Not How I Planned...

I have worked at many Christian camps over the years.  While working at one, I noticed that there was a particular camper that was garnering a lot of attention from her peers; lots of concerned looks and serious conversations.  Over the course of the week it came out that she was wavering on her belief in God, and her friends were all very concerned.

After a particularly powerful worship service, some of her friends asked to go and talk to her, to see if I could answer all her questions and make here believe again.

I approached her, sitting at a table on the porch, and explained that I was there because her friends were concerned.  She voiced problems with Christianity, I shared a bit of my story and why I believe.

After a bit of silence she spoke, "I'm sorry, I mean...no offense...but I don't believe it.  I'm sick of pretending, and I just am done being a Christian.  I'm not saying you're wrong, I'm just saying I don't believe it anymore."

This was not how I envisioned this going.  I immediately felt responsible for her abandonment of the Christian faith!  I felt like I had to win her back, like I had to fix this.  Instead what came out of my mouth was, "That's okay.  I'm not worried, because I know that God loves you too much to let you get away.  so your friends might not understand, but I think you need this, you need to find it for yourself.  So I think you've made the right decision."

Reaffirming a decision to abandon one's faith is not exactly out of the Pastor's handbook.  I wasn't even sure why I had said it, but she looked at me and said, "You know, I've never heard a Christian talk like that."

I don't know what happened to this young lady.  I'd like to think she found what she was looking for and is following Jesus more closely than she could before.  Maybe she is still looking.  Either way, I know that God loves her too much to let her get away.

-Luke Trouten