In God's Presence

Have I ever told you about MY church camp? We have a place like Glisson in the Alabama/West Florida Conference of the Methodist Church. It’s called Blue Lake and is outside of Andalusia, AL. I went to camp there from the summer after 3rd grade until the summer after I graduated high school–one year of camp–camp and the rest were choir camp, and I’m pretty sure it’s where God lives. It’s where I learned a myriad of scriptures and worship songs. It’s where I made most of my closest childhood Christian friends. It’s the first place I had to have a “swim test” and the first place I had to be brave enough to swim even though I had seen gator eyes farther out in the lake. It’s where I learned the “Johnny Appleseed Blessing” and that gross mass-cooked sausage is improved immensely by dipping it in syrup. It’s where I learned to really let go and WORSHIP God. It’s where God went from a character in stories to a presence in my life.
 
Do you have a place like that? A place where you can ALWAYS find God? A place where maybe God actually lives for you? Do you remember the story in Mark where Jesus transforms in front of Peter, James and John and talks to Elijah and Moses who also appear? And Peter, not knowing how to respond to such a sight, suggests that they build dwellings for Jesus, Elijah, and Moses. He’s so moved and awed and dumbstruck by knowing he’s actually in the presence of God that he immediately suggests making it permanent.  
 
I think that’s why church camp is so important to so many people–it’s a physical place where they actually experienced God. It gives some permanence to something that can seem so fleeting in our day-to-day lives. It’s a place with so few worries, so much fun, and so much encouragement and help in feeling the presence of God. When our lives become busy and chaotic and we can barely find our way to church, much less to the feet of God, the idea of going somewhere simple where we’ve experienced God before seems magical.  
 
But the beauty of God? He doesn’t actually live at Blue Lake… or Glisson or the mountain where Jesus transfigured himself for Peter. God lives WITH US–IN US. We don’t have to go to some mountain top to experience God. We just have to let ourselves experience God where we are. We must make space for God’s presence in our lives. We must find quiet and calm and let ourselves let go. I HOPE you can do that at Northbrook. I hope you can make THIS a place as special as any camp or mountaintop. I hope you come soon and find the presence of God right here beside you.
 
And if you feel that presence of God here at Northbrook, I can’t encourage you enough to be one of the amazing souls that helps the children of our church, preschool, and community find God’s presence here. Volunteer at Vacation Bible School (or for that matter, in Godly Play or Joyful Noise children’s choir). Help us create places that are safe, worry-free, and filled with God’s presence for all who enter this campus.
 
For the mountains may depart and the hills be removed, but my steadfast love shall not depart from you, and my covenant of peace shall not be removed,” says the Lord, who has compassion on you.  Isaiah 54:10
 
 In love,

 Leslie Bowers
Director of Creative Services