B-r-r-r! It was cold

I spent the last week in the upper peninsula of Michigan at Cedar Camp, not far from the little town of Cedarville. I flew to Detroit, and then one of the camp workers picked me up and took me to the camp...quite a long drive from one end of the state to the other. It was dark when we got there, and then for the next two days it was gloomy and rainy. I had been warned by friends here in town and on the blog to take warm clothes, and I'm glad that I did.

On Tuesday, I think it was, the sun shone, and I finally saw the beauty that everyone had spoken of. I've never seen so many Christmas trees anywhere actually growing before. There were daffodils still in bloom, so I paused to look at them each time I passed, enjoying them over and over.

The camp that I went to is owned by Inter-Varsity Christian Fellowship. The week that I was there, there were students from University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana campus, and University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. The students there made up the leadership teams of the chapters. Their directors were there with them as they studied and made plans for the coming school year.

During the morning and afternoon, the students studied various subjects, ranging from an overview of the Bible to racial reconciliation. In the evenings there was a speaker who Taught from I Samuel 15-17...the stories of Saul and David, and David and Goliath.

I think the thing that I enjoyed the most was the singing in the evening group. Throughout the weeks of camp, the same music is taught or sung, so that when chapters meet together, they're all on the same page as far as the music is concerned. A couple of the songs were in Spanish. The nice thing about Spanish is that even if you don't understand it, you can sing it because it's all phonetic.

My favorite song that was sung is a hymn that was written in the last few year entitled, "In Christ Alone."

In Christ alone my hope is found
He is my light, my strength, my song
This Cornerstone, this solid ground
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm
What heights of love, what depths of peace
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease
My Comforter, my All in All
Here in the love of Christ I stand

In Christ alone, who took on flesh
Fullness of God in helpless babe
This gift of love and righteousness
Scorned by the ones He came to save
'Till on that cross as Jesus died
The wrath of God was satisfied
For every sin on Him was laid
Here in the death of Christ I live

There in the ground His body lay
Light of the world by darkness slain
Then bursting forth in glorious day
Up from the grave He rose again
And as He stands in victory
Sin's curse has lost its grip on me
For I am His and He is mine
Brought with the precious blood of Christ

No guilt in life, no fear in death
This is the power of Christ in me
From life's first cry to final breath
Jesus commands my destiny
No power of hell, no scheme of man
Can ever pluck me from His hand
'Till He returns or calls me home
Here in the power of Christ I'll stand

Words by Stuart Townend

As we sang the third and fourth verses singing of His resurrection and power, there was cheering in our voices and clapping of our hands in praise to Him in Whose power we stand. It was awesome.