Part 3: God was Under the Oak Tree

We began attending a new church when I was 13. Our first summer there, the church sponsored a Bible camp. I remember how special the place felt, even from the first time we walked the grounds. There was a main conference building where we all would gather for meals, music, and guest speakers. We slept in cabins without electricity which, at first, put a damper on the idea of spending a week at the camp.  Sure, there was electricity everywhere else, but none where we were housed? I really dreaded what I believed would be endless boredom.

It is interesting how seeming connectivity can disconnect us from what is right in front of us. That was something that became very clear to me as the week progressed.

Every night, I would listen to sounds of crickets, leaves rustling in the wind, the occasional coyote, and most importantly, my own heart. It was on one such night that I wanted to go somewhere and pray, and I found myself under a towering oak tree with the moon as the only light.  I had been hearing all week about Christ, and even though I had been in church since I was a child, I had not fully understood what the life of Jesus meant to me–that he was God in the form of man, that he took all the sin, pain, and sorrow on himself so that I could have a different life.  It was overwhelming to know that no matter what was ahead in my life, that Christ had made a way of peace, rest, and promise. God drew me to that spot under the oak tree that night, and salvation is the only word to describe what happened there.

On another night, we had received the news during our regular meeting that one of our church members was very sick. We were told that there would be a cabin available later for anyone who wanted to pray. I went to the cabin that night. Candles filled the room, and people of all ages were just pouring out their hearts in prayer. I imagine the feeling in the room was similar to the upper room experience we have read about in the Bible. Unlike that passage, no one was speaking in tongues, but there was an energy unlike any I had felt before, and sadly, have rarely felt since. I can only think that it came from open, trusting hearts that dared to pray like no one was watching and that God was listening.

I also met a counselor there who, to this day, made one of the greatest impacts on my life. It was during this summer that my parents were divorcing. No matter how much parents try to protect their children during these times, it still causes a shift. At least that was the case with me. I felt like I had gone from 12 to 40 overnight, and I think the counselor saw that I was struggling with my place in the world. He really took the time to get to know me, and he encouraged me to be myself.

So the presence of God was everywhere that summer of my 13th year. God found me, and I found myself. More encounters would soon follow…

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *