Hopetown Highlights: Session #7
“Go out with the assurance that you belong, that you count, and that you are somebody because God loves you.” - Martin Luther King Jr.
As summer came to an end at Hopetown, our last week was spent with the most wonderful group of 7th-8th graders. Whether it was playing on the lake, riding bikes, or bowling this group sought to encourage one another and make lasting memories. As we gathered together in the living room for meetings each morning and night it became clear that the best memories start with kindness.
We started out the week by watching a short film we had watched earlier in the summer: The Boy, The Mole, The Fox, and The Horse. Despite having watched this with the 2nd-4th graders it was one of our favorite films of the summer and Melissa believed it would be interpreted in a new light by the middle schoolers. To say she was right would be an understatement.
On our first morning of the week Melissa asked us to be honest with one another and honest with God. Although camp is fun and allows us to experience new things, often we can be preoccupied with worries from our day to day lives that we miss what the Lord has for us here in this moment.
In order to give our worries to our Heavenly Father we must turn towards prayer. Melissa believed in the importance of each camper finding a place at Hopetown where they could freely pray and talk to God each morning. This allowed the campers to feel as if Hopetown was their own and that they each had a unique place here where they felt safe to talk to God.
“Here’s what I want you to do: Find a quiet, secluded place so you won’t be tempted to role-play before God. Just be there as simply and honestly as you can manage. The focus will shift from you to God, and you will begin to sense his grace.” - Matthew 6:6 (MSG)
In praying to the Lord Melissa recommended three things Jesus first mentions in the Bible:
Keep it simple.
Keep it real.
Keep it up.
It is okay to still feel overwhelmed with life as you pray but if we keep it simple, keep it real, and keep it up it will become easier for our relationship with the Lord to grow and for us to trust Him with our future. That night we dove further into the movie we had watched the night before.
In the film there are a countless number of quotes that stuck with us and stirred in our hearts but one in particular did we all relate to. As the mole sits on a tree branch with the boy he asks him, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” “Kind,” said the boy.
Despite each of our own individual dreams and goals we all desire to be kind. How would you define kindness? What is the difference between being nice and being kind? These are questions that Melissa asked the campers and here are some of their answers:
“Kindness is when you’re not expecting a response.”
“Being nice is on the outside but kindness is within yourself and comes from the heart.”
This prompted Melissa to read a story from the Bible many of us are familiar with. “There was once a man traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho. On the way he was attacked by robbers. They took his clothes, beat him up, and went off leaving him half-dead. Luckily, a priest was on his way down the same road, but when he saw him he angled across to the other side. Then a Levite religious man showed up; he also avoided the injured man.
A Samaritan traveling the road came on him. When he saw the man’s condition, his heart went out to him. He gave him first aid, disinfecting and bandaging his wounds. Then he lifted him onto his donkey, led him to an inn, and made him comfortable. In the morning he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take good care of him. If it costs any more, put it on my bill—I’ll pay you on my way back.’ “What do you think? Which of the three became a neighbor to the man attacked by robbers?” “The one who treated him kindly,” the religion scholar responded. Jesus said, “Go and do the same.” - Luke 10:30-37 (MSG)
Kindness starts with what we see. In all three instances where another person approached the injured man they first saw him. However only did the Samaritan truly see him as a child of God and one that needed help saving in that moment. As much as we might say we want to be kind we often have circumstances or fears that get in the way of that kindness.
Melissa asked the campers to be vulnerable about what’s underneath the surface that often keeps them from being kind.
“I’m afraid I would say the wrong thing.”
“Someone else will be kind instead.”
“My kindness won't really make a difference to them.”
“If I’m kind to that person there will be a target on my back.”
“I’m too busy.”
“It only matters when there’s an audience.”
These underlying fears and doubts keep us from being the kindest version of ourselves. Thankfully by saying them out loud we are able to better tackle those worries in the future. The next day we looked at the benefits of kindness as Melissa read from a study she had found. People who are kind…
typically have more friends
have an increased confidence
are less stressed
have a sense of purpose
stay connected to others
have more energy
are more accepting
are less judgmental
These are qualities that we all wish to have more of. But we cannot have this everlasting kindness without God.
“Now God has us where he wants us, with all the time in this world and the next, to shower grace and kindness upon us in Christ Jesus. Saving is all his idea, and all his work. All we do is trust him enough to let him do it. It’s God’s gift from start to finish!” - Ephesians 2:7-10 (MSG)
We first must accept his kindness and goodness and trust Him with our lives. We have to trust Him enough to let Him save us. But once we trust Him we can be sure that his love is enough for us and that we are chosen by Him. That was when Melissa shared with us one of her favorite quotes by Martin Luther King Jr, “Go out with the assurance that you belong, that you count, and that you are somebody because God loves you.”
One by one each camper was encouraged to stand up and share where they believed God was leading them to be kind. Whether it was at home to their siblings, at school with friends, through trusting in the Lord, and everything in between each response was heard and encouraged.
To symbolize this desire to be kind, after each camper spoke another camper would stand up and proclaim to them, “go out with the assurance that you belong, that you count, and that you are somebody because God loves you!”
This was the greatest reminder that because we are first loved by Christ and have his kindness to be thankful for, we can pass it on and be kind to others. As the week played out campers had the opportunity to experience the Hopetown traditions of Thanksgiving, where we made meals together and reflected on gratitude, as well as Christmas, where we exchanged gifts and wrote heartfelt notes to other campers.
We ended the week with a Hopetown tradition known as The Chair. One at a time each camper had the opportunity to sit in Melissa’s teaching chair and ask the question, “How can I bring kindness home with me?” Three people then proceeded to speak truth over them and remind them of how they had displayed kindness that week and how to continue that kindness over the next year.
As the summer came to a close we reflected on the last quote from The Boy, The Mole, The Fox, and The Horse. “That’s why we are here, isn’t it?” said the boy. “To love… and be loved.” That is what Hopetown is for. To remind us that no matter our circumstances or our story we are loved and can love others in return. We can do this with confidence because Christ loved us first.
Hopetown Highlights: Session #6
“The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit request the honor of your presence to confirm His purpose for you.”
Fifth and Sixth grade camp
Two-thousand and twenty-three
Hopetown, Kentucky
“Your response is requested.”
This week at Hopetown we had our 5th-6th grade camp. From playing on the lake, to watching movies during a storm, to solving an escape room, this week was unique and exciting. Most importantly though was our time spent together listening to Melissa’s teachings as she encouraged us to find our purpose in the Lord.
We started our week by watching the highly entertaining, animated film Megamind. In the film the main character, Megamind, is a villain who finds himself wondering whether or not he was made to be more than a bad guy. As he wrestles with his identity it becomes more and more clear to him that he is not merely a product of his circumstances.
As the film concludes Megamind finds a new purpose is being a hero and vows to help others, rather than harm them. The next morning as Melissa reflected on the movie from the night before she noticed one scene in particular that stood out to her. In grade school Megamind is picked last for dodgeball. It is this event, along with several others from his childhood, that form the idea in his mind that he is unwanted and better off being a bad guy.
If there is one thing that we all have in common it is our desire to feel chosen and to feel seen. We can do this with one another by truly paying attention to what people have to say. Melissa encouraged us for the remainder of the week to be curious and ask each other deeper questions that probe deeper responses.
Unfortunately, as much as we might dig deeper with one another our desire to be chosen is a quench that will never be satisfied. There are days that our friends will be too busy to talk or our parents will have other activities going on. That is why the only person who can ever quench that thirst is Jesus.
This is because Jesus knows us the best and made each of us with the utmost intention. We can feel secure that we will always be chosen by him and that his purpose for our lives is greater than we could ever imagine.
Romans 8:29 in The Message says, “God knew what he was doing from the very beginning. He decided from the outset to shape the lives of those who love him along the same lines as the life of his son. The son stands first in the line of humanity he restored. We see the original and intended shape of our lives there.”
This verse is an invitation to be like Jesus, but not a pressure to be like Him. However the more that we become like Jesus the more clear our purpose will become. That night Melissa asked us to look for qualities displayed in one another that were qualities found in Jesus. If someone saw one of these characteristics in someone else’s heart they were able to encourage them by giving them a colored bead to remember it by. Jesus is…
Joyful (pink bead)
A Peacemaker (blue bead)
Courageous (white bead)
Resilient (orange bead)
Kind (red bead)
Patient (black bead)
Humble (green bead)
Compassionate (yellow bead)
This was an activity repeated every night that allowed campers to both give encouragement and feel encouraged. This is something you could easily try in your own homes. The next morning Melissa took us back to the idea of purpose by pointing towards characters in the Bible. There are so many instances where God has a plan and a purpose for his people but their excuses and their fears often get in the way at first.
God tells Moses to lead his people out of slavery and into the promised land. He responds however by saying that he can’t lead anyone because of his stutter. In Judges 6 God tells Gideon to step into power but Gideon doubts why God would choose him out of all people.
Then in Jeremiah, Jeremiah is called by God to his purpose but he proclaims that he is “too young” to do so. The list goes on and on:
Joshua was afraid to fail
David messed up too badly
Elijah was the only one
Paul was a murderer
Ruth was facing loss
Deborah thought she couldn’t because she was a girl
Peter was only a fisherman
Mary was a teenager
On the wall there was a list with these Biblical heroes on it. All of whom had an incredible purpose for the Lord but were first hesitant to accept His invitation to them. As campers felt inclined they were able to stand up and share what in their life has held them back from accepting God’s invitation of purpose.
With each vulnerable fear and story the campers were told to add their name to the list on the wall. It was incredibly encouraging to watch camper after camper share their heart and listen as they encouraged one another in that. The next morning as campers came downstairs there was an invitation on the wall addressed to them.
It read… “The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit request the honor of your presence to confirm His purpose for you. Fifth and Sixth grade camp Two-thousand and twenty-three Hopetown, Kentucky. Your response is requested.”
God is inviting us to accept his purpose for our lives. He wants to lead us to live a life full of joy and love for one another. All we have to do is accept that invitation. Throughout the week as we reflected on purpose we took part in activities that brought laughter and lasting memories.
Each day we rotated through dance, art, baking, and small group discussion stations. These rotations allowed us to find new talents in ourselves and in each other. We spent plenty of time on the lake conquering our fears and encouraging one another on.
Following a unique 5th-6th grade camp tradition the campers went into town for the day as the interns stayed back to set up a “holiday” for the kids. This year the holiday revolved around the movie Megamind we had watched at the beginning of the week. The campers spent time in their rotation groups solving three homemade escape rooms and using their communication skills to solve puzzles with one another. It was the cherry on top to an already wonderful week.
As we concluded camp Melissa left us with the reassurance that as we follow Christ he will work alongside us to fulfill his purpose in us.
“Whatever God has promised gets stamped with the Yes of Jesus. In him, this is what we preach and pray, the great Amen, God’s Yes and our Yes together, gloriously evident. God affirms us, making us a sure thing in Christ, putting his Yes within us. By his Spirit he has stamped us with his eternal pledge—a sure beginning of what he is destined to complete.” - 2 Corinthians 1:20-22 (MSG)
He wants our purpose to align with his because where we find him we find an abundance of joy. How can you say yes to God’s invitation for purpose in your life today?
Hopetown Highlights - Session #5
“I’m glad we’re all here!”
This past week at Hopetown was filled with endless laughter and encouragement as over thirty 2nd-4th graders took over the big blue house on the lake.
Through banana boat rides, worshiping together, and everything in between we learned what it looks like to give back to one another and be a peacemaker in the world around us. On the first night of 2nd-4th grade camp we curled up in the living room to watch the Academy Award winning short film: The Boy, the Mole, the Fox, and the Horse. If you have not seen this film we highly suggest you take the time to watch it or to read the book that inspired it.
The simple beauty of the film combined with the powerful message it brings propelled our discussion for the remainder of the week. The next morning Melissa asked us to recall what the first quote of the movie was. Despite there being so many profound quotes from the movie the first line is seemingly so simple. “Hello.” As mundane as the word “hello” may be, when we use it with intention we are saying to someone, “you are important.”
Another way to say hello, and the way Jesus often said it, is with the Hebrew word “shalom.” However, not only does shalom mean “hello” but it is also used to say “peace be with you.” In Luke 24 we find Jesus using these words. He has recently risen from the dead after dying on the cross three days before. Here he appears to the disciples for the first time since his death. “And just as they were telling about it, Jesus himself was suddenly standing there among them.
‘Peace be with you,’ he said. But the whole group was startled and frightened, thinking they were seeing a ghost! ‘Why are you frightened?’ he asked. ‘Why are your hearts filled with doubt? Look at my hands. Look at my feet. You can see that it is really me. Touch me and make sure that I am not a ghost, because ghosts don’t have bodies, as you see that I do.’ As he spoke, he showed them his hands and his feet.’ Still they stood there in disbelief, filled with joy and wonder. Then he asked them, ‘I am hungry. Do you have anything here to eat?’ They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he ate it as they watched.” - Luke 24:36-43
The first thing Jesus tells them in the midst of their fear is “peace be with you.” He knows they’re afraid, and scared, and think he’s a ghost, but his presence is greater and his peace is stronger than their fear, than our fear. That night as we gathered in the living room Colossians 3:15 became the focal point of our conversation. “Let the peace of Christ keep you in step with each other.”
In doing this may we put on:
compassion (yellow)
kindness (blue)
love (white)
Courage (red)
humility (green)
encouragement (pink)
patience (black)
trust (orange)
To symbolize this each night of Hopetown campers stood up to encourage one another in one of these qualities by giving them a colored bead to remember it by. The next morning as we continued our discussion on peace Melissa brought up sportsmanship. Often after a game we see sportsmanship displayed by the shaking of hands with the opposing team. This act is supposed to symbolize peace and reflect that, whether win or lose, the game is over now and each person did a good job.
Unfortunately that is not always the case. In many instances we see bad sportsmanship take place after a game. Melissa asked the campers when they had seen this bad sportsmanship in real life and the answers were sadly numerous. Here were some examples campers gave:
Instead of saying “good game” while shaking hands the opposing team said “bad game”
The winning team said “sike” after going in for a handshake
The coach lost his temper and yelled at the team
Several teams wouldn’t even shake hands
This is the opposite of what the Lord is calling us to be to the world. Matthew 5:9 in The Message says, “You are blessed when you can show people how to cooperate instead of compete or fight. That’s when you discover who you really are and your place in God’s family.”
One by one as campers felt this verse convicting them and stirring in their hearts they would stand up and proclaim to the group, “I would like to be a peacemaker!” In order to commemorate this moment and the camper’s decision to be a peacemaker in their lives we decided to form our own handshake line, just like the ones after a game.
But instead of saying “good game” it was important for us to say something meaningful that represented our time here. That’s when Melissa brought us back to a quote from the movie we had watched: The Boy, the Mole, the Fox, and the Horse.
“Sometimes I want to say… I love you all,” said the mole, “but I find it difficult.” “Do you?” said the boy. “Yes, so I say something like, I’m glad we’re all here.” “Ok,” said the boy. “I’m glad we’re all here,” said the mole. “We are so glad you are here too.” As the guys stood on one side of the living room and the girls on the other we crossed each other, shook hands one at a time, and said, “I’m glad we’re all here!”
Each day after the morning meeting campers had the opportunity to experience four different rotations: dance, art, baking, and man school (for the boys) or braver, stronger, smarter (for the girls). In each of these rotations they were able to showcase their talents or interests and grow closer in their relationships with one another.
These rotations were followed by time on the lake where we laughed a lot and had encouraging conversations that pointed back to our desire to be a peacemaker. The next morning as we approached our last full day of camp Melissa reminded us of an all too familiar concern. As much as we may desire to be peacemakers in the world around us, a lot of the time we find it hardest to have peace within ourselves.
Our fears and worries take hold of our lives and it feels like they’re keeping us locked in a room. Melissa asked the campers to share some of the things that keep them locked up.
“Fights with my siblings”
“Anxiety about sleeping”
“Scared about moving”
“What if people don’t like what I have to say”
Then she reminded us of another quote from the movie. “What’s the bravest thing you’ve ever said?” asked the boy. “Help,” said the horse. “Asking for help isn’t giving up,” said the horse, “it’s refusing to give up.” Whenever we feel trapped by our own thoughts or fears it is so important that we share those feelings with others and that we ask for help.
Asking for help in our own lives allows us to find peace and then share that peace with others. This is such a great reminder, not just for 2nd-4th graders but for everyone. How can you be a peacemaker today and encourage others to seek peace as well?
In Loving Memory of Owen the Yellow Lab (2010-2023)
The little yellow house is sad to say goodbye to the irreplaceable yellow lab, Owen. Owen has been David’s sidekick for almost thirteen years. You could find Owen loving on families with his friendly, furry presence…endlessly fetching a tennis ball to help boys relax during deep discussions…but most often, you could find Owen napping the day away in David’s office as his easy going presence comforted hurting kids.
He even kept busy in his days off. When Owen wasn’t at Daystar or playing with his beloved Thomas family, he often spent time at Vanderbilt Children’s hospital. This pet therapist made his mark at the Hematology/Oncology Clinic for children with cancer. Owen was also part of a research study with several other children’s hospitals across the country that confirmed the positive impact of dogs on kids newly diagnosed with cancer.
We sure are grateful for the paw print Owen left on so many hearts at Daystar.