God Works For Good

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28

What a week we had at YOB Camp! I don't think I've ever been more stressed or more tired in my life, but everyone had a fantastic time and boy did God move! We had some amazing talks in Event in the Tent, some powerful and Spirit-led worship, and some wonderful prayer time. Four YOBs even became Christians! I am constantly reminded how much God loves YOB Camp and how much He shows up to do stuff while we're there but, this being the first year I planned it, I hadn't known just how much He has His hand on it at all times.

When I first took over from Ali, she told me that YOB runs on miracles but I thought it was just something she said, not something she meant literally! Time and time again I've needed money for camp and God has provided it. I have countless stories I could tell, but my favourite is when I was complaining to Paula that I needed some money for something and, though I was encouraged by lots of words and pictures about God's provision and God's hand on us, I would prefer it if the hand was filled with cold, hard cash. We laughed at my audacity (God loves me), but the next day I woke up to a text from Paula saying that we'd had a £500 anoynmous donation! Even while we were on camp, I specifically needed £200 to pay for an activity but was stressing about the money in the account and, when I checked it, that very day we'd had a Gift Aid payment of exactly £200. 

I have one more cool story to tell about God's provision and then I'll stop the longest Winepress reflection of all time. This is such a great example of God doing good work through good people! A woman's son was privately funded to come on camp (I still don't know where the funding came from) and, because she was so moved that someone would pay for her son, and said that she had been on many summer camps as a funded child when she was younger, she went out into the community and raised enough money to fund another place for a child at St Mary's Primary School. We were able to offer them another space and the child who came on camp had such an amazing time that their mum messaged us saying that YOB Camp had been really good for her child. God touched many lives and did so much good through one person who might not even know Him now, but did know Him as a child, because God works for good! This story reminded me that the seeds we plant in the children may not bear fruit immediately, or even when we can see them, but they do eventually bear fruit.

Thank you to everyone who prayed for us, who donated to us, who came on camp and served with us. God does good things through you, because you are good people who love Him!