Learning more about God—at camp
It was my first summer at a camp for Christian Scientists.
I was eight years old at the time, and everything felt new—the big trees, the smells, and all the kids who seemed to already know each other. That first night, after the lights went out in the cabin and the chatter quieted, I felt scared. I missed home. I thought, What if I’m alone here?
Then I remembered something my Christian Science Sunday School teacher had told me: “God is Love. That means Love is right where you are, all the time.” I also thought about something I’d learned from reading Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy: “Divine Love always has met and always will meet every human need” (p. 494).
So I asked myself, What do I need right now? I knew I needed to feel safe and loved.
I started to look for God’s love reflected in everything I did—and I always found it.
In that moment of prayer, it felt like God was hugging me. Not with actual arms, but with calm, like the warmth of sunshine or the way water feels when it wraps around you in a lake. I knew that God hadn’t dropped me off at camp and left, because God is ever present. God was right there, as I lay in my bunk and the trees rustled in the wind; He was expressed in the laughter of the other kids and even in the silence.
The next morning, I noticed that my counselor was kind and smiled at me, and a girl from my cabin invited me to sit with her at breakfast. I realized I wasn’t forgotten or abandoned. I had never really been alone.
God was already there, and I could feel God’s love in the friendships, activities, and joy I got to experience. Every day after that felt like a gift. One day at lunch, I even made new friends. I started to look for God’s love reflected in everything I did—and I always found it.
Last summer, I attended a different camp for Christian Scientists—this time, as a sixteen-year-old kitchen crew intern. It felt like a full-circle moment in going back to camp, especially because I was feeling more grounded in what I’ve come to know about God and His ever-present love.
My job was to help prepare meals for campers and staff. It was a summer of early mornings, dishwashing, and laughter over uniforms that never seemed to stay clean or dry. It was busy, joyful, and humbling. And I realized that even though I wasn’t with campers all day, our work behind the scenes was just as important. Every family-style meal, every chopped tomato, was an expression of love, service, and care.
One morning, I woke up feeling anxious. There was a lot to get done that day, and I was tired. I started to worry that I might let the team down. I even wondered if I was really ready for this responsibility.
That’s when I remembered another idea from Science and Health: “God is everywhere, and nothing apart from Him is present or has power” (p. 473).
This statement reminded me that I wasn’t doing this work alone. Strength, intelligence, joy, and peace were already present because God is always present. I didn’t have to manufacture those qualities—I reflect them effortlessly because God created me. That moment completely shifted my day. The tasks didn’t suddenly disappear, but the pressure did.
God’s goodness and love aren’t something I have to chase or earn. They’re always right where I am.
Being at camp last summer left me with such a deep sense of gratitude—not just for the fun and the friendships but for the many ways I found to practice Christian Science each day. I’m grateful that I was able to support camp, whether by singing joyfully while sweeping the dining hall or by praying quietly in the kitchen during a busy lunch shift.
I also saw so clearly that God’s goodness and love aren’t something I have to chase or earn. They’re always right where I am, just like I’d found when I was eight and learning to trust that I wasn’t alone. I now see that the truth remains the same: I am not alone. None of us are.
God is everywhere, and God’s love is always enough.
