Perfectly On Time

Chris Renzema has a song that says, “And maybe it’s not so bad, if right now is all we have. Cause as long as You’re here with me, I can let go of these old dreams.”

When I made the decision to apply for an internship at Black Diamond Camp, it felt like I had reoriented my entire life. Before coming to Camp, I was a full-time student living and working in California and knew that after college I wanted to go into full-time ministry.

Although I had a lot of experience working in the Church, I knew there was more to try. So, I applied to a handful of camps in California and when I wasn’t hearing back, I decided to randomly apply to one in Washington. Even though I mostly applied as a joke, after interviewing and looking into the camp it felt like a perfect fit.

A few months later when summer rolled around, I packed-up my car and drove to Washington for the summer. Through being on summer staff, I began to learn the ins-and-outs of camp ministry and it was exciting. I loved running activities and working with campers and I watched myself grow so much.

About halfway through the summer I began to hear about the internship program and at first it didn’t seem realistic for where I was at in life. But after talking to my parents and close friends, I realized that I could finish my degree online which would make it possible for me to move to Washington and do the internship. So, I did. And like I said earlier, it felt like everything I was working towards was changing in some way. But looking at it now, that wasn’t, and isn’t, totally a bad thing.

I have honestly surprised myself with how much I have grown throughout the last few months of the internship. Professionally, I think I have grown in my work ethic, communication skills, and overall understanding of camp ministry. Each week, whether it be through working with groups or shadowing a department, I feel like I am being given an opportunity to learn or be challenged. Personally, I have been reminded that even when it feels like my plans or dreams are falling apart, God is there not only to support us, but to show us that the plans He has for us are unfolding perfectly on time.

– Jessica Saxer, 2021 Intern