“My name is Asa Deeren and I have the amazing opportunity of serving on the overnight camp staff as a counselor this summer. Even a couple of days in, I could already tell that it would be the best job I’ve ever had. Beulah has had such an enormous impact in my life that it truly is a privilege to be able to give back.

I have also been given the opportunity to write about my specific situation of being a camper that has transitioned into a counselor. I have attended Beulah for many years, starting with Beulah on the Road at my home church in 2012. From there I attended several more summers at BOTR, a couple Whiteout retreats, a summer of Edge Camp, and three years of High School Camp. It wasn’t until my second year of High School Camp that I began to truly realize what an immense part of my life Beulah had been, especially in my spiritual journey. It was then that I started to think about applying for a counselor position after I graduated. The year after that, my final counselor, Nathan VanVlymen, helped me to ponder what it really meant to be a Beulah counselor. After that, my decision was made, and my freshman year of college couldn’t end soon enough. I applied for the position and got the interview. When I finally found out that I had been hired, I couldn’t think about much else for the rest of the school year.

When I finally arrived at Beulah for staff training, it seemed like everything just clicked. I found so much spiritual, social, and physical fulfillment from the first two weeks, and camp hadn’t even started yet! Campers have brought some of the best moments, and some of the most character-building ones. One thing that I feel is really important that counseling has taught me is how easy it is to show love to people who need it. As a counselor, we are called to love every one of our kids, and I didn’t realize how many times I could have done the same when I was a camper to my peers. It also reminds me to look for those around me outside of Beulah that need the same.

In short, this summer has been one of the best of my life, and I believe it’s only going to get better from here!”