Cliff Dwellers

In 2014, I moved to Lincoln, Nebraska to start my graduate degree in Integrated Media Communications. I had a love for learning and, on the surface, I was excited to start a new chapter of my life. Underneath, I was actually an anxious and terrified of the change. Up until this point in my life, I had struggled daily with anxiety. Some days were so bad that I couldn’t get out of my room.

So with this new chapter, at the persistence of my mother, I started attending Lincoln Berean Church through a small group through their college ministry. This is where I met Lauren. Lauren talked with great passion her love for Camp Sonshine. She served as the recruiting manager fro camp at the time and a few months in, she asked if I would apply to be their media intern. Although I hated the outdoors and wasn’t sure about working with kids, I applied to work at this new place.

I could talk to you all FOR HOURS about just how much Camp Sonshine has impacted my life. But for right now, I’d like to share just a couple of things.

Camp Sonshine impacted me through helping me find and contribute to genuine community. 

At Camp Sonshine, I learned what it meant to be in true, genuine, positive, Christ-like community. My new friends genuinely got to know me. They pursued relationship with me. When hard things happened, like interpersonal tension or dealing with hard things, they worked through it and didn’t just ignore the problems.

I saw young people have an impact on kids in a way that I’d never seen before. I saw children’s’ behaviors that would get them kicked out. At Camp Sonshine, they were pursued and helped along. I learned what it was like to really see people through God’s eyes!

Each year at camp coming back, I was challenged to find my unique place in God’s story. 

At first, I came on to the team as the “camera girl.” I was very comfortable being behind the camera and just watching the world pass me by. It was the people at Camp Sonshine who encouraged me to start to step out from behind the camera and help where I could. I learned that I could help with campers who were off to the side having a hard time.

I could use my marketing skills for the good of the camp mission, but I started to gain new skills beyond marketing. Little by little, I started to get more responsibility. I was looked to as a “leader” for the first time in my life. I started to see where my strengths were and I was able to use the gifts God gave me!

The journey God called me to in 2015 has lead me to learn more about my calling to have confidence in my strengths, to strategically communicate the mission of Camp Sonshine AND walk alongside kids, teens, and young adults….to be an advocate, supporter and friend. To help them learn skills that will help them in their future. To influence their journey of learning more about the calling that God has on their life. TO DO IT ALL WIITH CONFIDENCE!

I’m humbled and honored to be able to influence God’s people in such a way. I’m even more honored to be a part of a ministry where I can see the impact a week of camp and the love of God can have on hundreds of kids each week.