What Your Counselor Wants You to Know

Dear Campers,

It’s been two months since camp ended, but that doesn’t mean we’ve moved on to the real world entirely. It would take a lot more than two months to wipe the memory of your silly, smiling faces from our memories—and then some.

We remember the feeling of anxiously awaiting to meet you on Opening Day, hearing screeches and squeals as you sprinted uphill toward your Tentalow, Bungalow, or Cabin.

We remember the feeling of hugging you for the first time as you barreled into the cabin, searching for an empty bunk to call your own.

We remember the first night we tucked you in, listening to you tell stories about your friends and family who mean so much to you.

We remember the 7:30 a.m. reveille wake-up calls, when you sat up in bed and shouted: “It’s a great day and I feel TERRIFIC!”

We remember the first time we got to see the real you, usually during the Lip Sync when you whipped out some crazy dance move that we’d never seen before.

We remember teaching you all about ceramics and farm & garden and crafts and cooking and Zumba and tennis and waterpark and fishing—all of it. We remember the first time you came back from your classes, exhausted but feeling accomplished about all you’d done that day.

There’s so much we remember, love, and cherish about your sweet hearts, dear campers. You may think that your counselors are super cool and have amazing lives outside of Greystone (which is true) BUT we never forget about our Greystone girls. You campers have impacted our hearts in more ways than we can communicate! We think about you frequently and can’t wait until we’re reunited again.

Just know you are more loved than you realize, even outside of the gates of Greystone. Know that your sweet spirit will never stop impacting us. Know that your hearts are the reason we come back year after year.

Know that even in the midst of school, in a season where you may not feel Christ’s love daily, you are LOVED. Not just by the staff at Greystone, but by your Father who made you. He placed you so intentionally at Greystone, knowing that the people you’d get to do life with there would be people who would change you for the better and point you back to Jesus every time you’re hurting. Keep looking to the cross and always remember that Christ’s love for you is sufficient even in seasons of trial.

To prove just how much your sweet counselors love you, here are some kind words they wanted you to remember throughout the year!

“There’s a reason I’ve been at Greystone for 3 years now, and it’s because of you awesome campers! I talk about you beautiful, wonderful, funny campers every chance I get, and always look forward to going back the next year so we can pick up where we left off… all my love to you sweet girls!” Mattie Earls

“Thank you for keeping a smile on my face at all times and reminding me what is truly important in this world! Your infectious joy is indescribable! From DMC’s to plane letters, so many smiles and happy tears! Thank you for showing me who I strive to be, and showing me the Lord’s grace and love every single day at camp!” Sarah Sanders

“My campers are some of the funniest people I know. Every day spent with them taught me about living every day of this life we’ve been given to the fullest. They loved me recklessly and without abandon every day showing me another view of what Jesus’s love looks like!” -Margaret Cox

*“My goodness, when I think of my campers my heart gets so happy. I want my girls to know that they’re so loved and I think about them 24/7, like legit. When I think of camp, I automatically think of how much my campers have made an impact on my life. I think sometimes they forget that THEY are the reason counselors come or return to camp—that their fun, loving, caring, weirdly awesome personalities shows how God speaks to us through people. THEY are what make camp, camp. And the love and friendship they show at camp should not be diminished in the real world. These campers need to know that they’re a light in this world, that they are SO loved, that we’re always here for them, and that their Savior loves them endlessly.” Elly Anderson

“No matter how you are feeling right now, know that you are so incredible and awesome and God made you exactly how He wanted to because He loves you that much! We love you so so much but even better, God loves you so much more!” Suzanna Wason

“LADIES you are the crown of creation—don’t let anyone let you think differently. In the light of all your light and momentary afflictions, let Jesus in to remind you that you are pressed but not crushed, perplexed but not in despair. This life is not easy—allow yourself to rest in the hands of the Father in whom your true identity is found. In the midst of changing friendships, hard classes, feeling distant from God or even lost, in the midst of your emptiness and pain, let God work in your life the way He does in the summer. Pray. Talk to your counselors—we love you, we miss you, we are here for you, and we can probably relate more than you think. WE ARE PRAYING FOR YOU!” Carson Staples

We love you girls. We miss you girls. We can’t wait to hug you one day very soon—y’all are the best!

Your Counselors