How God Works Through the Unexpected

By Jenna Arnold, Director of Digital Outreach
and Carie Gordy, Communication Coordinator

When my daughter Josie and I arrived at Camp Levi, we didn’t know what to expect. It was our first mission trip, and after a full day of training on Sunday and part of Monday, we finally found out who our camper would be. To our surprise, we were assigned a two-year-old girl. Honestly, neither of us was thrilled at first. If you had asked me before camp, I would have said the toddler/preschool stage isn’t really my thing.

One of my biggest concerns going into the week was whether I’d have the stamina to make it through. I also have a health issue that means I need to be careful about sun exposure. With long, sunny days ahead and a toddler to chase all over camp, I wasn’t sure how I’d hold up. But God more than carried me through. Even with a significant drop in my coffee intake, I never felt tired. There’s a peace that comes with relying on God’s strength that is still with me now.

The sweetest part, though, was watching what God did in Josie. It’s not always easy to recognize how He’s working in me, but seeing it in my daughter was a gift. Josie was disappointed at first when she found out about our camper, but it didn’t take long for her to embrace the assignment. By the end of the week, the two of them were inseparable. Our little camper adored Josie—running after her and yelling, “Chosie! Chosie!” whenever she wasn’t in sight. Watching my daughter grow in love for this precious little girl, and seeing her rise to the challenge, was something I’ll treasure forever.

One of the special things about Camp Levi is that you don’t just care for a camper—you become part of their family. We ate meals together, spent our days together, and really got to know one another. What started as an unexpected assignment ended up being the greatest blessing. God has a way of doing that—turning what feels intimidating or inconvenient into something beautiful. “The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.” – Proverbs 16:9

Maybe something has come up in your life recently that you didn’t plan for or even want. Can I encourage you to look again? God often hides His sweetest gifts in the places we least expect.

– Jenna

This year at Camp Levi, I got a reality check in the best way. Instead of having a camper (aka supervising my 13-year-old, Marshall, with his camper), I was asked to serve in hospitality. I didn’t hesitate – when asked, I gave a resounding “yes!”, after all, service is service, right? But honestly, I felt a pang of disappointment. I assumed I’d miss out on those holy, heart-stretching moments that happen when serving one-on-one with a camper. Part of me even wondered if I was ‘cheating’, or not holding up my end of the agreement when I signed up to serve (clue: ‘service’ doesn’t mean ‘exhaustion’). Still, I couldn’t shake the picture of myself on the sidelines, watching the “real” ministry happen elsewhere.

Spoiler alert: God had something different, and better, in mind. As he always does.

In recognizing that I needed more space and downtime than in past years, he spoiled me with extra breaks. Between you and I, my family has been through a rough wilderness this last year; I’m talking curve ball after curve ball. Placing me on the hospitality team was like him saying, “Daughter, thank you for serving, but you need to slow down. You’re carrying too much.” After all “He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul.” Psalm 23:2-3

I found myself with more time for devotionals (to the point people joked that the bench I sat on should have my name on it!), to walk around and talk with campers and other STMs, (Short Term Missionaries)…to breathe, observe, and soak it all in.

What’s more…when I didn’t heed his call to slow down, I somehow managed an ice cream-related injury. Yes, really. My tendonitis flared in my hand while scooping 180 bowls of ice cream. Nothing humbles you like losing mobility while doing something that should be simple. And in that, I saw God’s humor and kindness. Like a father letting his daughter learn a lesson the hard way, and then sweetly comforting her afterward. He knew I needed to be still, so he made it easier for me,…one scoop at a time. And while everyone else enjoyed their ice cream, I enjoyed an ice pack!

Zooming out, Camp Levi is the closest I’ve ever felt to Heaven. It’s where people love people…disability or not. Where you’re seen for your soul, not your shortcomings. Where worship rises as one beautiful voice. Where the camp family wraps you up like one of their own. Even as a non-camper, I always feel completely accepted. I know you’re thinking I’m exaggerating, because society has shown you otherwise. Me too, friend. But, this place is different.

My expectations might have set me up for disappointment at first, but God, in his goodness, flipped the script. His plans were fuller, richer, and slower than anything I could have imagined. This year taught me that when our expectations don’t line up with his, it’s not a failure. It’s an invitation to trust, to slow down, and to notice his blessing in ways we never anticipated. Those humbling and inconvenient “ice cream moments” can actually be God’s gentle nudge to pause, rest and reflect. He showed me that rest is holy, too…that he knows my limits better than I do and that I can’t just power through everything, I need to depend on his strength. He showed me that “slower” doesn’t mean “smaller”, weakness is a gift (because he shows us how much we need him), and he delights in surprising us.

Yes, Camp Levi is a glimpse of Heaven, and once again, it has changed me. It’s hard to describe because it’s a place where you truly experience the presence of the Holy Spirit. It’s something you need to see and feel for yourself…and luckily, you can!

-Carie

Before we go, we wanted to share this video that was put together and shown on our last day there. We’d love for you to join us next year! If you have questions or want to chat about camp, feel free to reach out to either of us (Jenna or Carie) anytime, and stay posted for next year’s camp dates!

As you reflect on your own journey, consider:

What expectations are you holding onto that might be keeping you from seeing God’s blessings?
Are there “ice cream moments” (small inconveniences or frustrations) that could actually be nudges to slow down and notice his goodness?
Who around you might need to be seen for their soul, not their shortcomings?

Sometimes, letting go of our expectations is the first step toward noticing the fullness of God’s plan.

Jenna and Carie