Orchard Grove Camp
27 June 2008 
If you were at camp this past week in Michigan then you know how awesome it was. I had a great time getting to know all of the teens from Orchard Grove Community Church. I also loved hitting the trails on the ATV with many of you.
Thursday night was a heavy night wasn’t it? I know it was a tough message to digest. It was tough for me to deliver. There is nothing glamorous about “sin.” That’s probably why we don’t hear a lot of messages on sin. It isn’t easy to listen to someone talk about the reality of what sin does to us all. I know - halfway through the message I was convicted myself. This has never really happened to me before while speaking. But the more I spoke, the more I knew God wasn’t just speaking through me to you. He too was speaking into my life. God reminded me of the ugliness of sin in my own life, and, His desire that I give it up to Him.
Though Thursday night’s message was difficult for all of us, it was an important one too. But be confident – such a message wasn’t simply to remind us all of our shortcomings. Instead it was to help each of us see how desperate we are for something better, for something more, for something only God can provide through His Son Jesus.
Forgiveness.
Due to the schedule change at camp Saturday night, I wasn’t able to tell you about forgiveness. Had I spoken that night, I would have told you simply that your sins can be forgotten in Him. I would have told you that nothing you’ve ever done can forfeit your opportunity to walk away from it all and begin again with Him. I would have told you that because of what Jesus did on the cross, you don’t have to hide, run, hurt, struggle, fear, or question any more. You can simply find a new life in Jesus because you are forgiven.
So, if you are holding on to Thursday night’s message, let go. Let go and know that all you have to do is call on the name of Jesus and say, “Forgive me. Change me. I am yours.” If you do, He will. And, you will never be the same.
I am married to Amy. I have two daughters, Bailey and Brynnan. Though we rarely have a winning season, I am a Razorback fan. I am a pastor, author, and communicator. I love teens, ice tea, Mac, and I believe any day is a good day when it is spent on my boat.
