A Different Kind of Thankfulness for a Different Kind of Summer

Anyone else exhausted hearing people talk about 2020-this, 2020-that, unprecedented, unparalleled, never-before-seen, blah, blah blah….

Yeah. Us too. 😂

Sometimes you just want to forget all the cancellations, rule changes, mask-wearing, social distancing, etc., and pretend this whole COVID-19 thing never existed. However, growing tired of hearing about it doesn’t mean it didn’t happen. 

So what can help us when we’re emotionally and spiritually drained by something? 

One word: Gratitude. 

It’s a pretty big deal. In fact, it’s a command. Scripture tells us “Give thanks in ALL circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus.” – 1 Thessalonians 5:18

And it’s not just one place in scripture. It’s in a lot of places in scripture! 

“And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which you were indeed called in one body. And be thankful.” – Colossians 3:15

“Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!” – Psalm 107:1

The verses could go on and on. The reality is, this year, thankfulness and gratitude might be more important than ever! But this isn’t your every-year kind of thankfulness. You might have to look a little harder, dig a little deeper, and think a little wider. 

Here at WinShape Camps, we could be pretty down about this past year. Not having an in-person camp meant not getting to work with our incredible Summer Staff, see some spectacular campers, and visit countless communities across the world. It would be easy for us to be blinded by disappointment, however, God did big things. 

For us this year, we have a different kind of thankfulness because we had a different kind of summer. Our founder, S. Truett Cathy, often said to “take advantage of unexpected opportunities.” In fact, our entire organization was born out of an unexpected opportunity. And it was in that spirit that we marched on in the best way we could this summer.

As we go into Thanksgiving with our families, there’s reason to celebrate. God did tremendous things this year through WinShape Camps ON, our virtual experience. While many of you may not have been able to participate like normal, or didn’t want another virtual experience (trust us, we get it 😆), God still moved in big ways. And for that, we’re thankful and hopeful for what lies ahead as we create experiences that transform campers and families with the message of Jesus. 

Watch the video above to see how our unexpected summer turned into an unexpected opportunity to reach an unexpecting group of kids in the Mississippi Delta.