Do These Shoes Fit Me?
By Jason Keesee
By Jason Keesee
It’s never easy to walk in someone else’s shoes. Even if that person hands them over to you. Will they fit correctly? Will they be comfortable? Will they fit not just you, but your personality? Were they made for your intended use of them? Will they last as long as they did for the previous owner? These questions may not make sense to you now, but they will. Let me explain.
I am a Priest. I like being a Priest. It very much suits who I am and the ministry that I can provide for not just my congregation, but my Mission Center as well. I come from the Greater Pacific Northwest Mission Center. I was born and raised in Oregon and currently live in Vancouver, WA (just over the border from Portland, OR). I know most everyone that I see at our yearly family reunion at the beautiful Lewis River Campgrounds. I don’t think I could be anywhere else in the entire world. Unless, of course, God has something to say about it. And maybe God did have something in mind for me. I felt I was needing to do more. I was at a point in my ministry where I was looking for more.
I am a Priest. I like being a Priest. It very much suits who I am and the ministry that I can provide for not just my congregation, but my Mission Center as well. I come from the Greater Pacific Northwest Mission Center. I was born and raised in Oregon and currently live in Vancouver, WA (just over the border from Portland, OR). I know most everyone that I see at our yearly family reunion at the beautiful Lewis River Campgrounds. I don’t think I could be anywhere else in the entire world. Unless, of course, God has something to say about it. And maybe God did have something in mind for me. I felt I was needing to do more. I was at a point in my ministry where I was looking for more.
It was at Reunion 2007 that I was approached by some folks who had a proposition for me. I was asked if I might be interested in taking over the Senior High Camp from the current director who was looking to step down after 19 or so years to pursue another path in his ministry. To be totally honest, I was surprised that I would even be thought of to take over his spot. I had not only never directed a camp before, but the thought of taking over for someone that had been in that role for almost 20 years was quite intimidating. I was looking for more, but not this much more. Or so I thought.
I then spoke to the director about it. I was humbly surprised to find out that he also supported me stepping in for him and taking the reigns. I was honored that he had that kind of trust in me (thanks Rick).
He invited me to come up on the last night of his camp to get an idea of what it was like. I hadn’t been to Sr. High camp since I was a camper. And it just happened to be his first year, too. I hadn’t been there as neither a counselor or pastor or cook or anything before. And certainly not as director.
I went up at the end of the week of the camp to the grounds. The kids were getting ready for the final campfire when I arrived. I knew most of them from other youth events that I had participated in as well as Reunion. I said hi to a few of the kids and some of the counselors too. They had all heard that I was considering taking over (I hadn’t made a decision as of yet) and were all asking me if I was going to. I told them that I hadn’t made up my mind yet.
While the final campfire was going on, I hung back a ways so as not to be a distraction. Even though they all knew me, I was still a bit of a stranger to that camp. It was still the current director’s camp. I was just a fly on the wall.
After watching campfire, I noticed an amazing spirit amongst the kids and staff that night. They were a very tight group. There was a lot of love for each other, and the spirit was there too. No doubt about it.
I left that night thinking to myself on the way home. “Is this the right thing to do? Do I deserve to take over a legacy like this? Will these shoes fit me?”
I had one more person to talk to about this. I had to make sure that the boss was ok with me leaving her at home with our own kids before I go trekking off for a week. Amazingly, she gave me her blessing as long as I would put my all into it…and prayed about it.
Yep, give it to the Lord. Let it be God’s will. How simple, right? It was until I spoke later to the director after I had said yes that I realized what I was really in for. We met for lunch one day in the fall and talked about what he put into his camp and what it took to run it. We talked for about 90 minutes about it. But instead of being intimidated, I felt a sense of calming about it. Yes, the Spirit was there very quietly telling me to “go ahead, do it”. But I was also excited about it, too. And confident.
And so, I went about preparing, getting a theme, finding counselors, cooks, nurse, lifeguard, and kids. In talking to the kids at my home congregation, they were as excited about camp, if not more, than I was.
Camp came and went. I came home when the week was done, said hi to the kids went upstairs and chatted with my wife about the week. I was so exhausted, but filled. I couldn’t really say anything. I just turned to her, put my head in her lap, and cried. Not in sadness, but for joy. Joy because it went so well. Joy because the kids all had a good time. Joy because I had put something together that was a success. Joy for the staff that I had who put their all into it as well and made it a success. Joy in my camp pastor/co-director who also mentored me the whole way with great advice and positive reinforcement. It was AWESOME!
Will I do it again, you better believe it. It was a learning experience for me. Trust in the gifts that God gave you and his work shall be done. And have trust in a new pair of shoes. Who knows where they will take you next.
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