E.Y. Harburg says, "Words make you think Music makes you feel. A song makes you feel a thought." My faith was honestly created, tested, and strengthened on the logs around a campfire. I was raised by two parents who loved Jesus, us kids, and Husker football more than anything else. In our small town church there was a pew that didn't have a sign on it, but everyone knew it was for the Boroviak family. Every Sunday my parents made sure all of us were in that pew whether we liked it or not. Before every meal my family would hold hands and recite the lines "Come Lord Jesus be our guest, let this food to us be blessed" in perfect unison. When the idea of camp was presented to our family when I was in kindergarten there was no question, I would be attending camp that summer, and the next twelve to follow.
"The lesson is simple, it's easy to find, when God says, 'GO!' you had better mind!" This line can be found mixed in with silly actions to the song Pharaoh Pharaoh. This song along with its silly actions created my faith. To me this song was not simply a song about how Moses defeated Pharaoh's army; instead it showed me that as long as God was on my team I was going to win, it was pretty simple. As a little kindergarten twerp in overalls I had declared that God was in control of my life. Did I know what that really meant? Not exactly, but I wanted to be sure if Pharaoh's army was coming after me that God would instruct me to clear my throat and Pharaoh's army would perform the dead man's float.
Campfire songs came and went for the next twelve summers. But one was always in the campfire mix, "your spirit moves through me, like a mighty rushing wind." Every time I was at camp those words were more than simple words to a song, they were words that described the emotions going on in my dirt, sweat, and tie dyed covered body. At inspiration point I would sing out the words "I feel your arms around me, as the power of your healing begins". Every year I came back to camp for one thing and one thing only. It wasn't my best friend, Lois's Stromboli, or even inspiration point that kept me coming back year after year; it was the fact that camp was the place God was closest to me and I was closest to Him. I yearned for the relationship that God and I had at camp for every day of my life but I couldn't find it at home, or I wasn't willing to find it, "my spirit is willing but my flesh is so weak." I knew having the relationship with God I had at camp would require a lot of work and a lot of time and to put it simply I was lazy, so I stayed where I was in my faith, where it was easy and shallow.
If my faith were a tree, my roots were extremely shallow and weak, my tree was falling over and I am simply too weak to hold it up on my own. I was getting run down over and over again and instead of turning to God on my own my number one thought was "just keep pushing until camp". I couldn't continue to live like this, being best buds with God one week out of fifty-two was pretty awful and I had to change. "Take you as you find me, all my fears and failures. Fill my life again." Those were the next lyrics I sang out to God at the campfire, and this time I meant it. I was ready for a complete faith transformation and I was hoping I would get one and sure enough I did. "I give my life to follow, everything I believe in, now I surrender." I couldn't have truly sung those words at any better time. I was in the college decision-making process and with God in control for real this time I knew I would end up the best place for me.
"I wish for you my friend, this happiness that I've found." A year later here I am at Northwestern College sharing my story, or song, with everyone around me. I don't do this by going around telling everyone I see my story; instead I show God's love to other people through my actions. "That's how it is with God's love once you've experienced it, you spread His love to everyone, you want to pass it on." As I continue on in my faith journey I want people to be able to look at me and see that God and I are tight. I want to show my future students God's love through my actions regardless if I teach in a public or private school. My faith was created, tested, and strengthened by camp songs sung around a campfire. I may have grown too old to attend camp, but my heart will continue to sing camp songs if I am eight, eighteen, fifty-eight, or even eighty-eight.

The kids always have a wonderful time at Fontanelle, and are eagerly awaiting next year. However, I especially want to commend you all on the Boys Only camp; despite the fact that I cried most of the way home because I was leaving my child all by himself at camp for the first time (I know, completely ridiculous), I knew that he would be safe and have a wonderful time. He was SO excited about the week when I picked him up, especially about the devotions that they had done with each of their projects (which he wanted me to read as soon as we got home). He even said that he would someday want to become a counselor :). Thanks again for all Camp Fontanelle does for families.

I think it's really important that the counselors of "Man Camp" know the impact they made in my son's life that week. I'm always a firm believer that if you have changed one life, it was worth it. I hope they believe it, too.The life they changed means the world to me. Here's a recap of the conversation we had after camp on the drive home.
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After my son showed me all the things he had done at camp, we headed back to the car and he reached for my hand and said, "I've changed." "I won't ever complain about going to Church again, mom." I asked him how he'd changed and he couldn't find the words to describe what happened to his heart. Earlier in the week I had said in an email to him that I'd prayed he would find God at camp like his older brother did.

I took a chance and asked him if he found God at camp and he replied, "yes." "I want to continue what I started and learned here at camp, Mom. God is important to me, he's in my heart."

I have no idea what you all do to make transformations like his and his brother's, but please keep doing it. I had to hide the tears in the car, but they are flowing again as I type this email. I am so incredibly thankful to all of you. You all are a wonderful group of men who answered God's call to influence young lives.

Thanks and God Bless

I just want to say "thank you" for the amazing camp experience that you gave my daughter this past week. She has been going to church and Sunday School every Sunday since she was a baby, and she knows all the Bible stories inside out, etc. She's an all-around good kid. But I gave you a spiritual child and you returned to me a spiritual young adult. The depth of the conversations that we had on the way home from camp and then in the car on the way over to my Mom's to pick up her sisters took me a bit by surprise. She matured in her faith immeasurably in the 3 days she spent with you. It is a wonderful thing to watch a child grow in God - but you guys know that because I'm sure that's what keeps you doing this year after year!

Thank you so much for giving the gift of your time to the ministry of these young adults. God bless you!

Camp is a place that holds a very large place in my heart. As a camper, I not only learned how to appreciate nature, make lasting friendships, tie dye, roast the perfect marshmallow, how to trust through night hikes & low ropes courses, I also met God, which fills me with so much joy. As a summer staff member, I learned how to appreciate sleep, to never forget to apply sunscreen or to drink water & to always carry a Marry Poopins-like backpack. I also learned cooperation, patience, love, and service. My camping experiences have shaped me & my outlook on life. Camp will always feel like home to me. I am thankful I listened to God as He lead me back to Camp Fontanelle year after year.