When Bailey thought about the upcoming camp, she second-guessed her decision to intern. She said, “I wasn’t sure if I wanted to go because I had never led huddles before, and I was also leading a tennis huddle even though I’d never played tennis.”
Sports Camp - Intern's Perspective
Shelley Pearson • August 13, 2021
Have you ever been presented with the opportunity to serve but wanted to turn it down because you didn’t feel prepared or strong enough or ready? Some of our interns felt that way at the recent Northland Region’s FCA Sports Camp at the University of Northwestern. Sports Camp was one of their first big assignments as an intern, and it was tempting to run away.
Anna was nervous about being responsible for a group of girls for the whole week. She hadn’t even been to an FCA camp before, and now she was expected to lead. Both girls were unsure of their own abilities and weren’t sure what to expect.
Despite the desire to quit, neither one backed down. Instead, they asked God to help them and put on an enthusiastic smile as the campers arrived. Thankfully, God equips those He calls, and as a result, He moved in their hearts, and He moved through them to draw others to Himself.
Bailey’s Experience
Bailey’s huddle members had all grown up in solid Christian homes where they had learned to live out a relationship with God since they were young girls. Bailey didn’t get serious about God until her junior year in high school and felt a bit intimidated about the responsibility of leading a group of girls who may know more than she does about the Bible.
Even though Bailey may not have felt knowledgeable enough, she was able to foster deep relationships among the huddle members and create an environment where the girls could all grow in their walks with God. The huddle really started to click after Bailey shared her faith story with them. She said, “After I shared my testimony and struggles, there were so many things we could relate to. That created more of a bond for us once we got to open up with each other.”
Bailey was surprised they could identify with her struggles, but God used her vulnerability to get the group to go deeper. She said, “It’s easy to assume someone’s life is perfect, but as we got to spend more time together and get to know each other we could really grow our relationships and have a stronger encouragement toward each other.”
Bailey knows she made a difference in the lives of her huddle members, and Bailey is stronger because of the experience. She said, “I was supposed to be leading other people, but the kids had such a huge impact on me. I feel like this camp changed me so much and it was such an amazing experience. Being a huddle leader showed show me that even though I might be intimidated, to give things a chance. It has motivated me to have a deeper relationship with God and get to know Him more. I want to keep taking opportunities and being open to things rather than worried about them.”
Anna’s Experience
While Anna was initially apprehensive as well, the training she went through got her excited to lead. She said, “Right after our first huddle leader training, I could just tell that there was so much good energy in the room and that huddle leaders were so ready to pour into their campers all week.”
There’s an art to making the huddle a place where girls can share their deepest struggles, grow in their faith journeys, and have fun, and Anna worked hard to create that environment in her huddle. She said, “I focused on showing the girls that the huddle is an open conversation and a safe space to share anything. I encouraged the girls to pray when we were in huddle times, but I also made sure to be goofy and fun and not all serious.” To keep it fun, she focused on the little extras, like smiley face stickers and Starburst.
Some of the girls in her huddle knew each other before camp, so she was intentional about encouraging the girls to branch out. Campers like Emily and Renae who came to the huddle as friends were rarely seen just hanging out together. The group melded well, and much of that is due to the intentionality Anna put into making sure they grew together as a group.
Anna said, “I came to camp not really knowing what to expect, because I had never been to an FCA camp before, but it definitely outdid my expectations on how much it would impact me as well as the campers. Pouring into my huddle and hearing everything they have dealt with and want to strive for, helped me realize my need to work on my relationship with God more actively. Being in such an uplifting environment and surrounded by such strong campers and other huddle leaders really impacted me unexpectedly.”
Obedience and Blessing
Both interns could have missed out on tremendous blessings, but they stepped forth in boldness and obedience much like the Israelites stepped into the water of the Jordan River. God waited to part the waters until they obediently stepped into the water.
Likewise, Bailey and Anna didn’t wait until their apprehension went away. Instead, they stepped out in obedience and realized God’s blessings. And they made a difference in the lives of a dozen other girls.
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