“Aslan is on the move!”
Boy, was this week one we will remember for a long time. We can confidently say that Aslan was on the move- we saw him in the smiles of our 5th and 6th-grade friends, heard him in the worship each evening, and felt him in the gentle breeze blowing over the lake. We got to experience the magic of Narnia for ourselves and discover the wonder and adventure of life through the wardrobe.
We began our week watching The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe, a Hopetown favorite. Our first morning, we discussed how we were all going to change by the end of the week, just like the children in the movie were transformed.
Then, each camper got to stand up and say, “I want to go through the wardrobe into Hopetown.”
Their buddies crowned them with a star necklace and told them what they had seen in them already as a way to welcome them into Hopetown! In small groups, the campers got to lay their star necklaces on the cross to symbolize laying their identity down at the feet of Jesus and saying, “Jesus, this is your week. Change me.”
The next morning, we moved towards self-awareness. We learned about how all of the characters had negative qualities that could rise up in them. Sometimes, we feel things rise up in us and we don’t know where they come from. It is good to be aware of the sins we struggle with, but we also remember that we are not condemned.
For example:
Peter can be prideful and a know-it-all.
- Proverbs 3:5-7
Susan can be controlling and anxious.
- Philippians 4:6-7
Edmund can be unaware and selfish.
- Romans 8:5-6
Lucy can be sulky and self-conscious.
- Psalms 42:5
Tumnus can be sneaky and manipulative.
- Romans 3:27-28
Mr. Beaver can be angry and a show-off.
- Colossians 3:15-16
Mrs. Beaver can be resentful and jealous.
- Luke 12:29-32
We had time to share what character’s struggles we identify with the most. Then once again, we went with our small groups to the cross and laid rocks with our sins written on them at the foot of the cross. The good news is Jesus took their weight from us when he died for our sins!
The next day, we had the opportunity to share our pain that can act like coats, blocking our way through the wardrobe. God can use whatever has been painful in our stories for a purpose, so we once again took it to the cross. We laid our pain down at the foot of the cross, asking Jesus to carry it for us.
In small groups, campers got the chance to hear the Gospel from their buddies, ask questions, and even give their whole lives to Christ! It was evident that God was on the move in and through these kids. Their insight and depth was astounding, and God used them to teach us all so much about his character. We are so thankful to have had another amazing week here at Hopetown!
