Have you been able to un-plug, get away and/or remove yourself from normal everyday life this summer? Doing this can have a refreshing, cleansing and even spiritually enriching effect on one's life. It can help you be more aware of God's presence and consider what is truly important in life.
Earlier this week I was priveledged to be the speaker for a camp for 12-14 year olds. We were at Dickson Valley Camp near Sandwich, IL. There were about 50 campers, mostly from the Albany Park neighborhood of Chicago. We had a lot of fun: canoeing in the Fox River, indoor rock wall climbing, walking the rope bridge, swimming and more. I challenged them in our chapel times to reflect on the message of Jesus and respond to Jesus' call to be a disciple. It was a wonderful time of being together and being far away from normal life.