A Fight for a Life

My name is Luke, I'm counseling at CBX this summer. This last week I had a cabin of guys, and toward the end of the week one of my campers got in a little fight with the rest of the cabin. Through that, the camper started to open up and share that he has been struggling with an anger problem. The next day was a really powerful time when a bunch of the kids at camp shared their testimonies. After that, my camper broke down and started telling me about his life at home, how he doesn't have a dad, how his family doesn't go to church anymore, and how hard it is for him to make friends. For about 10 minutes I prayed with him, asking God for help and for God's hand in his life, and thanking God for being there and promising to be faithful. For the last few days of camp, he showed a ton of improvement. He didn't let things frustrate him and he got to be great friends with the other three boys in the cabin. It was so cool to see God working in his life.

Written by Counselor Luke

Boys Red Hawk : Why Teenage Boys Are Our "Best" Camp...

Yesterday night 23 young men descended upon Cross Bar X!

I think if people were honest with themselves they'd admit that teenage boys frighten them slightly.

There is often a swagger and posture that at least in part intimidates people about young men... they are seen as erratic and unreliable. If you google "teen boys" you will get article after article about sex, violence, depression and addiction. However, realistic this might be as a representation of teen boys in America, Cross Bar X sees them through a slightly different perspective.

As a camp mom (Marci here) I am always slightly taken back when a teen boy approaches me and my little kids and interacts with us in a sweet and even childish gentle manner. Last night as the boys were being dismissed from the amphitheater one young man from our inner-city group approached us, to most he would be highly intimidating... if you didn't know him. He said in a high animated voice (totally not "cool") "Hey, Eli! Look at my hair!" Then he turned around to show us that his barber had cut the sky-line of Denver and the letters D-E-N-V-E-R into his hair. He then went on, "That is neat isn't it?" Six year old Eli, bashfully and uncertainly nodded his agreement of the "coolness" to this very big kid in a very big body. The teen continued on with a child-like smile of delight. Eli looked at me and said, "I wasn't sure he was nice... but I think he is..."

Over the years these interactions with young men have instilled a faith in me that America's youth need to be given respect as much as we expect respect from them. They aren't monsters and gangsters. They aren't irresponsible and flakes. They are just young. Being young shouldn't be feared... look past the outer facade and see the uncertain boy inside. More than ever, teen boys just need a mentor, friend, or even a father to walk beside them as they become a man!

From Cross Bar X's perspective...

We see nearly men who may have been hurt in their childhood, but who find resiliency through the hope and power of Jesus Christ.

We see attentive, enthusiastic, creative, affectionate, respectful and joyful young men.

We see them seek to know God and themselves more.

We see them eager to do new and hard things.

We see them act as brothers to each other and hold each other accountable.

We see them struggle but find healing.

We see them go to the only Father for sonship and personal restoration!

Join us in Prayer this Week...

- For our staff (and campers) to remain healthy and safe.

- For our campers to seek to find the fullness of life in Jesus Christ.

- For fun!

- For a safe and enjoyable backpacking trip.

- For our campers to find mentorship and spiritual help as they go back home.

- That camp and the Gospel would be a catalyst of lasting change and growth in their lives as they leave camp and grow up.

Denver Falcon Camp!

Today completes our last Falcon (elementary age) camp of the summer... there is a lot of bitter/sweet feelings with our staff as we round up this group. This is our group from inner-city Denver and typically it is our "hardest" Falcon camp.

This week has probably been our best ever Denver Falcon camp!

Great kids.

Fun (safe) times.

Open hearts and minds!

We went into this week expecting more challenges because we have less support staff available to do all the work required to run the logistics of the day to day operations. Think: dishes, set up, clean up, errands, cooking. Our 5 support staffers have ROCKED it. They are serving and not stopping! God's people are showing us all how a little of what belongs to God is mighty!

On top of that, yesterday we had two young ladies profess faith in Jesus as their Savior!
One camper has had a very hard heart the past few years she has attended, she very easily will get angry in a passive way and will refuse to talk to people if they displease her. Mid week her counselor gently told her, "I think you need to stop living for yourself and give your life over to God, things don't seem to be working for you on your own." She spent the entire next day giving her counselor the silent treatment. Her counselor began to wonder if she shouldn't have been so "in her face". Then the next day after playing a game she washed up and peeked around the corner and said, "Hey. Krystina, I am giving my life to God now!"

Tomorrow the camp leaves bright and early to start a very LONG trip home.

Please pray for...
Safe travel.
No road issues with fires.
Easy going travelers.
Not many stops (that bladders hold out).
The late return trip for our drivers.

Everything I Need Is Everything You Are

Written by Savannah

Everything I need is everything You are! 

This is so true at camp! 

As a first year counselor I have learned so much already in the first couple weeks of counseling! 

I am nothing and He is everything! Dying to myself which is so hard but so worth it! 

Through all of this craziness God is working so greatly in the lives of these girls! Getting to be their counselor and love on them is truly a privilege! My first week was such a challenge as I had a camper who was rather difficult and managed to keep me up until midnight my first night of counseling! God worked through this girl to teach me so much and I know she learned a lot as by the end of camp I was able to watch her truly worship God and be able to say she is alive in Christ! I even got a postcard from her this week! 

This past week I have a sweet wonderful cabin that loves to hug, serve and have a ton of fun! After a rough couple of first days God overcame the circumstances and has brought so much joy! I got to see two Burmese girl refugees open up and the first thing she has said during cabin time is “I learned I need to trust Jesus!” 

One of my other girls has expressed her joy in worship especially the song All Because Of Jesus by telling me during one-on-one time “I love worship, it makes me feel like I’m in Heaven!” 

 It has been phenomenal to see God work in their lives and go from not saying anything to saying God is all I need and the joy on their faces as they run around camp! God is so good and so much greater than anything we can imagine! When we die to ourselves and move out of the way to let God move, more amazing things happen than what we can even dream of!

Phoenix Falcon

This week we welcomed our Phoenix MentorKids campers!

This is one of CBX most anticipated camps each summer.

Among our campers we have many Burmese (refugee) children who have a new home in the Phoenix area.

We were also blessed to have one of our longest attended former campers, Kenny join us this week... not as a camper but as our camp COOK! 

His food was made with an extra measure of love!

This week has been FUN and growth producing!

Our campers have really been engaged in Bible lessons taught by local teacher Jack Klumpenhower.

Last night, as I sat in on a lesson this boy in front of me was very intent on listening and participating in the lesson. At the end, Jack, said, "Tonight we saw how Jesus made a way to take away our punishment, we will have to wait for tomorrow to find out how he helps us and provides a way for us to live in the Spirit..." At that the boy sighed a very annoyed sigh and said, to his counselor... "I don't want to wait until tomorrow!"

Nice!

Dulce and Rosie - By Hillary

My group of girls and I were sitting together in what seemed to be another typical cabin time, much like the previous ones that week. The girls were so distracted be the mosquitoes, the heat, and the grass.I was trying to explain Christ’s sacrifice for us and how it’s vital for us to become a follower of Christ when suddenly ten year-old Dulce from Phoenix, Arizona asks “how do you become a follower?” My mouth dropped. I probably stuttered for at least two seconds. Moments later Dulce and I were sitting together on a secluded bench, and I sat there silently and praised Jesus as Dulce asked Him to "save her, to hold onto her and never let go of her—through the good times and the bad." Then I prayed. Afterwards, we both looked at each other; we were both smiling ear to ear. “Guess what Dulce?" I said, "We’re sisters now!” For the rest of that night we couldn't stop giggling and hugging each other. Her joy overflowed, and once again I was overwhelmed by God’s amazingness.

Rosie is from Phoenix as well. While she was not in my cabin, God still allowed for us to build a relationship. Rosie has been coming to CBX for several years now. I’m told that each year she comes she is a little bit more open to sharing and to making friends, but she’s always been hard to break and hard to talk to. Rosie would spend two hours with me at the slide as I lifeguarded at the lake. I tried really hard every day to convince her to ride the water slide, but she always accused the lake of being too cold, or the water too deep. I told her I’d stand in the water as she slid down, just to make sure she’d be okay, but she refused. She just wanted to hang out and talk, so we did. I remember one day she told me that she really liked the testimony I had given earlier that week. I didn’t think a lot about that comment at the time; I mostly thought she was just being polite. We talked about music, basketball, and a little bit about her home life. If Rosie was not at the lake during rec she was in the game room. It wasn’t until the last day of camp that I was able to convince her to take the slide. She made me stand in the water at the end of the slide and I almost got knocked out by her as she slid down—but she did it.

Rosie left camp crying, but she made sure she got my email address as well as my phone number. That weekend she called me sixteen times in one day—I didn’t know what I was thinking giving a 12 year-old girl my number. I did not know Rosie’s story until a few days later, when I talked to the director of the mentor kids group that Rosie is a part of. Apparently Rosie wasn’t just being polite when she told me that she liked the lesson I gave. Apparently God really used my story. This amazed me after I heard Rosie’s story, and what she has been through. Only God can take the story of my perfect, sheltered life and use it to minister to a young girl who has been through more pain and rejection than I could ever dream of. Rosie and I are reading 2 Corinthians together.

God is awesome for letting me tell hurting kids about the hope of our Savior. I’m so glad I’m here. Please keep praying for this camp, for the kids that are here now, that are coming, and the kids who have already come like Dulce and Rosie.  Pray for the staff here at CBX. It’s been unbelievable to see other human hearts that desire to be consumed and used by God.