“I just got a job at Camp Tejas! It is going to be a great experience, a lot of fun, and hopefully I’ll make some friends too.” That was what went through my mind when I found out I was hired to be part of the Summer Ministry Team in January 2012. Little did I know, it would be so different from what I expected. Along with working hard, we definitely had plenty of opportunities to play hard and pray harder.

One of the coolest things for me, though, was that it made me step outside of my comfort zone. I did not know anyone at Tejas, so I had to put myself out there and get to know everyone I was going to be spending my summer with. I had many opportunities to encourage my new friends about their teams, their jobs, their lives, and even their relationship with Christ. I was also encouraged by my friends about my life, my job, my relationship with Christ, even my role as a leader.

When I returned for a second summer in 2013 I was encouraged to apply for a leadership position. I was terribly nervous, but decided to put myself out there and apply. Can I just say I was blown away by how great that decision was? Having the extra responsibility caused me to rely on Christ even more than before. I really learned the meaning of the Bible verses talking about how Jesus is the bread of life.

Most importantly, I keep coming back because the Tejas staff really care about my relationship with Christ. Spending time with Him daily is such a blessing and I love the discipleship program that they have at Tejas. It keeps me heading in the right direction. I think the best way to end this would be to say when I am at Tejas, my life is filled with laughter; my heart is happy.