As a college student a big question every year is "what am I doing this summer?"  At least this was a big questions for me and my friends these past few years at college. 

I answered this question last year by signing up to work as a summer camp counselor at Merriwood Christian Camp in Clemmons, North Carolina for 11 weeks in total. This decision did not come easy, as I was planning on staying at home all summer with my family, and at the time, 6 month old niece, but God had other plans for my summer. 

I had all my plans worked out for the summer, I was going to stay with my family and work a part time job, and go to the pool everyday to get tan. Then one day I came across Merriwood Christian Camp at a Liberty University camp fair, which is where a lot of camps from across the United States come to Liberty to get summer staff. I talked to Mrs. Jenn Key about camp and that conversation is what planted the seed in the back of my mind. 

I did not really think about summer camp for another month or two until it came back up in conversation with friends. Later that week I also went to a women's conference at my church with my roommate and the whole weekend was discussing Psalm 23 and how we should follow the Lord as he is the Shepard and we are the sheep. So, I applied to summer camp at Merriwood Christian Camp in North Carolina just to see what would happen. I told myself that if that was God's plan for the summer then I would be hired and if not then I would be rejected. I got hired!

Once I got to camp it was straight into two weeks of staff training. Not knowing anyone before arriving at camp I was nervous and within the first two days was certain that I was going to quit and go home for the summer. My mom was my voice of reason over the phone though and told me to at least stay for staff training and see it through. Lucky for me I listened and made some best friends that I spent the whole summer with. 

Throughout the summer I got to counsel 7 out of the 9 weeks that we have, although I did get sick three days into Teen Week and so really only 6.5 weeks of counseling for me! I had the joy of counseling from around ages 8 to 17! One of my favorite times as a counselor was the three days of Teen week I got to be there for as the teens were on fire for the Lord. Worship was loud, Bible study was good, and everyone was having fun. 

Yes!

• You have a heart for the Lord!
• You love ministering to kids!
• You thrive in fast paced and scheduled environments!
• You have a willing attitude and will work without complaining!
• You do not take out your bad mood on others when exhausted!

Maybe not!

• Discouraged when exhausted and in bad moods 
• Get annoyed easily by kids 
• Do not have a heart for ministry
• Can not keep track of a schedule / will make your cabin late
• Does not like to be silly in front of people

Summer camp is exhausting and it will test your ability to stay in a good mood even when three kids are hungry, two do not want to play the game going on, one is homesick, and all of them are asking you for different things! 

After all of my stories and difficult times at camp as a counselor I am going back this summer! You make a family out of the people you are with even if you do not see it at first. However, I am going back as a photographer, but that's just for my internship. 

If you want to check out the summer camp I am working at or even apply click here!