“Venturing out of your comfort zone may be dangerous, yet do it anyway. Our ability to grow is directly proportional to an ability to entertain the uncomfortable.” – Twyla Tharp
There’s no question that camp is a venture outside of many people’s comfort zones. Sleeping in a cabin, cooking over a fire, running through the mud, meeting new people, trying new foods, and spending most of every day outside is new and different for a lot of kids (and staff) who first come to Camp Wyoming. It can be a little scary, a little intimidating, and a little overwhelming.
Think back to the first time that you ever came to camp. Were you nervous? Afraid? Excited? All of the above? It’s totally normal to be a little hesitant and a little nervous whenever you are doing something new. However, it’s something that we have to do all the time in life. We start a new school or grade (or for adults, a new job). We move to a new house. We meet new classmates or co-workers. We navigate a new city or try a new career or join a new sport. And each time we step into something new, it’s slightly uncomfortable. It’s uncertain. And we are always asking ourselves, “Will I be okay?”
But like the quote above suggests, it is in these uncomfortable spaces, when we step outside our comfort zone, that we grow the most. We learn what we are capable of. We learn that our limits are greater that we thought. We embrace new cultures and people, make new friends, and learn to see the world in new ways.
All throughout the Bible, God was calling people into these uncomfortable places. Moses went before pharaoh. David faced Goliath. Ruth left her family to follow Naomi. Daniel stood in the lion’s den. Esther risked her life to plead for her people before the king. Mary gave birth to the Son of God. Peter stepped out of the boat and walked on water. ‘
What do we learn from these stories? God will meet us in the uncomfortable and scary and new places. These are the places where we learn we need to lean, not on our own ways or understandings, but on Jesus. Camp gives us just a little taste of this, and it’s so important. It’s important for kids to see that when they embrace the uncomfortable, they’re going to find so much more. More growth. More adventure. More friends. More memories. More Jesus.
If you haven’t already, sign them up for camp. Get them out of their comfort zone. We can grow together.
