CHIC

CHIC stands for Convent High In Christ, and it is an event that takes place on the University of Tennessee campus every three years. This special event lasts a week and the year that I attended CHIC was just last year (2015). It was one of the most interesting weeks of my life and I was beyond blessed to attend this special event. At CHIC we were able to see speakers such as Louie Giglio, Judy Peterson, Lecrae, and Eugene Cho. Some of the singers that week were Rend Collective, For King and Country, Moriah Peters, Lecrae, and Propaganda. When we all first arrived at CHIC, we were able to go to the HUB. The HUB consisted of great food, games, music, and lots of crafts. We also had meetings called base camps, which lasted for three hours. These were smaller meeting that consisted of about 100 people, and had speakers that talked to us about certain topics that were and still are popular. During base camps, each person could choose which camp they wanted to go to each day. After base camps, we had lunch and then free time. During our free time we were able to go to the HUB, the pool, or we could walk around the UT campus and some days they offered excursions. MaryBeth and I went to go paint balling on afternoon. After the free time was over, there was dinner from 5-7. Once dinner is over, we go onto the mainstage which starts at 8 and usually lasts until 11. During mainstage is when we listen to the speakers and have huge concerts that make your hearts beat out of your chests. Listening to those speakers talk about topic that us teens can relate to really meant a lot. A topic that we learned about was Project Blue, which is making people aware of the amount of water that we use on a daily basis. We learned and experienced some of the challenges that families face in order to get water (but in most cases the water that they gather is not clean and is not safe to drink). CHIC showed us how greatly blessed we all are and how many things we take for granted day by day, such as water. CHIC gave me the opportunity to grow in my faith and to have a better relationship with God, and it also gave me the privilege to grow closer with the friends that attended with me. It is not like any other camp that I have ever been to, it was different in so many wonderful ways. It is a week that I will never forget. I hope to share my experience with many others and encourage them to go to CHIC.

WC:490

Thursday Night's Campfire

Thursday night is a very important night at camp. We all know that it is the last night at camp, therefore we all get very emotional. We all have stories to tell and stories to laugh at. Stories that mean so much to all of us and stories that can really explain what camp means to all of us. We can share our testimonies with each others and explain how camp has helped us to become stronger with God. We also talk about the friends that we have made through camp and how they have impacted our lives so much. This usually leads to A LOT of tears. It is beyond a blessing to have the people from camp in our lives, because they will help you through anything and they are always willing to talk. They are some of the best people that I have in my life today. During the campfire we also have s'mores, and everyone loves s'mores. We kinda go crazy when it comes to the chocolate and the marshmallows. The campers are the ones who love roasting all the marshmallows and giving them to the staff. We all love the fact of being together for a week, then getting to sit around a fire and share all the great memories we have from the week and all the previous years at camp. It is truly a blessing to be able to experience this week with all the wonderful people that you go to camp with. We always sing songs together and we have a lot of fun. It is one of the best nights at camp. It's something that you cannot forget. After the campfire, which usually lasts until about 12, we go up to our cabins. We love the fact that the next morning we get to sleep in until 9. We always have the best times at camp and we would not trade them for the world. Last year was my last year of being a camper, along with Mary Beth, Tamra, Ryan, Tyler, Elizabeth, and Alexis. We have had some of the best campfire memories together, and it is a feeling that you cannot explain. It's kinda like a "you just had to be there moment". We all love camp and hope to be the staff one day, so that campers can make our s'mores someday and share their great experiences with us. :)

WC:394

Morals

Here are a few morals that we as Christians should always remember. People often forget what is important in life and they usually forget the measures of how important we are as Christians. We forget that people look at us as a example/role models and that we are the type of people who can change how people look at Christians. We need to remember that even though we are faced with temptations, that we should know right from wrong. We know what is considered "right or wrong" and we are supposed to act in a well-mannered fashion towards certain topics. We should not judge others for what they believe, but we should always encourage others as they are faced with hard times. During these times, people look for answers, we should tell people about God and why we are put through hard times.  Morals are a topic in society that is lacking interest, and there are many types of morals in the world, even if they aren't talked about. 
-Respect: Christians should grow up and have better respect for others and not be so judgmental towards people. We all struggle with being judgmental because of how we have been raised. Some think it is okay, while others still try to remember why we don't judge others in the first place.
-Honesty and Integrity: As Christians we should do nothing but be honest and be willing to be honest in all situations. It's something we should always do and we should never be scared to tell the truth even if its hard. It's as some Christians are scared to say what is necessary in certain situations, because they are scared of what will be said. 
-Kindness and Compassion: Kindness and compassion is something that is starting to disappear in today's world(Or at least it seems that way). Us Christians need to work to get back the kindness and level of compassion that used to be a trait for people without question. We all have to think about helping someone now instead of just doing it. 
-Thankfulness: We should all be so thankful for our everyday lives, for the ability to wake up in the morning with a roof over our heads, to be able to put clothes on our backs, no worrying about food to eat, being able to get an education, or anything we come in contact with on a daily basis. We take for granted too much in today's society.  
WC:406

Bay's Mountain

   As we like to say, "Lean on God and each other, He's got you if you fall, or walk by faith that God will carry you through the challenges." Every year at senior and junior camp, if I am a camper or a volunteer, we go to Bay's Mountain. It's such a beautiful place in general, but we go for the high and low ropes courses and the zip line.
   This is an experience like no other, you learn to trust the people you have right beside you and to trust God that things will work out in the long run. We enjoy this trip, even though we are getting to do something we love, we are getting to make memories with our friends in Christ. We get to have fun while doing something new, and while doing this, it requires a lot of trust between the people you are with. MaryBeth and I have been going for the past three years, and in the last high ropes course we went to, we were able to help out the staff with our experience there at Bay's Mountain. We both love heights and we love the feeling of being in the air, only attached by a harness and rope. Zip lining is a feeling as if you are free from all worries, and as if nothing can hurt you. As you are flying through the air, attached only by a single rope, you have a sudden rush of adrenaline that runs through your body. As if you are unstoppable or as nothing can touch you.
   It is a trip that we love, and are thankful to go on trip every year. While on the high ropes course, the ones that are afraid of heights need some help and some support. People at Bay's Mountain call me Coach Collingsworth, because I act as a coach during the course. MaryBeth and I enjoy being a support system for others, and we both get to enjoy the fact of helping someone when they are scared. After the courses and the zip lining we head back to camp. On the bus everyone ends up falling asleep, because we are all so tired from the long day. We get to have a time of sharing, which includes stating how someone helped you or how you experienced something you hadn't before. It's a wonderful experience that shows you what it's like to trust others and be thankful for the people around you.  
WC: 416

A Normal Day At Senior Camp @ CMMBC

    See, during camp we have a very busy day, everything we do during a day starts at 8 a.m. . We start our beautiful day with flag raising and prayer,and it is truly awesome to take time every morning to watch our flags rise into a amazing blue sky filled with sunshine. Then off to breakfast, which we are all so eager to have.After breakfast we go into cabin and camp cleanup,which each cabin is assigned a specific place on camp to clean such as the chapel, volleyball court/campgrounds, pavilion. etc. Once this part of our day is finished we go off to chapel time where these wonderful and touching lessons are taught. After our lessons we go into big camp game, this where everyone goes hard. Then we go to lunch, and then to cabin time (this is a time for resting or individual devotion time). Once cabin time is up, we have craft time, and I absolutely love craft time. During craft time we may make things like wooden crosses, tie-dye pillow cases/shirts, bracelets, pretty much anything you can think of. We get to have canteen, which is snacks/ice-cream/soda/candy, and we all adore canteen time. Next is free time, in this time you can go to the recreational hall, in the rec. hall there's ping pong, carpet ball (my favorite), air hockey, and fuse ball. Or you can continue crafts or play giant jenga which is beginning to become very popular game at camp.

   
Once free time is over we go into supper and announcements, then there is a staff meeting which usually lasts around twenty minutes. In this time with the staff being in the dining hall talking between each other. All campers play the game called ultimate, and in this game we have the fab five: Tamra, MaryBeth, Ryan, Kelly, and I. We all play the rest of the campers, and we usually win. This game has always been a huge topic at camp, and we all are so competitive, so it makes camp games much better. Our main competition is T-Nel, because he plays all games like he'll never get to play again.

     Once the staff meeting is over, we get all cleaned up from all the sand and go into chapel again for the evening message. During the evening message, all the campers usually get really listen and understand the speaker and what he/she is trying to say. After chapel, we go to devotions and desert. "Devo's, then dessert!", which is someone has to present a devotion before we can eat our dessert. Once this part of

our night is over we go into SURPRISE HOUR...obviously we never know what we are going to do that next hour before we go up to our cabins. In the years past we have watched a movie, had staff hunt, paint wars, minute to win it games, slip-n-slides, bouncy houses, and on our last night together we always have a campfire. Along with the campfire we have s'mores and a whole lot of devotions, and people sharing their testimonies with the camp. Each year at camp this is a very emotional time, but also a time to understand what God is doing in each camper's lives. After devotions and dessert, we all go up to our
cabins and get ready for lights out at 11p.m.

     As you can tell, us senior campers have a very busy day with lots of great activities we do. It's an amazing experience at camp with some wonderful people that aren't just from Jonesville, Va., but from around the country.

WC:609

Friends From God Are The Best Friends

         I've learned in recent years that once you meet a person who has such a Godly impact on your life, you can't let them go. While each summer at camp there's a few new people I become very attached to, and I'm thankful to say I still have those wonderful people in my life today. I've met many dear friends and christian role models at CMMBC and other christian summer camps.

   

     For example, MaryBeth is a true friend who shows me everyday the gift of genuine happiness from God. She lights up a room with the light of our God shining through her. She also helps me realize that I can be happy even in the hardest times of my life. I have made so many unforgettable memories with her and I'm thankful for God giving me a friend such as MaryBeth. We have experienced years of being together for weeks of volunteering or being a camper at Covenant Mountain Mission Bible Camp. Last year we attended CHIC, we got to listen to speaker and bands such as Louie Giglio, For King and Country, Rend Collective, Judy Peterson, Lecrae, Moriah Peters, and so many more. It was an experience we went through together and one we will never be able to forget about. It made such a huge impact on our lives, and we made friends that were from all over the nation that shared the same beliefs as us.
       
 I have made so many Godly friends throughout my years at camps such as CMMBC and CHIC(Covenant High In Christ) that can go to for anything. I have met many inspirational people who can show me more about how God can help you through situations when you let Him.

I have a wonderful Christian role model I can look up to for anything I need who will always lead me back to the Lord. She gives me hope in finding answers through prayer and talking to others who have been through similar situations regarding their approach to God for answers. Her name is Andrea Shepard, but us kids from camp call her Bama. She's from Alabama, and she has been a part of my life for over three years now. We met as CMMBC's senior camp and then again last year. She is a person I can rely on to always tell me the right thing to do in God's eyes. She shares Bible verses with me and talks to me about how I can become a better role model towards others as well. 



There are two sisters at CMMBC that truly mean the world to me. I have grown so close to them and they encourage me in so many ways to seek God's plan. Erica and Alex are two of the most caring and thoughtful young women I know, and they show me ways I can be more attentive to people in need. We got to all work together by volunteering at CMMBC this past summer. We volunteered during day camp which is children in grades pre-k - 5. It was a blessing to work together and tell over one hundred children about a loving God that cares for each and every one of them. We were also able to work together the week of junior camp, which is grades 6 - 8. It's an honor to serve our God together and to teach so many beautiful children what God did for them. We have worked together and been friends for awhile now, and without their love I don't know what I would do. I'm blessed to have these two sisters in my life, because they will never leave my side if I ever needed them.

  

       I thank God everyday for giving me such Godly women to experience this wonderful life with. He gives us the people we need in life and I wouldn't change that for anything.


WC: 648

My Faith Started Here

Covenant Mountain Mission Bible Camp is where it all took place. I decided here and at that time what kind of person I wanted to be in life and how I wanted to represent myself to others. It was the summer after my freshman year in high school and at this time I had no clue how much one week of bible camp would impact my life. As the week progressed, it’s as I couldn’t leave such a wonderful place. In this week, I had learned more about God than ever before, and therefore I grew tremendously in my walk with Christ. Covenant Mountain Mission Bible Camp, as you can see is a beautiful place. The grass is always a bright green, with the trees lining the side above the fence on the sides. The chapel that stands tall on a hill is where we worship and praise our God.  This  place always reminds me of  our lives and how blessed we are to be able to worship without persecution. The camp is a location where you can see the true beauty of the world. You feel free is so many ways. Covenant Mountain Mission Bible Camp is located away from civilization, and its a place full of freedom from the twisted world we live in everyday. Even though this world is a dark place, I can go to camp and learn how to be a light in today's society. I’m proud to say that I can always count on a camp to teach me in so many ways about Jesus Christ my Lord and Savior. This is a wonderful place to enjoy the opportunity of others getting to come together in fellowship. I've learned how to share my faith with others through this camp. For that I am very grateful for the influence the camp has had towards my faith. Since that summer, at a very special week at Bible camp, a place very dear to me, I have decided to dedicate my life to Jesus.To serve Him,to praise Him even in the hardest times, thank Him for the good and the bad, and most of all share who He is to others. My faith in Christ continues to grow to this day. I thank God for the life I have, because life is truly a blessing from God.

WC:392