A Season of Anticipation
Lent coincides with a major time of anticipation for us Echo Ranch Bible Camp staff. Spring fever is in the air as we get longer, warmer days in Juneau, and it makes something click inside us that says it’s time to move out to camp and begin the season. We’re looking forward to all being back together onsite at camp, opening the facilities back up, finishing big projects like the kitchen remodel, and continuing to prepare and plan for retreaters and campers to arrive. Honestly, it can be hard to remain peacefully excited rather than anxious as we try to wait patiently for the time for action to come, knowing how much work and also how much opportunity lies ahead of us. We also find ourselves in a holding pattern of sorts. As the days until summer camp starts rapidly tick past, we’re still waiting to see how many summer staff apply to serve with us and how many kids register for camp. While we wait and watch these numbers, it can be easy to start feeling fearful that we won’t have what we need to make the summer happen.
After all, despite our staff’s efforts throughout the winter, there’s only so much we can do when it comes to recruiting summer staff and advertising our summer camps. Some years it seems like our rosters fill up to the max without us even trying, and some years it seems like we campaign harder than ever yet still see lower numbers than we were hoping for. Ultimately, we have to rely on God to provide the staff we need each summer to make camp run and to proclaim the Gospel to the kids that come to camp. The time of year we’re in right now is fitting for us to practice putting our faith and trust in God to provide, as the Lenten season is all about trusting in the Gospel promises of God that the Savior He promised to send is sufficient for our salvation. Lent is a call for Christians to remember the events leading up to the cross, to remind our hearts of the stark reality that our sins had to be dealt with on Good Friday, and to prepare to celebrate our risen Savior on Easter and his victory over death and sin. For us camp staff, this season is a good reminder to take our eyes off ourselves and understand that God will give us just what we need for the work He has in store for us at camp this year. The ministry is His, not ours, and with that knowledge, we can rest in His promises and provision.
So during this Lenten season, continually remind yourself of the Gospel and dwell on the promises of God. He is faithful and has already made a way to meet our greatest need – reconciliation with Him – through His son Jesus (Colossians 1:21-22). Anticipate with joy as you look forward to Easter, and remember that no matter what challenges you may have coming up in your life, God is faithful, compassionate, and trustworthy; He proved that once and for all on Good Friday. Join us in prayer for God to provide us exactly what we need for this summer at Echo Ranch, from summer staff to finances to peace to team unity, and for campers to come with hearts ready to receive the good news of eternal life that Jesus secured for us on the cross.