service. We have contemporary music and the songs vary depending on the age group at camp. 

Field Games like dodge ball, Widjiitiwin basketball, cabin leader hunt, phobias, 4 corner soccer, slaughter, chaos, poco pack, circle dodge ball, mission impossible/Bible smugglers, huckle buckle, capture the flag and more…

Tuck Shop is open – campers (and staff) line up to get their evening snack at the Tuck Shop. They get to choose from a variety of items. 

Evening Programs

  • Guys/Girls Nights – On Monday nights the camp is divided into guys and girls and the staff run a special night activity for them. There are lots of options for them to choose from or they can make up their own event. Some programs include a trip to Widji Island, Ninja night, bigger and better, dance party, floor hockey, campfire, tribal night, 007 night, relay races, “break into” the Tuck shop or kitchen adventure, sock wars or pageant night to crown Miss Widjiitiwin. I will leave it to you figure out which ones are the guy’s verses girl’s activities.
  • Battle of the Ends – where the boys and  girls compete to show each other what they are worth. The night kicks off with cheers, (theme related usually) and the two ends have time to make up a cheer, they can also dress up accordingly and make up a dance (for extra points of course!).
  • Campfires are a big part of our program and we do two per week. On Wednesday night we do one for fun. This is the night that our day campers have the option to stay over. On Friday night we do a serious campfire with testimonies and worship. One of our favourite campfire traditions is an Elijah Fire.
  • Fruit Social – Each week we have a Fruit Social. After chapel the kitchen staff lays out large trays of fruit for Sunday night snack. While that happens the campers and staff go down to their cabins to get “ready”. The sound guys and program staff set up the lights and get the speakers humming because pretty soon there will be lots of music and plenty of fun for campers and staff. It’s a little like grade eight dances, at least when I was younger. You know when almost no one is out at the beginning and then they all dance. Usually there is a group of energetic staff that get it all going. Meanwhile “back porch” activities are setup for campers who want a quieter activity with games and artwork.
  • Mortal Combat – This event is for Sizzle only. It’s a rite of passage like the tubing and off-site trips that are just for Sizzle. Mortal Combat is a massive pillow fight competition that comes down to the last person to triumph over all comers. It happens late at night and is a long standing tradition at camp. Legends have been made by their standing or achievements in Mortal Combat. Everyone starts out at the beginning and are eliminated round by round until one champion emerges and is crowned the winner in a special location that varies each night.

Everyday Heroes of Camp

We call them summer staff, but to our campers, they are the…

Heroes of Camp!!

The world needs more heroes and we’re busy assembling a team of  everyday heroes who will serve as role models for the hundreds of campers coming to Camp Widjiitiwin this summer. 

By definition a hero is a person who displays courage and self-sacrifice for the greater good; a person who is admired or idealized for courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities; a person who, in the opinion of others, has special achievements, abilities, or personal qualities and is regarded as a role model or ideal; a person who has made noble and/or brave accomplishments. 

These are the kind of staff we have at Widji and the qualities they bring to work each summer. Leaders bring positive energy, excellence and dedication. To the campers, their leaders are heroes who leave a lasting impression. Staff at all levels are seen as people the campers desire to become. many campers want to do SALT and then come on staff at Widji. No matter whether they serve, our staff in the kitchen (as cooks or dish crew), as cabin leaders, program staff, the leadership staff and the camp directors, we all are role models to our campers (and each other) what it looks like to serve God faithfully as a Christ follower. Staff build solid relationships with campers. Staff are there to listen and coach and guide and lead and display God’s love to the campers. They are role models of how to live as a Christian in today’s world. All to God be the Glory!! 

Camp Widjiitiwin – the way camp was meant to be… relational, central, natural, reaching out, a loving community focused on Christ. It’s like coming home! It’s my camp!

Camp Jobs: Better Than an Internship

There are 100’s of thousand of camp staff across Canada every summer. At Widjiitiwin we hire 50 summer staff and at MBC we hire 110 summer staff. Lots of college/university staff start in the spring. 

Now, you might think, “Why should I pursue a camp job over an internship?” Well, working at a camp gives you the opportunity to earn more than just cash. Internships and camps are all about gaining skills. The question is, how is working at a camp better than an internship?

The biggest reason: working at a camp helps you develop skills that will not only build your resume, but will last you a long time to come. You have an opportunity to lead from the front and solve problems, in addition to fulfilling your responsibilities with utmost sincerity, authenticity, humility and passion. Working at camp offers real-life experiences that cannot be learned behind an office desk or getting someone’s coffee or running errands.

The work is incomparable preparation for the future, requiring the skills to manage group projects and motivate individuals, set goals and juggle tight schedules, and stay available for 24 hours a day, six days a week, in sickness and in health.

There are many benefits you can gain by working at camp:

  • What you do there matters!!
  • You develop a better self-understanding
  • You enhance personal growth & communication skills 
  • You have a positive and significant influence on the lives of children
  • You expand/develop a network of peer relations.
  • You will learn flexibility and adaptability, as you work with a variety of people ranging from children to camp directors.
  • You will show initiative and problem-solving when any unexpected circumstances arise.
  • You will be exposed to a multi-cultural community of both campers and staff and understand what it means to build a caring, supportive community.
  • You will demonstrate accountability as you work to keep children safe and happy.
  • But more than all of this, you will gain a sense of self-fulfillment as you see your campers try new activities, reach their goals, and grow in confidence.

It Builds Character along with Your Resume

If you do not have character, your resume is pretty much useless. If you make a comparison, you will notice that most interns count the minutes until they are finally done with work. On the other hand, camp counselors and camp staff dedicate their summers. Why do they do it? They enjoy what they do! When you work at a camp, you learn to dedicate your time for things besides yourself, as you have the opportunity to deal with adults, kids and other counselors.

It’s Not Only about the Money

When you work at a camp, you not only show up every morning because you are earning and saving good money, you show up because your job involves spreading smiles and happiness. You are not confined to an undersized desk, relentlessly waiting for payday. Instead, the beautiful scenery of Muskoka is your office and putting smiles on campers’ faces outweighs the thought of the next paycheck.

You Make Kids Smile Instead of Customers

It’s not uncommon to come across interns pretending to be extra nice so they can make a sale. A camp job, however, revolves around campers and making them happy. Getting an authentic laugh or smile out of a camper is much more enjoyable than selling a particular product to a random customer.

You Learn to Be Selfless Not Selfish

While interns spend most of their time pretending to be busy or surfing the web, every minute you spend at camp is devoted to the campers. Each minute of your time is spent for others, not just for yourself. After all, have you ever seen an intern worrying about the progress of their company they work for, as much as they do for themselves?If you’ve been considering a job at camp, why not go for it? You will have the experience of a lifetime, meet staff and campers from around the world, and gain experience that will be beneficial for years to come.

How is someone who fetches coffee at a big corporation more impressive than one who spends days and nights nurturing, teaching, organizing, comforting and inspiring?

What Do We Really Do All Year At Camp?

For camp directors, late June, July and August are hectic, exciting, fun-filled and challenging months.

So what do we do the rest of the year? The question should be: What don’t we do? Camp directors work as hard in the “off-season” as they do during the actual camp sessions. Some of it is visible to campers, parents and staff members – but much of it no one ever sees.

Camps today run 24/7/365, minus a few weeks for vacation. And we wouldn’t have it any other way. Here are just a few tasks that demand our attention, beginning the moment the last campers and staff pull out of the parking lot and make their way down Widji road.

  • We often have 2-4 weekend retreats at Widji for youth groups on weekends.
  • Closing down camp. Equipment must be put away, docks pulled in, cabins and kitchen cleaned. Winterization begins in September and finishes after Thanksgiving when all the water lines get blown out.
  • Construction begins on new projects we, and many camps, do each year. There are renovations to be done, roofs to be re-shingled… the list is endless. This is exciting stuff: planning, building and getting new program areas ready for the following summer! Returning campers and staff love “being in the know,” and hearing what’s new and improved for the coming season. Longer-term planning includes major building projects. This year we’re planning a major kitchen remodel. 
  • Camper recruiting and retention. Working with families is a fun process. Camp/family relationships are very important, and ongoing. You may be surprised to learn that this winter, we’re already talking with families about their 2020 plans.
  • Staff hiring. Staff applications go live in December, interviews start in January and continue until we have all 50 staff hired for the summer. 
  • Promotional season. From January through May we attend up to 40 camp fairs and events to recruit staff and campers. We also work with our Ignite partners to help them maximize their week at camp. 
  • Program planning. We spend 10 months getting ready for a 2-month special event. What will our theme be for the summer? 2020 is The Chronicles of Widjiitiwin (Narnia). From scheduling SALT out trips to making sure the daily routine does not become a rut, we plan every detail. Props to build. 
  • Everything else. Here are a few of the thousands of items: Coordinating camp pastors. Writing and sending out email newsletters. Reserving buses. Revising our staff handbooks, policies and training sessions to plan. Renewing all necessary certifications. Updating technology. Writing weekly blogs. Make grant and funding proposals. Websites to update. Our staffing portal to prepare for staff applications. Heyoo does a great job creating our camper and staff brochures. Conferences to attend. Certifications to renew. Not to mention all the social media to keep on top of. 
  • Spring. Five spring crew start in May and help us get camp and the final program touches ready for the summer season. We usually have 2-3 youth groups in for weekend retreats. We have tree cutting. Water to turn on. painting to be done, flowers to plant. New pedal carts to assemble this year. Plus we have a staff work/development weekend and development week to plan and execute. It’s a busy year. 

Our goal as camp directors is to control as much as we can when campers and staff are at home – so that when they’re at camp we can devote as much time, energy and care to them as we can. 

Now, if you’ll excuse us, we’ve got emails to respond to. A meeting to plan. And a potentially great new staff member waiting to be interviewed. 

Moose & Heyoo

When did Jesus know He was God?

When did Jesus know He was God? The short answer is we don’t know because the Bible doesn’t tell us. We are told in the Luke 2:39-52 that as a boy of 12 Jesus knew he was the son of God and must be “in his father’s house”. 

I imagine that Mary and Joseph would have told and retold the stories from before and after Jesus’ birth; of the angels visits, Mary’s stay with Elizabeth and John the Baptist’s kick in the womb, the journey to Bethlehem for the census, about there being no room at the Inn, about being born in the stable including the sounds and smells, the shepherds visiting, living in Bethlehem, the star, the wise men coming to the house, the trip to Egypt to flee from Herod and the later move to Nazareth. We certainly know that Mary treasured all these things in her heart. Did she also tell him of the immaculate conception? 

As a Jewish boy Jesus would have memorized a large portion of the scriptures. He would have read the passages in Isaiah and others that point to the coming Messiah. The Bible certainly comes alive to many of us as we discover new things in verses we have read before. Surely sometime reading through He would have had an inkling that those verses were about him. 

I have a suggestion. And it is only me using my sanctified imagination. I suggest that Jesus didn’t just one day discover he was God, but rather that he likely felt that he always knew. I say that because I was adopted and I can tell you that I don’t remember a time when my parents sat me down and told me I was adopted as a baby. It feels to me like something I have always known. I think that may also have been true of Jesus. Something to consider. 

Reset!

Reset! Definition: to set again or anew. New beginnings inspire us, motivate us, they increase our sense of optimism in our selves and others. Maybe that is why God has built into our lives many new starting points.

  • Every 24 hours He gives us a new day. 
  • Every seven days He gives us a new week. 
  • Every four weeks He gives a new month. 
  • Every 12 months He gives us a new year. 
  • Every 10 years He gives us a new decade. 
  • Every 10 decades He gives us a new century and many of us experienced this just 20 years ago. 

At the beginning of each of these stages of life is a gate that opens up to new possibilities and potential. But, it is up to each if us to walk through that gate. 

There are other opportunities in our lives to reset. I have been on a new eating plan of low carbs and no sugar for seven months now. BUT, I am still quite tempted by pecan and raspberry pie. And other things occasionally. I have learned that it doesn’t end my plan, I just need to reset and start the next meal back on plan. The same thing goes when we sin. We reset by keeping short accounts with God, repent and seek forgiveness. And know that He is faithful and just to forgive our unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9

King George VI in his Christmas message in 1939, a time when England was at war with Germany, included this line from a poet named Minnie Louise Haskins: “I said to the man who stood at the Gate of the Year, ‘Give me a light that I may tread safely into the unknown.’ And he replied, ‘Go out into the darkness, and put your hand into the Hand of God. That shall be better than light, and safer than a known way.’” Isaiah 41:13 “For I am the LORD your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.”

Ephesian 5:15-17 Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.

At virtually anytime you can reset and get a clean slate, a fresh start, a new beginning, etc… 

Starting a New Decade…

What does it all mean to start a new decade? A look forward and a look back. What are the things you most remember about 2019? The special days, special events and special people (kids, grand-kids, parents, friends, etc.). What are the things you most look forward to in 2020? Some goal setting? Make some wishes come true? 

One of my biggest risks and rewards of 2019 was to contact my birth family. Praying the excitement continues through 2020. 

I borrowed the following blog from Tim Elmore from GrowingLeaders.com. Also his newsletter is excellent! Sign up for it if you work with youth and young adults. 

Take some time and get completely alone and find a quiet place to reflect. During this time, think, pray and review the past year, making notes of your evaluations along the way. Ask yourself the following questions (or add some of your own).
  • What are my fondest memories of last year?
  • What were the “big projects” I completed during the year?
  • What were the defining moments during the last year?
  • What did I procrastinate on and fail to get done?
  • What books and mentors had the greatest impact on me? Why?
  • What were my biggest disappointments this past year?
  • Am I closer to my friends and family from my activities this year?
  • What will be my biggest goals as I move forward into next year?
  • Where did I neglect to live up to the standards I set for myself?
  • What am I committed to doing this next year, to fulfill my “Life Sentence?”
Answering these questions allows me to accomplish two objectives. First, it forces me to focus on the important things in my life and not get lost in the trivial ones. Second, it furnishes me with a platform to set goals for the new year.
If you don’t already have a “review plan,” give it a try.
Happy New Year from me to you!!

For Unto Us a Child is Born

Once again the Christmas season is upon us and the craziness and chaos that goes along with it will continue for about another three weeks. If watching Hallmark movies with my wife in December has taught me anything it is that there are a lot of “Christmas miracles”. 

One dictionary defines a miracle as “a surprising and welcome event that is not explicable by natural or scientific laws and is therefore considered to be the work of a divine agency.” A more direct definition is that God gets all the glory. The virgin birth is one such miracle. 

Read Luke 1:26-38

In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”

And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?”

And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God. And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. For nothing will be impossible with God.” And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.

Further, the virgin birth was foretold in the Bible 100’s of years before it happened. Check out these verses. 

Isaiah 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.

Isaiah 9:6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Millard Erickson states this well: “If we do not hold to the virgin birth despite the fact that the Bible asserts it, then we have compromised the authority of the Bible and there is in principle no reason why we should hold to its other teachings. Thus, rejecting the virgin birth has implications reaching far beyond the doctrine itself.” 

Donald Macleod writes “The virgin birth is posted on guard at the door of the mystery of… Christmas; and none of us must think of hurrying past it. It stands on the threshold of the New Testament, blatantly supernatural, defying our rationalism, informing us that all that follows belongs to the same order as itself and that if we find it offensive there is no point in proceeding further.”

John MacArthur wrote, “Some people see the virgin birth as a nonessential point. It is not. Although the church has not always been careful to guard this precious truth, it is the foundation of everything Christmas stands for. In fact, no other detail in the Christmas story is more important than the virgin birth. The virgin birth must have happened exactly the way Scripture says. Otherwise, Christmas has no point at all. If Jesus is simply the illegitimate child of Mary’s infidelity, or even if He is the child of Joseph’s natural marital union with Mary, He is not God. If He is not God, His claims are lies. If His claims are lies, His salvation is a hoax. And if His salvation is a hoax, we are all doomed.”  

What will you do as you reflect on the virgin birth of Jesus Christ, who came to save the world by dying for our sins to reunite us with God?