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From Fellowship to Leadership: A Counselor’s Journey to Returning This Summer

January 14, 2025

by Elijah Shively

This past month, we were thrilled to host a summer staff reunion for the amazing team members who worked with us this past summer. Each year, we invite our former summer counselors and support staff to gather for a few days around the holidays. It’s always a special time to reconnect, reminisce, and celebrate the fun we had over the summer.

This year’s reunion was nothing short of incredible. We were blessed to have over 25 members of our past summer teams join us for an amazing weekend. One story that stood out to me came from Faith, one of our female counselors from this past summer.

A Counselor's Journey to Returning This Summer

During the reunion, Faith shared how encouraged she felt while spending time with everyone. She decided to take some time to pray about whether she should return this coming summer. A couple of days after the reunion, Faith called me to share some exciting news—she had decided, after much prayer, that God was placing it on her heart to return. Not only that, but she’s ready to step into a leadership role with our wilderness team!

I was deeply moved by how the fellowship during the reunion played a role in her decision. I’m excited to see how Faith will grow in her leadership journey, and I’m looking forward to another incredible summer with her on our team.

About The Author

Elijah Shively