I remember the first time I Phil and Nolan at the first week of camp at Mahoning Valley I ever went to (the summer between my 7th and 8th grade year). Waayyyy back in the day, Nolan came off as that one kid we all knew in school who was pretty cool but went overboard trying to be cool. Phil intimidated me a little bit when I first met him. He always had a letterman jacket or some kind of sports-related shirt, and always had at least one girl at camp that liked him and followed him around everywhere. I thought he was a jock until I got to know him a little better at the winter retreat the following winter. Phil and Nolan were always in different family groups though, so I never really interacted with either of them significantly until the summer after my freshman year.
At this point in time, Phil was dating this girl named Claire, and she was one of the funniest but most sarcastic, straight-forward people I'd ever met. I was in the same family group as them, and she and Mama Shellie (our family group "mother" that week) could go through witty remarks like champs. There wasn't a conversation that whole week where I didn't laugh at least once at something Claire said. After that summer, there wasn't a winter retreat or week of camp where we weren't in the same family group.
The next summer (after my sophomore year), Nolan was in our family group too, and it was a riot that whole week (Nolan turned out to be a pretty cool guy once you got to know him. Who would've thunk?). This week of summer was also special because Claire decided to be baptized one night that week. It was so cool seeing her make that decision and watching Phil get to be the one that took her confession of faith. It's been even cooler seeing just how much God has changed her since she made that decision six years ago.
Skip forward a couple summers, a couple winter retreats and a few graduations, and we're at my last week of camp as a student. It was a doubly bittersweet one, because not only was it the last time I got to come to camp as a camper, but it was also the first one where I didn't have my friends I'd made over the last three years there with me. I felt so out of place because the family I grew to love having every summer wasn't there anymore. But I was really happy Tuesday or Wednesday evening that week, because the three of them came to visit one of those evenings. I'm half ashamed to say it, but when they left and I was waving goodbye to them, I started crying because I missed them already.
The summer of 2013, Nolan invited me to come with him to this college-age bible study group called Impact he was involved with. I got a huge surprise the first time I came because it was Fall Creek's new college-age ministry, and all three of my friends were involved with it too! I'm so thankful for Nolan inviting me that Sunday evening, because being involved with Impact has strengthened my relationship with Christ and my relationship with my friends.
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If my friends are reading this, I know I've told you guys before I struggle a lot with being open about things and how I feel. It's not exactly how I wanted to be open with you, but I want to take this chance to tell you guys a few things that have been weighing on my heart for the last couple months.
I know I do a bad job of being open with you guys (I still promise, you'll get more than two-word answers out of me when I answer your questions one of these days!), but I love you so, so much. I don't tell you guys that nearly as much as I should, and I definitely do a horrible job of telling you in person.
If there's one way I can even try to sum up everything I want to tell you guys, Ruth 1:16-17 says it best:
"But Ruth said:
"Entreat me not to leave you,
Or to turn back from following after you;
For wherever you go, I will go;
And wherever you lodge, I will lodge;
Your people shall be my people,
and your God, my God.
Where you die, I will die,
and there I will be buried.
The Lord do so to me, and more also,
If anything but death parts you and me."
My heart always feels like it's going to explode when I get to spend time with you guys, and it feels like it's breaking when I don't get to talk to you or see you in awhile. I never want our friendship to end, because you three have become family to me. You guys mean the world to me, and I feel horrible so much because I never know how to tell you.
Phil, I'm so stinking proud of where you've gone since camp. You went into studying ministry, then computer work, then back to ministry, and now you're already a minister at a church! You set the bar for where I want my eventual marriage to be with how you take care of Claire and Natalie. You and Nolan are my role-models for what it looks like to be a real Follower of Christ. I'm so proud of you, friend!
Claire, you are possibly the best advice giver I could ever ask for. Even when it stings you still tell me what I need to hear, and I can't thank you enough for your God-focused guidance. You're hilarious most of the time, and you and Phil are doing parenthood really well. Natalie is lucky and blessed to have the God-loving, Jesus following parents she has, and I'm lucky and blessed to have her parents as a couple of my best friends!
Nolan, you've come a long way since camp too, and I'm proud of seeing where you're going! You're always willing to be a friend who will listen and one to talk to when I need somebody. I'm so happy for your new job at Wilkinson and for you and Katie's upcoming marriage, and I can't wait to see what God decides to do through both of you!
I know I try and make up for my lack of words with my actions, but I hope you guys know just how much you mean to me. Love you, my family!
Larz
