God's Work Not Mine

Building projects seemed to be the norm in my role this summer at Echo Ranch, whether it was completing the chapel, laying a foundation for the new water system, or planning for upcoming projects. Camp is growing, and as a person steps back to watch it grow, it becomes obvious that it isn’t happening because of my two hands or even with the hands of our well-equipped and qualified team.
     It becomes apparent that God has His marks all over the projects, far more than we leave our marks on them. It was as if God was orchestrating a symphony this summer and we all had our parts. Even when I would mess up or get lost in the music, which happens a lot, the symphony would continue and God would give me a little nudge to get back in the right spot.
     Taking another step back, I could see how God orchestrated all of camp, bringing people at the right time, whether they were volunteers, counselors, campers, or even staff. Just as God had left His marks all over our projects, He leaves marks on the people as well. We labored and labored on the projects this
summer, but in the end God brought them to fruition. We labored in our ministry to the campers, but the marks left on the campers were from God, not from us. We poured into our counselors, but it wasn’t us who left marks on them, it was God. Whoever we have the opportunity to talk to about our Lord and Savior, we labor in that, but God is the one who brings the fruit. He is the one that leaves His marks on them and I am thankful for that.
     It also seems to take the pressure off of us. Looking back over this summer, seeing projects get completed, I see the boards and the nails and the screws. But I also see the less obvious things, like the people who made it possible, the people who shared a week or a month with us, and I see the marks that God left on them because of our time we spent ministering together. I have new marks on me this year, each one a memory, each one another opportunity to share how God has changed me.