Hello! I’m Jamie Opfer, and I am grateful to be part of the staff here at Beulah Beach.
Last summer, I volunteered as a day camp counselor, and it was one of the best weeks of my life. I remember the love I felt instantly. There was an abundance of fun, creativity, and learning that filled the week. I got to be part of the dancing, games, and had my first opportunity to lead young girls through a debrief. It was my first experience as a counselor, and it gave me the drive to continue. The Lord lit a fire in my heart that I could not ignore.
God then opened the doors for me to become an overnight counselor. Truly, this summer has been filled with the joy of the Lord. Our God shines so bright through Beulah Beach, in the staff, in the beautiful scenery, and throughout the camp weeks. I get to sit first-hand and watch others encounter the Lord in various ways.
During high school camp, I had a group of joyful girls who already knew the Lord but wanted to grow closer. Our debrief times were connected with John 14:6: “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” We talked about the way – that everyday we strive for Jesus. We talked about the truth- that is so clearly shown in John 3:16: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” We also covered the life – that we were made for, and can have life to the full in Christ.
During our mid-week debrief, the hard truth was shared with them that you have to recognize you are broken before you realize you are in need of a savior. I gave my campers ten minutes in silence to process the truth of Jesus.
In that time, God touched one of my campers in a special way. Early in the week, she told me she had a relationship with the Lord. After the mid-week debrief, she approached me one-on-one. She explained to me that she had a misinterpretation in her relationship with the Lord. It was revealed to her throughout the week that following Jesus means He has to be the number one thing in her life.
Her eyes were open to see that God is the way, the truth, and the life. Through further debriefing of Psalm 139, God showed her the enduring love He has for his creation of mankind. That we were created to be in relationship with our Father. My camper was vulnerable to share all the things higher than God in her life. Sitting in the truth that nothing fully satisfies other than the Lord, she declared that she wants God to be number one in her life.
We had a beautiful conversation about following Jesus and baptism. The meaning behind the outward expression of an inward heart change. On Friday, she chose to take that step of baptism to show that God has touched her heart and that Jesus is her Lord and Savior.
Walking away from Beulah, my camper’s heart was on fire to read the Bible and continue to build a relationship. She is living in the truth that she is fully known, fully loved, and fully satisfied in Christ. That it’s not what we do but what Jesus did for us. He is our “why.”