Before I was even a teenager...I can remember going to Reelfoot Youth Camp in Tennessee. It was a place I looked forward to attending every year, not just because it got me out of work on the farm for a week, but also because it was a Christian camp filled with Christian people. It didn't take long for me to create memories that would last forever, but also...to meet people I would never forget. Those counselors and teachers and campers are forever etched into the sculpture of my life. They have made an everlasting impression on me.
One such counselor was named Preston. He was a guy with a rough past. I was ten years old, and I still remember the tattoos on his arms, his firm demeanor, but also his concern for our future. He didn't want us to make the same mistakes he did. Every night, during our nightly devo in the cabin, he would do his best to tell us why making the right choices was so important. I was ten! But I still remember his words to this day.
This past week I was teaching at West Kentucky Youth Camp, and I couldn't help but realize that I was now "Preston" to these kids. They are going to remember me (and hopefully the lessons I tried to teach them) for the rest of their lives. I was now a part of their memories. It felt like such a weight, but it was also an honor to be selected to mold the lives of future Christians...and influence the hearts of the future leaders of the church. Always watch what you say and do...you never know who's watching and learning.
"Likewise, urge the younger men to be self-controlled. Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity, and sound speech that cannot be condemned..." (Titus 2:6-8)
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