since i was a young child i’ve always said that disneyland is the second happiest place on earth; camp arnold is the first. but if we were to zoom in that thought a little more, i’d have to say that the lake at camp arnold is my happiest place on earth, especially when i am left alone with God. i’ve had moments of peace, like ten years ago when i was supposed to give my testimony and i woke up early to sit on that bench and figure out what to say. that bench was also the scariest moment of my life, when the stars made God feel so far away and i shouted out into the night “where are you, Lord?” and the silence and lack of peace that followed spun me into a panic, feeling like i had been abandoned and forgotten. the next day God poured onto me this truth – I NEVER LEFT. BUT YOU NEVER QUIETED DOWN TO LET ME TELL YOU.
today i picked blackberries and then walked down to the lake for BEing time. i watched the fish swim and tried to talk to the ducks and saw a snake slither away. then i sat on the dock of the lake and wrote in my journal, enjoying the sabbath of doing absolutely nothing and knowing that God loves me no more than when i toil and labor to be a good girl.
sometimes i feel crazy for loving a place as much as i love this camp, but then my heart breaks a little for people who do not have a safe haven like this.
