BEAUTY FROM ASHES

If someone would have told me months ago that I would be going to a youth camp/retreat in Mexico, I would have called them crazy. I have been so preoccupied with college that I really never considered signing up for this camp. “But God, you always have a purpose for everything in our lives.”

I had been feeling very discouraged, depressed, tired, overwhelmed, wishing to come up to the surface of things and just breathe. When I was informed that I would be going to this retreat, I was shocked but curious as to see what would happen. I wasn’t too excited to go due to the fact of being tired from studying for finals that week before camp.

Our first night at camp, we had our devotionals and I asked God to truly show me why I was there. In my heart I didn’t want to be there, I was thinking about the finals I still had to go back to after camp, I was worried that I wouldn’t make any friends (I am extremely shy), and I felt so tired—in my heart I wasn’t…all…there. I asked God to help me understand the reasons for my going.

The theme for the camp was: “My Special Treasure”. We had a famous guest speaker that whole week there with us and he spoke about how special we are before God. He said that no matter what our past was, no matter how unfaithful we’ve been to God, no matter how worthless we feel, no matter our color, race, ethnicity, we are still SPECIAL and UNIQUE before God. He chose the text, Malachi 3:17: “On the day when I act in judgment, they will be my own special treasure”.

In my heart, I knew this was true, but I hadn’t really grasped the meaning of it. The second-to-last day at camp, our guest speaker said, “You are precious; He calls you beautiful. You probably came with heavy burdens, with worries, but God is telling you today, ‘You. Are. My. Special. Treasure!’ ” This broke me. I felt so encouraged; I felt like the worries I had been carrying around with me had diminished.

The last day during our morning devotional, as everyone was crying out to God, worshipping Him, we heard a prophesy say: “I brought you to this place to give you new strength, to pour grace abundantly over you, and to tell you how much I love you….You are mine, my dear treasure.” At that moment, I remembered what I had prayed on my first day at camp—-to know why God wanted me there. God heard my prayer! And he answered it. I broke down like never before; I felt his presence overwhelm me and fill me with such peace and joy!!

I don’t regret for one second having gone to this amazing camp! God knew all along why I had to go. I came back refreshed, strengthened, and ready to tackle another semester of workload. Every time I feel like I’m having a bad day, I remember: “You are my special treasure”. I feel His love overwhelm me; I know that my future is in the Creator’s hands and there’s nothing to worry about.  No matter who you are, what your past was, always remember that YOU are God’s special TREASURE!

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