Reflection & Preparation:

Reflection:
            With Mid-Winter being this weekend it has caused me to reflect on the handful of Mid-Winters I have been able to be a part of in the past. I remember my first Mid-Winter in January of 2013 when I didn’t know anyone and had only been a counselor for a few weeks the summer prior. It was very nerve racking because I try to stay below the radar when possible, but at an event like Mid-Winter when you are an unknown person everyone wants to get to know you. During that weekend I was able to make friends that I still have today, and meet great Godly young men and women who I got to, and still get to, learn from every time we are together. It causes me to think about Proverbs 27:17 “As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.”. Over my time being able to work at Camp Ba-Yo-Ca I have realized that year after year we put together a team of incredible staff and counselors that are the epitome of this verse being lived out! Mid-Winter is just one of the venues used to do so.

Preparation:
            It is my hope that everyone who comes to Mid-Winter leaves with their lives changed for the better the same way mine was after my first Mid-Winter. For this to happen we all need to prepare for Mid-Winter with purposeful prayer, and an open heart for what will be taught to us this year as we go through what it means to be a “Doer” of God’s word. Oswald Chambers said, “Prayer is an effort of will.” We believe it is God’s will for our staff and counselors to grow spiritually in ways they never thought imaginable at this years Mid-Winter. Will you join us in aligning our will with that of God by living out the words of 1 Thessalonians 5:17-18 “Pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”?

God is prepared to do marvelous things with the staff and counselors He has for us this year, and you can be a part of it through prayer!

​       Over the years we have been on again off again with our blog posts. However, with the new year close in the rearview mirror we have decided to take on a resolution of our own. We will be introducing bi-weekly blog posts! During the off-season they will consist of material used in our bible studies, inspirational events in the lives of our staff and counselors, plans we have for things around camp to keep people in the loop, etc. During our summer season they will consist of stories about what God is doing in the life of our campers and counselors. We hope that this new approach to how we do our blog posts will be as encouraging for those who read it as the experiences were for those whose stories we are telling! We cannot wait to spread the good works of God in the lives of those we care so much about. If you have a story about what God is doing in your life and would like for us to share it please contact Matthew via e-mail at matthew@campbayoca.com or at the office 865-453-6274. 2017 is going to be great year!