Youth camp miracle

Growing up in a large family, on a pastors wage, I knew about making do, hand me downs and being thankful for what we had.

We never went without that I was aware of. But there was one significant moment of provision in my high school life that will stay with me for life.

Youth group was always a high light of my week. I loved it. Friends, adventures, and just good clean fun. It was the reward of a week of school and of doing all the weekend chores early so we'd be allowed to go without Saturday ramifications. Being such a loyal fan, when the annual youth camp was announced, I was keen as mustard.

That was until dad called a mini family meeting and told me & my two older brothers, also high school age, that as much as he would like to, he just couldn't see how he could afford to send all three of us to camp that year.
Well for this moody teenager it was, of course, the end of the world as I knew it. There were tears. All this fun would be happening and I would be missing out. My social life was doomed.

Not to be pressured by my disappointment, I'm so thankful for the wise words my dad responded to with; "If you really want to go why don't you pray about it?".
The challenge was set. It wasn't final. There was an option.
So I prayed my teenage desires out to God.

I can't remember the exact timeline from here. All I recall was a second family meeting soon after and dad announcing that out of the blue, someone had sent him a cheque for the exact amount for all three of us to go to camp.
Wow.
God had answered.
God cared about my desire to go on camp.
God spoke to someone else & prompted them to do something & they obeyed.
God taught me He will provide.
God taught me He can orchestrate anything.
God taught me He is in the business of lining up need with solutions.
God taught me that even "unnecessary" things (cos even in my teenage mind I knew food was more important than a weekend with friends) matter.
I mattered.
This lesson of Gods provision has been one of the pillars of my faith.

These days my desires are bigger than camp, and the prayers often feel too complicated & impossible. But I have to remember that God can still do a provision miracle today & any day.

I hope you are encouraged today to turn your eyes to Jesus. He is where our help comes from.

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