Growth for All

Camp Rockmont is a place of growth, but one thing I’ve learned in life is that growth and comfort cannot coexist. 

During free swim, I have seen so many campers move beyond their comfort zones and do something for the first time. Just recently, I was tapped to be a rigger on the zipline, and I met Chase. 

Chase had never done the zipline before and he was clearly nervous. As per usual, I got Chase rigged up to the line to get ready to go down. As I was rigging him, he began whispering to himself. I asked him what he was whispering to himself. 

His answer gave me goosebumps. 

He said, “I am repeating the scripture my dad told me to say when I am scared.” I immediately asked him what the scripture was. 

It was Deuteronomy 31:6 — “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”

Chase sacrificed his comfort to grow and conquer his fear of doing the zipline. 

Here at camp, growth doesn’t stop with our campers. Growth is called out of our staff as well. Yesterday, I went fishing with one of my former campers, Luke. He was my camper in 2018, and he has been an avid fisherman since the day I met him. 

Luke would always try to teach me something different about fishing, but honestly, it makes me nervous. I fear everything about it: the bait, the hooks, the live fish themselves. However, when I went fishing this time — Luke caught one. He turned to me and said, “Justin, hold it.”

I immediately said, “No sir.” 

Luke asked again. I squirmed, and I thought to myself, “Growth is the mission, and I cannot be comfortable and attain growth.” I held the fish. I did it. Once I held it for 10 seconds, I realized it wasn’t that bad. We threw it back and I was excited and ready to do it again. 

Camp Rockmont is a place where we call everyone to something greater than themselves, and we call people to grow in a specific area of their lives. 

That is our mission in one word — growth.

How are you growing and changing outside of camp? What are you calling yourselves to daily? I encourage you to reach deep down and push the boundaries of your comfort zone to achieve the maximum amount of growth.

Justin Hart

Assistant Staffing Director