Disciplined Reflection: Challenge & Growth

Today we're hearing from Jake Roop, an Elementary Education major who just graduated from Wheaton College. After visiting camp last weekend, we asked him to reflect on his time at HoneyRock - he had a lot to say! We were blessed to have Jake on staff, not only leading campers in 2011 but also counselors in 2012. We're thankful for what God does through our counselors, the lessons they teach and learn in the summer. Read on to hear Jake's reflections:

Hello everyone, today I get to share with you part of my HoneyRock testimony. I have been blessed to spend the last two summers as part of the HoneyRock community. These two summers were by far the best summers of my life. To me, HoneyRock is, and always has been, a place that is conducive to spiritual growth and challenge.

This is the first summer in three years that I have not been part of the HoneyRock summer staff. But like many former staffers, I find it difficult to stay away from HoneyRock for an extended period of time. I have been very intentional about visiting camp this summer so that I can come back and experience the unique atmosphere that only HRC can offer. This summer, I am working in the Wheaton College admissions office giving all of the summer tours of campus. You can bet that I give all of the prospective students an extensive representation of HoneyRock during the tour. But I always want to give them more than just a basic description of HoneyRock, I want them to know about the challenges and growth that occurs there.

My biggest growing experience at camp occurred as a counselor in the summer of 2011 when I was counseling a group of 6th and 7th grade boys. My energy level was minimal and I felt as though none of my efforts were getting through to the boys. But God redeemed so many things within the span of just a few days and it wound up being the best session of the summer. I learned that no matter how empty I may feel, God is still using me according to his good purposes. Even when I felt that my efforts had been wasted, God was still using me to plant seeds in the hearts of those boys.

It can be difficult for counselors because they are only allowed to counsel for one summer, and few are lucky enough to come back and invest in those same campers in the roles of unit leaders, activity staff, or other staff positions. Therefore counselors hardly ever get to see the campers grow up and see their efforts come to fruition. This weekend, I was able to visit HoneyRock for the last time this summer. I was already feeling a little bit emotional because the trip may have been my last visit during a summer to HoneyRock for quite some time, when something unexpected happened.

Jake (sunglasses) with his campers at the Wagon Circle in 2011

I was able to see some of the Advance Camp boys come back from their wilderness trips. In my short time spent with them, I was overcome with emotion. The same goofy and crazy campers that I was able to mentor as a counselor, uncle, and unit leader are now young and polite men who have matured so much in the short span of two years and will be heading into high school. I spent so much time during my two summers planting the seeds and trusting in The Lord that He will bear that fruit.

This weekend, I was blessed to see that fruit. I am overcome with emotion when I think that I had the slightest meaningful impact on those kids' lives. What a wonderful feeling it has been to be rewarded with tangible signs of God's everlasting faithfulness and knowing that He is still perfecting what I did years ago. I hope that this story conveys the absolute joy that The Lord has given me. HoneyRock is a place that changes lives and I am blessed beyond all measure to have been associated with this wonderful place.

Jake (far right) and the 2012 Unit Leader Men