Summer Camp Stories
citywildlife, hillswildlife, mcarthur
“Summercamp as a whole was an amazing experience. It was totally life-altering, spiritually provoking and insanely fun at the same time.
Prior to this, I was still hanging on to many pains of losing my Dad about a year and a half-ish back, amongst other emotional losses. I was happy on the outside, but essentially it was merely skin-deep, not a happiness that really reached my heart.
I thought I was a good Christian all this time, going to church, attending youth and all. But I still felt held back by my burdens, which then led to me gradually drifting further from God without my knowing. On the first day of summer camp, after the message was preached and everyone had their heads bowed and eyes closed, I could tell the alter call was coming. In what seemed like an hour, waiting for the call, I was still battling in my head whether or not answer it. Questions of doubt entered my mind, wondering what my CG girls (they’re such beautiful people, I love them to bits ) would think of me, or “would it really change anything?” But I felt I needed to, like as if this, could determine the rest of my year. I battled with my worldly mind and my thirst for something more.
I answered the alter call. The most nerve wrecking thing I’ve done, but the most worthwhile, satisfying, freeing act I’ve experienced. I felt like as if I had literally dropped a 10 thousand ton weight off my heart. Since then I have never been happier, never been more convicted in my life. I am so overjoyed with everything, with my friends, my family, and with life as a whole. There’s a new flame, no a new erupting volcano in my life, and nothing, NOTHING, will make it go out. Although I know that I will face a multitude of hardships to come, but now I don’t have to rely on my own strength. I have someone greater, stronger to carry me.”
Joyce
“On Wednesday – Louie had fallen asleep in the tent and he had actually said to me that he was finding Summer camp boring and he really didn’t want to be there – so I woke him up & prayed for Him saying “If you want your life different – If you want your family changed – then you have to WAKE UP & call out to GOD!” He kinda just went into crazy mode and starting lifting his hands & crying and I love that he encountered God even though he slept throughout the WHOLE service.
Sometimes we think if we don’t have the momentum at the beginning then we have to wait for another day - & I say I love that we serve a God that is willing to still touch us even when we didn’t intend to minutes prior. (I took Louie out for lunch yesterday and got to talk to Him about so much stuff and how God has spoken to him) He said “Hey Toosh, you know that song `I’m found in the arms of Love?”
He said that he was standing in the tent at summer camp and just thought about what his life was found in. He said that he was thinking & realised his life without Christ was found in drugs, alcohol etc & he said it was like he had to choose which one he’d rather be found in? And immediately he jumped to want to be “FOUND IN THE ARMS OF LOVE.”
I was blown away & nearly in tears…
He was also telling me that he has always wanted to become a electrician and his dad promised him that one day they both will search for courses but he said for the last year he has held on that HOPE that his dad was actually serious & he realises that his dad won’t ever time to search with Him. Then I said well you can do it – we can search through TAFE because he needs his Year 10 pass – then he cut me off and said “No I don’t want to be an electrician – I WANT TO BE A YOUTH PASTOR - & I WANT TO GO TO DIFFERENT CITIES/STATES/COUNTRIES & TELL PEOPLE ABOUT WHAT GOD HAS DONE IN MY LIFE – FROM MY POINT OF VIEW!!!”
Toosh
“My younger brother died last year in a fire. During camp my leader prayed for me and I just felt an overwhelming peace that my brother was in heaven and that I’ll see him again someday. I had never really done much with my belief in God before camp but while there I got filled with the Holy Spirit and started praying in tongues! And I’m excited about living out his year what I learnt at camp.”
Harley
“I’ve been coming to Wildlife St Marys for a while now and I’ve always loved it but more because my friends were there and we have lots of fun. At camp I really encountered God and got such a hunger burning in me for my school. Every day at camp me and the others from my school got together and prayed for our school. I loved the messages; I took lots of notes (for the first time ever). I’ve never encountered God as intensely as I did during worship. My favourite part about camp was worship and that we got to have youth 2 times a day!”
Karlee
January 29th, 2009 at 4:37 pm
WOW just seeing these stories it blows me away!
i could see on the wednesday morning while playing keys
the hunger in these people god has reall broken down barriers
but people remeber the devil is always on for the kill
keep EVERYTHING kingdom!
and god will rewward you not only on earth but with great riches in heaven
alex
January 30th, 2009 at 3:05 pm
Been going to city wildlife for almost two years and this summercamp2009 god has broken me down and changed me so much for the greater good.The past year has been pretty crazy went to summercamp this year actually wanting to get something out of it recognizing the way i am and knowing what and how i wanted to change,i wanted to find who i really was in christ and to work out what part on earth i had to play and the reason for him placing me here.Ive only been to two summercamps last year was great tribal wars jumping up and down so much fun but didnt really go there with any real objectives in my mind seemed as though my eyes were set on jesus but in reality my actions didnt really fit the feelings that i had or wanted to have for god.This year each message was an answer to everything that i’d been questioning,also the prayers that my leaders spoke over me had hit me so hard because evrything they were saying was true,praise and worship was AMAZING real jesus and me time loved it,seeing my girls getting savd,still worshipping in 2 in the morning without music never felt anything like that before,rdg time was awesome my leaders the bomb.It was really hard letting go of my past but by jesus lifting the problems,fears wordly worries of my back and by showing me his unfailing love and making me realise that he has an awesome plan and purpose for my life has made me hardowt pumped,hyped and excited to see wat he’s got install for 2009!!!
keep moving forward..!
2009-THIS IS THE YEAR.
February 7th, 2009 at 1:16 am
I thank God everyday for summercamp! Such an indescribable experience. I believe for an even more life-changing experience next year! Thank you, thank youu wildlife!
Lots of love.
March 5th, 2009 at 6:42 am
Hey,
Sounds like there are some pretty awesome things going on down Oz way. I’m from England and (if I confess) I’ve never been to Australia but we’ve got the United We Stand album and it talks about the Summer Camp, so I’ve always been kinda a lil curious. Wow, it seems like God’s doing some pretty awesome stuff there, I can just pray that it keeps happening, that God goes on doing really amazing stuff in the lives of the people who go there, that he would touch, change, save, impact people’s lives with his love.
Lately I’ve been really challenged about having a heart for those that are lost, for being a witness cos I know God loves us all to bits and he so wants us ALL to come into relationship with him. I pray that the heart for the lost will keep growing for you guys and that the lost guys n girls out there would keep on being saved when they see the lives that you guys out there are living.
God bless you all,
Ed
March 8th, 2009 at 3:32 am
I greet u in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Im frm South Africa and im amazed at what God is doing in young peoples lives. I got saved at the beginning of last year and i have never been the same. When God touches ur life, u DO CHANGE. im stil believing that God is going to shine a light in my family because they are missing out. Stay strong guys, the bible tells us that we will face hardships but remember this ‘greater is HE that lives within me than he that lives within the world. God Bless
March 22nd, 2009 at 8:58 am
say me
April 19th, 2009 at 12:56 pm
Reading these stories brung tears to my eyes because while reading i was listening to Hillsong…. even though i live like across the world (Miami, Florida). I wanted to actually be at that camp and feel that kind of experience. I feel that GOD has a journey instore for me because i have this drive to praise him and do his work that can’t stop… my youth leader Katia love Hillsong and when she introduces our ministry (R.E.S.E.T) to this type of music i just felt that it had a message fr us. I LOVE GOD SO MUCH AND MAY GOD BLESS YOU ALL
p.s - hilsong your songs are touching the borders of the world you all rock
May 26th, 2009 at 11:47 am
FAh thats such an amzing story!.
i wish i had come i can’t wait for this years summercamp!. i know that it will impact my life for real!
I’m happy to see louie changed and ive known him for a while and he can make a difference with what hes learnt from summercamp!. i know it because i have faith in the lord jesus christ who has worked miracles in not only my life but EVERYONES!.
its so amazing to have a living god working throughout our lives!
especially in MERRYLANDS UNITED!. (LOVE YOUS ALL)
we’ve come a LONG LOMNG WAY!. from being the place where no one liked to go because they thought they were gunna get jumped to a place where people come to now because they’ve heard so much and wanna check it out themselves to see how amazing our youth is!. i LOVE IT!.
i thank you god so much for making this impact in our lives!
i thank you for michael the greatest friend for bringing me home to meet with my father jesus!
i love my home! >> hilssong
x x
September 10th, 2009 at 11:36 am
Praise God!,for makng our lives truly amazng with hm.hillsong united you do guys rock our relationshp with God.
September 10th, 2009 at 11:39 am
Praise God!,for makng our lives truly amazng with hm.hillsong united tank you for ur music.
November 6th, 2009 at 8:15 am
It’s great to see people who care to bring something more to young people, where in addition to having fun, it generates an atmosphere of worship so that they have the most contact with the Father!
Categories to God for their lives, God continues to bless.