We set up our tent, had dinner together, and got settled in for the night. There was conversation and laughter everywhere. You could feel the peace and our night was serenaded by someone in the camp who was singing beautifully and playing the guitar. Everyone signs up to help with the cooking and cleaning, so we woke up Saturday morning to a team of people preparing the famous “awesome breakfast.” The day consisted of hiking, horseback riding, kayaking, and all kinds of fun, I even took a nap!
On Saturday, everyone met up at a hay maze, played some games, and ate plenty of food—everyone had a great time. We then met back up at camp for one the best parts of the entire weekend: the affirmation campfire. This is a time where daughters and fathers sit around a campfire tougher while each dad takes a turn speaking words of love and affirmation to their precious daughters. It was so powerful to witness fathers speaking that into their daughter’s lives and to have the opportunity to publicly encourage and affirm my own little girls. We ended that night with worship, s’mores, and great conversations. I was left with a feeling of awe and gratitude while I soaked in the presence of God. He is so good. The goodness continued into Sunday morning with another “awesome breakfast” followed by a short time of worship, devotion, and encouragement for the girls ending with an altar call where we saw four people give their lives to Jesus! What a blessing that is and what a blessing this weekend was. What I thought was going to be a simple, fun, two-night camping trip turned out to be one of the most profound experiences of my life.
If you have children and have never gone, rid yourself of whatever is holding you back and take your children. Not only was it a fun and restful time for everyone, but it was also meaningful and transformational. It was my first time going with my daughters and we honestly had one of the best weekends of our lives. A special thanks to Neil Weirsum, Brian Arrington, Ritchie Owens and all the men that helped make this weekend work.