What Does Religion Mean To Me Essay

My parents have always strongly believed in religion, responsibility, and integrity. At a young age, they put these values into action. We always attend church on Sundays and make God our number one priority. My parents always give me responsibilities, even as simple as making my bed, doing the dishes, or coming home at curfew. They have always expected things to be done the first time they ask, and on time. My family has always been big on lying. They would much rather I tell them the truth, no matter how bad it is, rather than lie about it.

On a sunny, steamy summer day in mid-July, as I passed under a bronze archway reading Rocky River Ranch, little did I know what the future held. Camp life was a 180-degree turn from the peace and quiet I was used to in my calm home. Being an only child from a household with two loving parents, my life lacked conflict. As a shy, introverted person I quickly had to adapt to a place full of endless chatter, interaction, and wacky songs. I was nervous about my ability to make such a difficult transition, but the love and positivity abound at camp simplified the shift.

Every person has had a time in their life that changed their perspective on the way he or she lives or that changed their way of thinking, but there are not many people that have had a time in their life that changed who he or she is. There are only so many things that can change a person. One of the only things that can change a person is Camp Lambec. Camp Lambec sits peacefully on the beach of Lake Erie. It has cabins everywhere by number and a veil that splits it in half. There is a trail that goes all the way around it and a chapel that has brought joy to thousands of people. In other words, it’s the greatest place on Earth. Anyone who has gone there comes back as a new person and for me the week I spent there this year changed who I

The thing that strikes me the most is the fact that Jesus would have become man even if Original Sin didn’t enter our lives (Benedict XVI). It makes me feel really loved when I think about the fact that God wanted to come to us even if we didn’t fall. It shows that he loves us when we are good and bad. God planned to send his son to save us from our sins and give us eternal life because of his love for us (John 3:16). Another thing that strikes me is that even though it may seem like God is angry and demanding, he actually isn’t. God wanted to give us salvation, but the death of his son was not a ransom for this (Article). I never realized that God was willing to do anything to save us and share eternal life with us because of how much he loves us. I learned that God became human not only to save us from sin but to also show and teach us how to love others. I never thought of the Incarnation in that way, so it changed how I view the relationship between God and Jesus. God wants to show us how to treat others by Jesus’s example while saving us from sin at the same time.

Growing up, church was never a huge aspect of my life, but it was always around me. My grandmother was a deeply religious Catholic, and many of the kids on my street went to the church around the corner. Despite this, my mother never forced my sisters and I to go. She wanted us to choose our own beliefs. The proximity to Christianity influenced what I believe in today. I believe in God and that he created everything in the observable universe. The rest of the Bible, well, is debatable to me. Some call me an agnostic Christian, but the label doesn’t matter. As long as I can find faith and solace in something when I need it, I’m happy. What I ponder the most is the final chapter: death and the afterlife. What I hope is that everyone is delivered what they

On August 7, I returned to a church summer camp, I hadn’t attended since the 7th grade. In totality, I had attended the camp that is held annually only 3 times. Down in Grapeland, Texas, Frontier Camp is notorious for leaving an actual mark on the kids, make that plural--leaving marks and scars that last a lifetime. When you get, a chance look under my neck and examine the truth itself, my 8-year old body was stood no chance against the barbed wire I collided with when we were playing a night game. This is the biggest reason it took me 5 more years to return was my dad's reaction towards that incident. However, spiritually the camp was able to install foundations in me that I still use today no matter where I am because the camp directors really understood the art of relating the message to the child's world. Counselor in Leadership Training

June 24th, the day had arrived, and I was jetting off to Weaverville, NC. I didn't think I had the inner ability to serve the Lord, and be an example when I had so much left to learn. Before I could blink, I was weaving up the mountains of Windy Gap. I was so nervous my stomach was doing flip flops; as I came to the realization there was no turning back, I held my tears. The first thing I see is a gathering of people who were about to change my life. They are jumping at the opportunity to take my phone, the last connection I have to reality and submerge me into the bubble of Young Life. I had yet to realize, I was just given one of the greatest gifts, the opportunity to serve a month of my summer at Windy Gap, a Young Life Camp. There, I worked alongside other high schoolers serving campers day by day as a Laundry girl. Meticulous effort and thought put into every movement at camp. Our days were long and tedious, filled with tasks of setting tables, serving campers, clearing tables, cleaning EVERYWHERE, washing, folding, mowing, raking, weeding, wiping, lifting, hauling, carrying, and presenting. I was forced to treat 50 strangers as my new family if I wanted to make it through the hot summer

One day my cat turned to me and asked: “What on earth is religion?” In a sense, this question can be answered with endless possibilities. My definition of religion would be a collection of beliefs, cultural systems, and world views that relate humanity to spirituality and moral values. I am a christian and to me being a christian means realizing that you are not able to be perfect, and that everyone sins. Christians believe that Jesus is the Son of God and He died for our sins. God sent Him to earth to die for us and the sins of the world. When you accept Jesus as the Son of God and as your personal Saviour, He comes to live in your heart and soul. Jesus also gives us a gift called the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the part of God that can be with us at all times. He

Even before I was a counselor at Free Spirit Nature Camp, I was a camper, and now I’ve been there for a total of 14 years. That place and those people taught me the most important lessons to learn in life, and I’ve been overjoyed to be able to give back to a place that fosters curiosity and growth in young people in such wonderful way. After all, I want to use my education, my work, and my life as an opportunity to give back. We've been given so much since we were so young, and it's our responsibility to use our unique abilities and perspectives to ensure that the earth and society not only continue to provide, but to progress.

As the school year ended I looked to begin yet another hard working summer. What I had in mind was not what I was presented with. Throughout this paper I will explain how those things helped me for the better during my summer break. This paper will be broken down into four parts and through those I will gradually introduce and explain my experiences and things that I have learned while working, leading, and instructing at summer camps. During this time, I have been reading a book by one of my favorite authors, John MacArthur, which I will use quotes from within my paper. It has helped me learn about strong women in the bible and I know it has helped me become a stronger person. I have shown a lot of growth but I am sure that my greatest

The antidote for shyness is a dose of laughter. Every summer, I eagerly anticipate breaking open my shell and seeing divine light brilliantly cast from the sun's rays down onto two hundred enthusiastic children. Vacation Bible School is more than a summer camp for me. Though only five minutes from my house, this weeklong excursion into a world of happiness is pure bliss. Admittedly, I do not attend church every Sunday, though not a week goes by that God does not breathe energy into my heart. As I feel God's presence, I recognize this opportunity to share my love, my passion, and my spirituality with the kids I meet each summer.

There are moments in life that define how I have seen the world. Such moments tend to present themselves in ways that I may have never imagined, and in times beyond human control. Ironically enough, the most vivid and life-altering moments in my life have occurred more than once at Silver Birch Ranch. Silver Birch Ranch (SBR for short) is first and foremost a church camp. Every summer since the end of 7th grade, I have endured the endless six hour drive to Wisconsin. For the first few years at SBR it was the same camp I have come to love; However, just different people and different cabins. That was until the summer of 2015; SBR began to offer opportunities for campers to experience something extra special apart from the traditional Silver

I think that often religion is pushed too hard to have a specific definition. I believe that because there are so many kinds of religions, everyone thinks differently. For example, my family is not a practicing catholic family. We didn’t go to church every single weekend, but as kids we went to religion classes, we were baptized, we made our confirmation and first communion. After that, us kids were never forced to go to church on the weekends. That doesn’t mean that we don’t believe in God, we do, we just don’t go to church. However, now as an adult my boyfriend’s family is a very strong practicing catholic family. They go to church every weekend and they have many beliefs that they enforce strongly. I’m not saying that religion just means you have to go to church. As the book mentions, a traditional dictionary defines religion as follows; a system of belief that involves worship of a God or gods, prayer, ritual, and a moral code. However, there are so many exceptions when it comes to the definition of religion that most aren’t considered comprehensive or accurate. Growing up I

It was 4 o’clock when I arrive at the camp and the first thing I saw were tons of smiles, that radiate a welcoming feeling with the intention to make us feel at home. It was awkward to see people that have never seen me be so happy by my presence. Tall trees with vivid green coloured leaves and the brown dirt covered the entire scenery. Even Though, the wet climate kept us trapped inside the view was breathtaking. Me being pessimistic I waited anxiously to see if this day could be bombarded by even more misfortunes. When entering the cabin there were fifteen bunks, one

I spent a year there proud of myself for waking up every Sunday morning and faithfully attending every Wednesday. The youth pastor informed me that the youth was going to camp and not only was I going to be going but I was going to be a family leader. Proud of myself I agreed. This resulted in me sitting in one of the back sections at a Global youth camp one night. That night the speaker spoke of the fig leaves that Adam and Eve had used to cover their sin. In that moment I felt the reality of my sin and the reality of what Jesus had done for me. I had heard it a thousand times but I thought I was not worthy of this freedom. That night the Lord stepped into my heart of stone and asked a single question. How can you claim to love me when you don’t even know me? That was the night of my salvation. Since then I have never been the same.