Little by little

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Avery

Over the four day weekend, I got to spend my time at Hume Lake Winter Camp with 
325 other high schoolers and 40 leaders. It was eye-opening and beautiful, but during the 6-hour bus ride home, I wondered what aspect from Hume I would choose to write about. It took me time — I could write about the transformative powers of nature, the way friendships can be developed so deeply in so little time, how fun a little independence is, and the like. But I realized something minute, yet important, during my trip, which I feel speaks to me most.
During summer camp in August, I spent nearly a week in the presence of God, being immensely transformed and convicted at the same time; I was baptized soon after and tried reading the word of God daily, but this drive soon fizzled out. 
I wrote at winter camp that “I don’t feel overwhelmingly moved by anything” like I did during summer camp, but that’s okay. I felt “tiny stirrings in my heart,” which I can be more important than massive gestures of change. 
During winter camp, I made small realizations about my life, God, and my relationships, and I was able to set small goals — goals that are attainable, not ones that’ll leave me discouraged once I cannot achieve them. I compared this feeling to New Year’s Resolutions; we can try to exercise nearly everyday, try to go completely sugar or carb free, read a book every month, etc., but so often they don’t workout because they are just unrealistic. Now I wholly believe in big decisions — 6 people gave their life to Christ at camp, and I don’t think they will give up. But personally, I have experienced trying to take on too much, and I am attempting a different approach. I won’t sweat myself if I miss one day of prayer or Bible-reading. I’ll try to integrate these things into my daily life little by little, along with tiny changes in attitude and character, slowly becoming a better model of who I have always strived to be. 

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