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“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9
Sometimes courage looks like climbing all the way to the top.
Sometimes it looks like going faster than you ever have before.
And sometimes, courage simply looks like saying, “I’m not ready yet.”
This summer, while visiting XLR8 Camp, I joined the Grizzly cabin as they headed out on the boat. After some time on the water, it was time to switch riders. One camper still hadn’t taken his turn.
“Are you ready?” the driver asked.
"No,” he answered. “I need a second to muscle up some courage.”
Then he explained why.
The year before, he had gone out on the boat but afterward was disappointed that he hadn’t gone faster. He felt like he had missed out. This year, he wanted to push himself further.
He just wasn’t ready yet.
“Will five minutes work?” the driver asked.
“No. How about eight?”
Eight minutes later, he went.
This time he went faster. He took more turns. He did more than he had ever done before.
What stayed with me wasn't simply what he accomplished on the water. It was everything that happened before he ever got on.
He was given room to be honest about his fear. Someone listened. No one rushed him or made him feel embarrassed. He was encouraged to take the next step when he was ready.
And he did.
Later that day at lunch, I saw that same kind of courage again.
The campers were doing shout-outs when another camper stood up to share.
“I tried the climbing wall, and I made it halfway before I quit. I wanted to do better, so I went again - and I only made it halfway again.”
Then he said something wonderful:
“I’m proud of myself for trying again.”
The room erupted in applause.
Not because he made it to the top.
He didn’t.
They celebrated because he tried again.
These are the stories we love to tell at Star Rock Ministries because they show us what can happen through a Christ-centered camp experience.
Young people are growing in faith as they discover that God is with them when they are afraid and that their worth isn't measured by whether they reach the top. They are growing in relationships as they experience a community where fears can be shared honestly and courage is encouraged by others. They are developing character by choosing perseverance over giving up. And they are learning life skills that reach far beyond camp: naming a fear, asking for what they need, taking a healthy risk, and trying again.
That is growth worth celebrating.
Together, we aren't simply helping kids get on boats or climb walls.
We are helping create places where young people can discover that courage doesn't always mean being fearless. Sometimes it means trusting God, taking the next step, and trying again.
Because sometimes, trying again is the victory.
