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| What Indiana CFO Campers Have to Say... From Whitney (Youth and Young Adult) My first time at Indiana CFO was in 1991 when I was just five years old. I have fond memories of building crafts, learning scriptures verses and going on nature walks. As the week of camp ended, I couldn’t believe I had to wait a whole year to come back. I’m 23 years old now and my CFO memories are still as fond and I still leave camp each year with anticipation and excitement for the year to come. CFO has taught me so much through all these years about what the love of Christ really looks like in this fallen world and the true power of prayer. I’ve been honored to attend and minister at many CFO’s around the country, but Indiana will always be my home camp. When asked where I go for a week each July, I tend to simply answer, “I’m going to a family reunion.” That really is what Indiana CFO feels like. Whether you’ve been to CFO all your life or it’s your first time, you can count on being accepted and loved just the way you are. We are the family of Christ, His children, His beloved and never does that feel more true than when I’m at Indiana CFO. From a 6th Grade Boy -- “It’s fun and educational. It provides a lot of education about God. I like the lake and the Dining Commons.” From Dan (Adult) As I considered what I would share with others on the website, I recalled the many times in my life where the Lord has provided my family and me help and comfort in times of need or pain through prayer, obedience, and expectation. In CFO I have witnessed the Lord responding miraculously to the many needs of others. It is in the CFO family at Indiana where I have developed a passion to serve others whether in CFO, in my church family, or in other volunteer community efforts such Habitat for Humanity or Young Life. CFO's program of prayer, worship, creatives, and sharing offers each of us the opportunity to draw closer to God and then to respond obediently to His calling to serve others -- to witness of His Kingdom Living here on earth. The CFO vision of taking time to go further out in one's life with God was given to Glenn Clark almost 80 years ago. I thank God that it continues today in Indiana CFO. I thank God that my own children and grandchildren desire to be at Indiana CFO each year as their schedule will allow. May those who read this also desire to draw closer to God through this God-given program in Indiana!!! From Jenny (Youth and Single Mom) When I was in elementary school, my parents were introduced to the Indiana Camps Farthest Out. We went for a few days that year (1977?), and my parents haven’t missed a year since then. It was an absolutely wonderful experience growing up with CFO. It was only one week every year, but the friendships and memories have lasted throughout the years. When asked exactly where I was when I gave my heart to God, I can say in the kids’ room in the basement under the auditorium at CFO. One of the great things about CFO is that is it a Christian retreat for ALL ages. They have activities for toddlers, children, middle and high school youth, and adults. Sometimes we are all together, and sometimes we are in our own groups. In being with a group that had people from many different generations, I became big sister to some young children and I gained a few more grandparents. One of the things that we talked about in our youth group was how “real” we could be with each other. It seemed like in school we wore masks and shielded our feelings. At CFO we felt so loved and so comfortable with each other that we could relax and be ourselves. I truly believe that the bond that held us so tight was our love for Jesus. My CFO friends (both young and old) have been a constant reminder of Jesus’ love for me. At CFO, prayer is very important. How thankful I am to have so many friends pray for me. They prayed when I got married; they prayed when I went through an emergency surgery; they prayed when I found out that I could never be pregnant; they prayed when my husband and I went through the adoption process; and they prayed when my husband decided to leave our marriage. The warm blanket of Jesus and friends and prayer wrapped around me and kept me going. Before my husband left, we did move back to Indiana and we adopted two very terrific children. From the time my children were born, I have been taking them to the Indiana CFO summer camp. They have not missed one summer camp in their lives. That’s how important CFO is to me. I want my children growing up with the same type of inter-generational “family” that I grew up with. I hope they develop lasting friendships and know in the deep part of their hearts that God loves them so much. From a 9-year old Girl -- “CFO is a Godly place to worship God…and to learn about God. It’s a lot of fun.” From Bethany (age 16) -- Written during Creative Writing LOVE Love, the biggest four letter word!
Love, something I have been constantly thinking about
Love, many questions have come up with this word
Love is something that we not only enjoy receiving, but something we should give to others.
Its an emotion, a feeling, an action that we all possess deep within ourselves, but choosing how to show that emotion, feeling, that action is up to us.
We can choose to show the love of Christ to others all the time, or we can decide we will only show it to certain people some of the time.
If you love someone, I mean really truly love someone you’re going to show them that all the time. No it won’t always be perfect, but through the struggles, and good times the person you love will know you love them no matter what and you will always care for them.
Love is not a game, its something from the heart.
Show the people you love everyday that you love them, and care for them. Show them that unconditional emotion, feeling, action all the time. Others need love just as much as we do. Others desire to be loved just as much as we do. Show that love to others, let them see it!
One of the best kind of love is the Christ’s love. He gave Himself for us, He loved us enough to die. How can we show love for others? No we probably would not give up our life to show that emotion, feeling, action, and we don’t have to. We can show people through the smallest of actions, it doesn’t have to be as big as the example of love Christ showed. There are so many ways to express your never ending care for someone, you choose how you express it, no one else can do that for you.
Love one another as Christ loved us.
Show one another as Christ showed us.
Let others see the love of Christ as he continues to let us see His love everyday.
Be that emotion, feeling, that action. Be love, you never know who you could be saving, you never know who you could be helping.
Christ = Love, always & forever.
Be that emotion!
Let others know that feeling!
Show that Action!
BE LOVE!! | |
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