Stories of Hope
A Story of True Hope
She was a teenager who was blamed for her baby sister’s death. She was abused by her uncle. She attempted suicide multiple times. One year, as a teenager, she came to Bible camp. The Lord gave me a wonderful opportunity to get to know her and talk with her about the Gospel. She wasn’t ready to get saved. She was worried what would happen if she became a Christian coming from a traditional home.
Over the next year, I prayed for her salvation. The next year, she came back to camp. One day, I found her kneeling on the floor in our cabin alone, crying. I knelt beside her and we talked. The Lord gave an open door and the words to say. He reached into her heart and she wanted to get saved!
A Story of True Joy
As a very young child, she witnessed the tail-end of her father’s suicide. One year, as a middle schooler, she came to Bible camp. She seemed to be guarded. At the end of camp, she went home.
Over the next year, I prayed for her salvation. The next year, she came back to camp. I remember watching her during chapel. She was quietly singing the Christian songs, not very interested. Then one day during camp, God brought her to Himself for salvation! There was joy in her face and demeanor. I wondered if it was genuine. I watched her again in chapel. There was a clear difference. There was true joy. She sang the songs with passion as if no one else was there and they were just for her!
A Story of All Tribes at the Throne
They were teenage friends who decided to come to Bible camp together one year. Every night, we had cabin devotions. A couple days into camp, during one of the cabin devotion time, I saw one of them with tears in her eyes.
The next night, during cabin devotions, the question was asked if anyone wanted to get saved. Several hands went up. Praying for God’s direction, we split them up between counselors. I took the two friends. God had reached into their hearts and they wanted to get saved!
Finding out that one girl was Navajo and the other Hopi, I had tears of joy as the verse came to my mind of “some from every tribe” being at the throne!
A Story of Thankfulness
He was a tall, middle school boy who wore glasses fixed with tape. He enjoyed basketball and had a contagious, sweet smile.
He came to Bible camp one year. He was a Christian who loved the Lord, sang with his heart and soaked up learning God’s Word. During chapel one time, he was the one to pray before a meal. My heart was touched and convicted by his prayer.
His prayer started like this “…and thank you for enough food in our stomachs…”
A Story of Child-Like Faith
Two sisters, around 8-9 years old, came to Bible camp one year. They shared a large suitcase. But when I looked inside, there were only a few belongings. Their father had just gotten out of prison.
On the last day of camp, during a meal, I was called over to one of the adult ladies who had one of the sisters with her.
The girl wanted to get saved. I had the privilege of talking to her about it. She and I went outside to a picnic bench where we sat and I walked her through the Gospel. Then she prayed out loud. It was the sweetest, simplest prayer of faith.